Leger Monopoly!

A couple of days of soaring temperatures and sunshine and the flat courses are all riding good to firm, while the going at Worcester is good and being watered!  There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with flat action from Sandown, Yarmouth, Doncaster and Newbury, while over the sticks there is a fixture from Worcester.  Tom Scudamore has picked up four outside rides and he looks to have a couple of fair chances, while conditional jockey David Noonan is also at the meeting.  The stable does not have any runners this afternoon.

The entries for the St Leger at Doncaster have closed and Aidan O'Brien has sixteen entries in the final classic of the flat racing season on 10th September.  What it must be like to have that many horses you feel capable of running in a race such as that!  With only 42 entries in the race, O'Brien is responsible for almost 40% of the field this early stage!

Many happy returns to stable sponsor Wayne Clifford who celebrates his birthday today.  I have spent many happy hours in Wayne's hospitality box at Wincanton enjoying the most amazing hotpot!  It is also Gino Paletta's birthday - Gino is 57, although he always told me he was 47...he always did have a very young mind!  Gino owns The New One and Blaklion and kindly puts David and myself up for the Grand National meeting every year.  Happy birthday to you both!

I have to chuckle when I see owner Tony Smith's horses; Brexit and The Undecided...just my sense of humour.

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England's defense is already better with the news that Sam Allardyce has been named the new manager of the national football side.  England certainly won't be playing attractive football under 'Big Sam' but they will be very difficult to beat...a bit like Portugal.

Meanwhile, Celtic overcame a shock defeat in the first leg of their Champions League match with a 3-0 win over part-time side Lincoln Red Imps.  The Gibraltar side only ever get 80 spectators to their home games and they couldn't swap shirts as they would have to buy new ones themselves.  Still, taking on Celtic must have been a huge thrill for them.

I saw a film yesterday about the Olympic games in Rio which showed a man in a wheelchair getting mugged.  The crime rate over there is very high and it makes you wonder who selects the homes for these important events.

Talking of the Olympic Games, have you ever wondered why the Brits are so good at cycling?  Just take a look at the cost of public transport!

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