Quiet Start To The Week

I hope a few of you enjoyed your extra hour in bed over the weekend as it is another twelve months before you get another one!  You are in for a quiet day if you are a fan of the jumps in England.  There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with flat action from Redcar and Leicester while the jumps action comes from Ayr in Scotland.  Unsurprisingly the stable does not have any runners this afternoon.

It was great to get the new season at Cheltenham underway with action on Friday and Saturday and while we didn't get among the winners there was still some promise.  Stars Over The Sea could still do with brushing up his jumping but when he does, it is not difficult to see him winning.  Chic Theatre was disappointing, running no sort of race although much the same thing happened last year before he bolted up at Newbury.  He is clearly much better than this.

I thought that Boondooma put in an impressive performance to win the two mile handicap chase on Saturday from a mark of 147 for Dr Newland.  He looks set for a good season ahead.  Meanwhile on the flat Scrutineer went into my notebook after he won with any amount in hand in the seven furlong nursery from a mark of 80 and he looks as though he could be Listed class at the very least.

Yesterday's runners both performed creditably at Wincanton with Impulsive American finishing a close second and Standing Ovation third.  Impulsive American has looked the likely winner of his last couple of starts and his turn surely has to be near.  Talking of Wincanton, I see that point-to-point rider Lizzie Harris was the winner of the side saddle race aboard Lough Inch.  The race raised £300,000 for charity and the winner was presented with her trophy by Martin Clunes (Doc Martin).  Mrs Barnes is a massive fan of Doc Martin, while I preferred him in Men Behaving Badly...I guess that just sums me up!

Apparently Cheltenham Festival organisers have agreed to a 40 minute gap between races at their big fixture in March.  I am not sure that is a great idea - the youngsters I talk to say that the action doesn't come fast enough when there is a 30 minute gap, nevermind 40!  Don't forget the youngsters of today are the race goers of tomorrow, although they won't be if the sport doesn't appeal to them.

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Lewis Hamilton won the American Grand Prix yesterday and in so doing won his third drivers' championship...a great achievement I suppose, although his task was made a lot easier this year by having a car that was significantly quicker than anybody else and a team mate who can't keep his car on the track.

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I was only saying last week that Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood looked the most likely Premier manager to be out of a job and so it proved over the weekend.  Meanwhile Sunderland beat Newcastle 3-0 despite Newcastle looking the better side for much of the match.  Liverpool drew at home and badly need a striker while Chelsea look to need a phyciatrist for their manager...unfortunately for them, they seem to be suffering from a similar lack of respect for anyone else.

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Why did the scanner get detention?  For copying!  Give me a chance, it is only Monday afterall!...