Aintree Starts Tomorrow!

It's another all flat day with racing taking place at Nottingham, Catterick, Lingfield and Kempton.  Unsurprisingly the stable has no runners this afternoon but don't worry jumps racing returns tomorrow with fixtures from Taunton and Aintree.  With tomorrow marking the beginning of the 2015 Grand National meeting, I would have thought it would have been better to have had Taunton on today and an extra flat meeting tomorrow, or am I missing something?  Don't answer that!

Willie Mullins seems to have unearthed another very nice bumper prospect.  An Dearg Mor positively bolted up at Fairyhouse yesterday, winning in a canter - he looks very big and can only improve.  We will probably see him at next year's Cheltenham Festival along with the trainers other 150 runners.  Gosh, I sound a little jealous!

With less than three weeks of the season remaining Tom Scudamore remains second in the jockeys' championship on 142, two ahead of Richard Johnson.  Scu wants to get to 150 and he looks to have a great chance of managing it.  The find of the season would appear to be Sean Bowen who is on fire at present.  He is currently five clear in the race for the conditional jockeys' championship.

*****

There was a very good football match last night as Aston Villa and QPR drew 3-3.  It was one of those games that both teams deserved to win, although a draw doesn't really help either of them in their battle to stay in the Premiership.

Tonight Blackburn take on Liverpool in their FA Cup sixth round replay and a month ago I would have said that the Scousers were certainties although there seems to be unrest in the Liverpool camp once again.  The 4/6 on offer about Liverpool does look tempting, although I think I will save my betting boots until Thursday and Aintree.

*****

I see that golfer Rory McIlroy has hired One Direction star Niall Horan as his caddie in the par 3 contest today in Augusta.  Rory is a big fan of One Direction, so he clearly is not a music lover!  I hope it's not his big tour bag otherwise it might end up in another direction!

*****

I went into a seafood restaurant with Mrs Barnes, Martin and Carol last night and sat on the table next to us was former owner turned trainer, judge, accountant and UKIP treasurer Andrew Reid.  What a small world!

*****

Did you hear about the man who went into a cloning shop?  When he came out he was beside himself!  Keep smiling...

Tweet