Weekend Jottings

There are just two meetings taking place this afternoon with a jumps card at Exeter and an all-weather flat fixture from Southwell.  Exeter have had plenty of rain (a surprise I know!) over the last few weeks so providing the meeting goes ahead David will have three runners; Dell 'Arca, Shotavodka and Lady Of Longstone.  Tom Scudamore takes the mount aboard the first two, while Michael Heard takes 7lbs off of Lady Of Longstone's back.  The ground is sure to be extremely testing so there are likely to be some slow motion finishes.

Dell 'Arca has run loads of good races down the years so it is a little surprising that he hasn't won a few more.  He goes in the Pertemps handicap hurdle qualifier and there is some good prize money with £18,500 on offer.  Meanwhile Shotavodka contests the Bathwick Tyres Veterans Chase.

The headlines in yesterday's edition of the Sun yesterday read "Festival Plunge In The Pipeline".  They were talking about David's entries in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' handicap hurdle.  David has had seventeen runners in the race since it's introduction at the fixture without winning and obviously he would dearly love to be presented with the prize by his old man!  Whatever he runs in the race is invariably well-backed - let's hope the supporters are right this year.

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I was watching the pro/am golf from Pebble Beach and noticed that leading owner J P McManus was taking part.  I couldn't help but smile to myself when he hit a ball near the sea wall and promptly became very wet as the sea came crashing over the wall.  J P was partnering Padraig Harrington and they have won a few of these competitions - I am just surprised that AP wasn't there.

Talking of AP McCoy I bet he will be at Arsenal today to see them take on top of the table Leicester even though I have no idea why he is an Arsenal fan!  The other big game is Manchester City versus Spurs at 4.15pm.  Both are covered on television and will provide plenty of goals.

I see Diego Costa is the latest player to wear a Zorro style face mask.  Four of them have worn them at some time - the outfit would seem appropriate given their wages - you could almost say it is daylight robbery!

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What flowers do squirrels give on Valentines' Day?  Forget me-nuts!  I hope you remembered...

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