Newton, Wincanton Runners

We are spoiled for choice again today as there are another five meetings taking place.  The action comes from Newton Abbot, Wincanton, Uttoxeter and Carlisle over the sticks, while it is day two of Chester's Cup meeting on the level.  What a fabulous piece of race planning to have Newton Abbot and Wincanton on the same day!  I know that one is an evening meeting, but people will still struggle to get between the two.  I am sure there are plenty of people who would have gone to both had they been on different days.  David has runners at both meetings today and he runs Starchitect in the valuable 2m5 1/2f handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot.  He has run three cracking races for us since joining the Pond House team - he was second in the Betfair Hurdle, a close fifth in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham and third at Aintree last time.  The trouble is that he keeps creeping up the weights despite not winning.  He looks well worth a try at this trip and is the 5/1 favourite in the Post (who also nap him).  He looks to have leading claims in the hands of Tom Scudamore.

Houston Dynimo (pictured above) is our other runner at Newton Abbot although he will need to improve on his most recent efforts to figure.  Even so, he has dropped to a feasible mark once again and will most definitely appreciate this return to better ground.  Regular rider David Noonan is in the saddle.

Meanwhile over at Wincanton, David runs Willem in the first race and he will be hoping he can build on his latest good second at Kempton.  He has the ability to win a race of this nature, although he has his share of weight with 11-12 to carry.  Tom Scu leaves after the ride aboard Starchitect at Newton Abbot to get to Wincanton for the ride aboard this one.

Both Alternatif and Daklondike finished fourth yesterday with the latter looking like he could already do with more of a test of stamina and some flights of hurdles.  Our Irish point-to-point winner can only improve for this experience (only his second lifetime start).

There is a cracking Chester Vase to look forward to this afternoon at 3.10pm with Aidan O'Brienn's Derby favourite US Army Ranger in the line-up.  He has only had one start to date but is already as short as 3/1 for the Epsom Classic.  The ground will be completely different to the heavy ground he encountered at The Curragh but he is a fascinating contender.  My Dr Koukash theory didn't work yesterday, although he has more runners at Chester today so we shall see how he gets on.

*****

I won a few quid last night as Real Madrid beat Manchester City 1-0.  They were only 8/15 shots and 1-0 is never a comfortable scoreline so I had a few anxious moments in the closing minutes.  Meanwhile Burnley, who are newly promoted to the Premier League have promised their manager Sean Dyche money to strengthen his squad next season.  Burnley received £100 million for promotion and I think he will need to spend all of that, otherwise their stay at the top table will be very brief.  You don't get a lot for £100 million - just ask Chelsea!

Tweet