Bally Brilliant!

What about Ballynagour?!  He absolutely bolted up in the Grade Two Prix la Barka at Auteuil on Saturday under Tom Scudamore and picked up £61,000 for his trouble.  What an S.P. as well - the Racing Post made him a 15/2 chance, while the Paris-Mutuel returned 15.9/1!  Judged on this, he would have to have sound claims in the French Champion Hurdle at the track in three weeks time.  David took Leanne with him to Paris and I wouldn't mind betting that she has already spent the winning percentage on a new hat for Royal Ascot!

Meanwhle My Brother Sylvest ran another good race to finish runner-up in the competitive two mile handicap chase at Market Rasen on Sunday from a mark of 140.  The trouble is that he is very consistent and he will probably be going up another couple of pounds for finishing second, which obviously will make things harder again.

Today there are five meetings taking place with flat cards from Redcar, Southwell, Windsor and Leicester as well as a jumps card from Towcester.  David runs Bathwick Man and Vieux Lion Rouge this afternoon at Towcester.  Vieux Lion Rouge was a decent hurdler and now he switches his attention to fences - he has always looked a chaser in the making and he has schooled well over the larger obstacles at home.  Judging by his hurdle mark of 139 this is a race that he is more than capable of winning and Tom Scudamore is in the saddle.  Bathwick Man is an old favourite around the yard and is very consistent in his grade - he will love the ground and should go well for Conor O'Farrell.

I see that Mr Oppenheimer has decided to stump up the £75,000 supplementary entry fee to put Dante winner Golden Horn in the Epsom Derby.  I wonder if he used a credit card?!  Anyway, it looks money well spent to me as he looked by far the most convincing of any of the Trials' winners I have seen thus far.

Many happy returns to actor Nathaniel Parker who is 53 today.  Nat of Inspector Linley and Merlin fame often comes into our marquee at the Cheltenham Festival and gives me some stick.  He solves all the cases as a detective, you would think that he could find all the winners!

Rory McIlroy produced another golfing masterclass at the weekend when he won the Wells Fargo Championship in America by seven shots at -21.  He played some of the best golf I have ever seen and he was on a completely different level to the rest of the field.  His record breaking round of 61 in the third round had to be seen to be believed.

Apparently plans are afoot to make a movie about A P McCoy.  I wonder who they will cast to play the great man?

Did you know that a bogus doctor has been nicked for offering "free breast exams" in Coconut Creek, Florida?  It sounds as though he has really boobed this time!  Have a nice day...