We Should Be So Lucky!

With the loss of Market Rasen and Sedgefield to the weather we are left with just a couple of flat cards from Southwell and Kempton.  As regular readers will know, it is not very often that I say thank goodness for the all-weather, but at least it saves us from a blank day this afternoon.  Today is the first time this winter that I have had a frost on my car and judging by the weather forecast we could be in for a few more abandonments in they days to come.  Fortunately there are no anticipated problems at Newbury ahead of their meeting on Saturday as they have had covers on the course since last Thursday.

I was interested to see that Hardy Black, who was beaten favourite when finishing third in the seller at Wolverhampton yesterday was claimed for £6,000 by K Frost.  Watching the race, he didn't look to be the most straight forward of individuals and the form book said, "carrying his head high and failing to run on, he looks one to have reservations about."  It will be interesting to see whether a change of scenery helps revitalise him.

I see that Newmarket and Haydock racecourses landed something of a coup when they revealed that they have booked Aussie songbird Kylie Minogue to perform at the tracks this summer.  She will play Newmarket on 19th June and Haydock on 20th June - with Royal Ascot also taking place that week, we should all be so lucky!

Looking through the Paddy Power list of top twenty races for betting turnover, I was interested to see that the top six revenue generators are all jump races.  The first flat race is the Epsom Derby at number seven.  In fact, that is the only flat race in the top twenty races.  Perhaps the flat race goers are just poseurs rather than punters?!

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When was the last time that Tiger Woods was 40/1 for a golf tournament?  Ladbrokes have priced up the former world number one at those odds and to be honest, it doesn't look like the magic sign are giving away much at those odds.  The tournament is the Farmers Open at Torrey Pines, a championship he has won eight times in the past - it sounds as though a ninth is going to be a tall order!

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Talk about a bad deal, West Brom are taking a £6million loss on striker Brown Ideye - if I were the chairman I would be wanting to talk to the person who signed him for £10million.

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Why on earth has cricketer Ben Stokes been left out of England's World Cup Squad after a magnificent knock of 151 not out off of 86 balls as the Lions beat South Africa by 89 runs?  He also took three wickets - clearly the selectors were not at the match!

While we are on the subject of cricket, I will leave you with one final thought for the day: When does an Australian batsman walk?  When his car breaks down!  Have a nice day...