One Bangor Runner

There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with action on the flat coming from York, Sandown, Salisbury and Wolverhampton while there is a jumps fixture from Bangor.  David has one runner this afternoon; For 'N' Against (pictured above) who runs in the three mile handicap chase at 3.20pm.  He ran a good race to finish runner-up at Worcester last week and runs from the same mark of 117 - he is due to go up 5lbs in future handicaps so he is theoretically 'well-in' here and a similar level of form will see him go close under stable jockey Tom Scudamore.

Standing Ovation fared best of our pair of runners at Stratford yesterday afternoon when he finished second in the staying handicap hurdle.  He produced his best effort in a little while in trying to concede 13lbs to winner Victor Leudorum and he should be capable of winning something similar before too long.

I was interested to see there is a ladies race for arab horses at Sandown this afternoon with £11,000 up for grabs.  Trainer Mr P J Hammersley has five of the eleven runners as well as one of the two reserves.  I don't know much about arab racing but he looks like the Aidan O'Brien of that sphere - it is on RUK so I will have a little gander and see what it's all about!

The big race of the day is the Group 1 Nunthorpe from York at 3.40pm.  There are 20 runners in this five furlong dash and Limato could benefit from the drop back in trip and looks interesting at odds of around 7/2.  The race I am most looking forward to though is the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup and if last year's Ascot Gold Cup winner Trip To Paris back to anything like that form after his injury, he would take the world of beating.

*****

I will be watching the football between Manchester United and Southampton tonight on Sky Sports at 8pm.  4/9 about United looks short enough although I could still be tempted...perhaps a better play would be 6/5 about United winning without conceding a goal?

I am not sure Crystal Palace have done the right thing paying £27 million for Christian Benteke.  He only played 14 games for Liverpool...sounds risky to me.

Golfer Robert Coles who comes into our Cheltenham Festival marquee shot a round of 67 in the first round of the Czech Masters yesterday.  Keep your head down Robert!

*****

I forgot to pay my exorcist the other day and ended up being repossessed!  Keep smiling...

Tweet