Two Runners At Taunton

There are two jumps meetings taking place this afternoon with action coming from our local track Taunton and also Plumpton.  The stable runs Cork Citizen and Konig Dax at Taunton and they are both forecast favourite in the Racing Post.  I hope they are right as it would certainly be a nice confidence booster to go into the Cheltenham Festival on the back of a winner or two.  Cork Citizen was unseated when in mid-division last time out in the Eider Chase - he had been under pressure for some time but was not out of touch when parting company with David Noonan and this looks considerably easier.  He likes soft ground and should go well under Tom Scudamore.  Meanwhile Konig Dax has the distinction of being the only horse to have beaten Douvan when successful in France in 2014...if only you could take that form literally he would be running at Cheltenham this week!  He makes his debut for the stable this afternoon and we will know more about him after today.

Yesterday I thought that Pilgrims Bay ran a sound race when runner-up at Market Rasen.  He was trying to concede 5lbs to the well-backed winner and he remains on a mark that he is capable of winning from.

With the Champion Hurdle taking place tomorrow the Twiston-Davies team have certainly been shouting about the prospects of The New One in the big race of the first day.  The drying ground should suit him so let's hope that he runs a big race - he is part-owned by my old mate Gino, who we stay with throughout the Grand National meeting every year.  He will be unbearable if he were to win the Champion Hurdle!

Talking of Cheltenham, everybody around the yard at Pond House is buzzing with only 24 hours to go.  I have never seen the tack room so busy, even travelling head lad Craig Wylie hasn't had time to polish up the souvenirs he will be trying to knock out during the course of the meeting!

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What a great result for Watford to knock Arsenal out of the FA Cup.  Surely Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has passed his sell-by date?  He has been a great manager for the Club and he has been a dream for those wanting to make money, however a side the size of Arsenal needs to be winning things.  Meanwhile my beloved West Ham drew at Old Trafford with Manchester United and what a free-kick from Dimitri Payet!

I find it hard to believe that Chelsea player Diego Costa is only 28 years old.  He looks older than I do (no comments thank you!) - anyway, I don't believe he could bite anyone as I doubt very much whether he has his own teeth!

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Why couldn't the pony talk properly?  He was a little horse!
That black beauty, he was a real dark horse!  Well, it is Cheltenham week...

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