Terrible Torquay!

There are six meetings taking place this afternoon with flat cards from Yarmouth, Doncaster, Newcastle, Chester and Newmarket, while there is a jumping fixture from Cartmel.  The stable has no runners today.  There is a big article in today's Racing Post about who is going to be champion jockey.  It looks as though it is going to be a lot closer than in previous years - it was always a case of how many A P McCoy was going to win by, but this year newly crowned champion Richard Johnson looks as though he is going to have his hands full with Sam Twiston-Davies in hot pursuit, in fact young S T-D is currently four ahead.  Johnson has five mounts at Cartmel today while Sam has two and it is fair to say than more trainers seem to put Johnson up.  Bookies make him a best-priced 2/7 chance so you know who the bookies think will prevail.

Torquay was nasty yesterday...no, not the place, the horse!  He managed to get rid of rider Oisin Murphy on the way to the start and then unshipped him again.  I think that a rule should be introduced that when a horse gets rid of the jockey it should be withdrawn.  In this case Torquay was withdrawn.

Many happy returns to northern trainer Lucinda Russell.  We went out for a meal with her and Peter Scu only a week or two ago.  I don't think she could believe some of the things that Peter and MCP got up to in the old days.  I once nearly had a fight with Scu behind the stables at Kempton but that is another story...

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I don't think that Leicester stirker Jamie Vardy was ever going to Arsenal although their interest certainly would have helped him secure a new four year £100,000 a week contract with his current club.

Cricketer Nick Compton has opted to take an extended break from the game as he has failed to score many runs.  As far as I can tell you need time at the crease rather than a break from it.  A ton would certainly put him right.

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I managed to get into a row at the polling station yesterday when they would not allow me to make my mark with a pen.  You know how suspicious my mind is...I was looking to see if there were any rubbers lying around!

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