Bumper Runner At Plumpton

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with a jumps card from Plumpton as well as a couple of all-weather flat fixtures from Kempton and Wolverhampton.  The stable runs a newcomer at Plumpton where Carqalin makes his racecourse debut in the bumper at 4.25pm and he goes nicely at home.  Tom Scudamore is in the saddle and seven runners go to post - it is a difficult race to unravel as only two of the field have any sort of experience so it is hard to know what you are up against, although Clondaw Bisto did win an Irish point-to-point.

Tom Scudamore enjoyed a nice high profile winner at Cheltenham on Saturday as Thistlecrack was an easy winner of the Cleeve Hurdle.  He looks to be very much the one to beat in the World Hurdle.  Our two runners on the card both ran sound races with Champers On Ice finishing third in a very hot novices' hurdle and Un Temps Pour Tout finishing fourth in the hanidcap chase.

It is interesting to see that the bookies are still pricing up the trainers' championship and most of them still have Willie Mullins very short in the market.  Yes, he does have plenty of very good chances at the Cheltenham Festival but in order for him to win the title over here, the vast majority of them are going to need to win.  As we know, not all good things go in otherwise there would not any bookmakers.  Paul Nicholls has a £3/4 million headstart and he is not exactly going to stand still over the closing months of the season and at 6/5 he looks worth and interest.

Talking of bets, my little football double on Everton and Chelsea came to fruition - I hope a few of you were on!  I would be intrigued to know why somebody doesn't ask Jose Mourinho why Chelsea are playing so well at the moment?!  It just shows you that if you lose the dressing room (and it doesn't matter if you are the "Special One" your team will not perform for you.  Mourinho thinks that he is bigger than the club...how wrong could he have been?  One of Chelsea's first priorities must be to give John Terry another year's contract - he is still one of the best centre halfs in the country.

No matter what you think of tennis player Andy Murray, you have to feel a bit sorry for him that he has played in the era of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and now Novak Djokovic.  Just think how many Grand Slam titles he would have won without those three around!

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I see that bed manufacturer Sealy are looking for a sleep ambassador to test beds, pillows and duvets.  With a salary of £100 a snooze, where do I apply?  It sounds just like my dream job! 

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