Victory For Vaticane

The stable had a nice winner at Wincanton when La Vaticane ran out an easy winner of the 2m4f handicap chase at Wincanton yesterday.  It wouldn't have been so easy had Vic de Touzaine not unseated Aidan Coleman two out when upsides and mounting a serious challenge.  La Vaticane could just have been idling a bit in front, but one thing is for sure...we will take the result.  Sometimes you just need a bit of luck.  The mare could now go to the Cheltenham Festival in a fortnight where she has engagements in several of the handicaps over a variety of distances.

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps action at Ludlow and our local track, Taunton as well as all-weather flat fixtures from Southwell and Chelmsford City.  It could be a good day for the stable as David has four runners at Taunton today; Nice Thoughts, Vazaro Delafayette, Impulsive American and Junior Package.  Vazaro Delafayette bolted up at Huntingdon last week and is turned out again under a 7lbs penalty leaving him 6lbs ahead of the handicapper.  If he turns up in the same sort of form as Huntingdon he will be very difficult to beat under 10-5.  Impulsive American was Tom Scudamore's 1000th career winner last time out and he won with a bit in hand at Musselburgh - this is tougher although he has a nice  weight of 10-8 to carry.  Our other two runners, Nice Thoughts and Junior Package have a very tricky owner who thinks he knows it all about training...it is Martin!

We also run Top Wood and Lady Of Longstone at Ludlow this afternoon.  Top Wood is back up in trip to three miles and with a set of blinkers on.  If he returns to the level of his good second on heavy ground at Chepstow he could run a big race.  Meanwhile, Lady Of Longstone has already had a fantastic season but she is paying for it with a handicap mark of 123 leaving her 6lbs above her last winning mark.

We met up with John Francome at his Lambourn stables yesterday and he gave us a fascinating tour of the place.  Clive Cox is the trainer on site at present and it is a great set-up.  Ever inquisitive, Martin asked Clive to fill out a questionnaire for him!  We then went on Oaksey House where we met up with Sir Anthony McCoy who had just come from several hours in the dentists chair where he had been having his teeth sorted out - he could hardly talk so it wasn't all bad!  Oaksey House is an incredible place and does some fantastic work with recuperating jockeys and member of racing staff.  Former classic winning flat jockey John Reid was in attendance along with up and coming young flat jockey Oisin Murphy.  We had a chat with Ed Barrett who was injured in a point-to-point last year and who is making steady progress.  Oaksey House does an incredible job and should be subsidised by the government instead of wasting squillions on useless projects and think tanks.  It was a long but interesting and thoroughly enjoyable day and I will bring you some of Francome's thoughts tomorrow - he is always worth listening to.

Above: Oisin Murphy, MCP, John Reid, Steve Taylor & Sir Anthony McCoy

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I didn't have to turn my phone off last night as my beloved West Ham beat Spurs 1-0!  Funny thing, all of my mates phones were switched off...not that I was going to gloat!

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Teacher:  Your homework seems to be in your father's handwriting.
Pupil:  Yes, I used his pen!  Have a nice day...

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