Sandown, Chepstow Runners

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps action coming from Sandown, Ayr and Chepstow while there is also an all-weather fixture from Wolverhampton.  The stable runs Chic Theatre at Sandown in the valuable EBF Handicap Hurdle Final, while Obistar competes at Chepstow.  Tom Scudamore is aboard them both as he performs a 'Challenge Anneka' style dash from Sandown to Chepstow in the helicopter.  Chic Theatre was a gutsy winner last time out and he looks to be on a fair mark and has sound claims - it is an 18 runner handicap with £60,000 up for grabs so there are quite a few that those comments also apply to!

Obistar goes in the 5.20pm race at Chepstow and he had some fair form, although he did unseat last time when coming back from a bit of a break.

The big race of the day is at Sandown and that is the Imperial Cup - a race the stable has won nine times in the past.  Unusually there is no runner from Pond House this year and there are only 15 runners in total which is far less than the maximum field size.  Top weight Rayvin Black has to concede a stone and more to his rivals.  I wonder if the lack of a bonus this year for winning the Imperial Cup and following up at the Cheltenham Festival has affected the turn out?  Martin landed the double with Olympian and Blowing Wind, while David also managed the incredible feat in 2007 with Gaspara.

Prideofthecastle finished third at Leicester yesterday afternoon and it looks as though he would prefer a sounder surface.

Today's pre-Cheltenham video features conditional jockey Michael Heard who will be hoping to pick up a mount or two at the Festival next week.  Michael has been seen to good effect since returning from an injury sustained at Cheltenham in October, winning aboard Navanman and booting home Bladoun at Exeter earlier in the week.  Hear his thoughts by clicking the photograph or link below:

Michael Heard Cheltenham Festival 2016 Interview

*****

It is the quarter final stages of the FA Cup today and Everton take on Chelsea at 5.30pm.  There are also some interesting Premier League matches taking place with Manchester City travelling to Norwich and needing a win to stay in with any chance of winning the division.  They are 8/13 and Bournemouth are even money to beat Swansea so that is my little double taken care of.

I am told that there is a big match going on at Twickenham today - something about England versus Wales and a funny shaped ball.  The England manager Eddie Jones sounds as though he should be looking after his opponents, while he says that the Welsh break the law and have an illegal scrum...he is certainly trying to wind them up!  Mrs Barnes thinks that all the players are whispering to each other in the scrum.  That is about the extent of the rugby knowledge in the Barnes household.

*****

Thought for the day...playing poker online is like being mugged but without the company!  Have a nice weekend...

Tweet