3 For Newton's Big Fixture

There is a busy day ahead with seven meetings taking place, including five flat cards from York, Sandown, Chester, Chelmsford City and Bath as well as National Hunt action from Newton Abbot and Perth.  It is Newton Abbot's big fixture of the season today with a very valuable handicap chase and handicap hurdle backed up by a very competitive card.  The stable has three runners at the meeting; Standing Ovation, Prince Of Poets and Kie.  Standing Ovation (pictured above) competes in the Mildmay Chase having bolted up in a novices's hurdle at Market Rasen last week and he is just out of the weights - with his confidence back he could have each way prospects at odds of around 10/1.  Meanwhile Kie runs in the handicap hurdle and will be fit from a recent run on the flat and Prince Of Poets takes his chance in the novices' handicap hurdle with first time headgear.

What a tremendous finish to the big race of the day from York yesterday as the giant two year old Acapulco was reeled in close home.  She was outstayed by winner Mecca's Angel on this slower ground although she still ran a mighty race in defeat.  On good/firm ground I don't think they would have seen which way the American horse had gone.

How many good horses does Rich Ricci own?!  Even his jumpers win good races on the flat as Max Dynamite won the Lonsdale Cup in decisive fashion under Frankie Dettori.  Dettori was typically animated and suggested that this one might even be able to win the Ascot Gold Cup!

I see former jump jockey turned flat rider Timmy Murphy sustained another injury when he broke his collarbone in an accident on the gallops.  He missed three rides yesterday and it illustrates just what a dangerous game this is - even the flat jockeys have accidents.  We wish him a speedy recovery.

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How is that two teams can be so inconsistent?  I am of course talking about the England and Australia cricket teams.  If you have tickets for the fifth and final day of the last match, it looks as though you are going to be out of luck.  Australia are taking us apart and it looks as though England will be forced to follow-on and we could end up losing by an innings.  Luckily it doesn't count for an awful lot as the series is already in the bag.

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Onto the football and Manchester United have another easy fixture as they are home to Newcastle.  I will be having a cheeky little accumulator on Man Utd at 2/5, West Ham at 7/5, Leicester at 17/10 and Arsenal at 4/5 to put bread on the Barnes table.

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Finally, a thought for the day...Why did Robin Hood steal from the rich?  Because the poor didn't have any money!

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