Theatre At Towcester

Following a blank day over the sticks yesterday it is good to see that race planning have restored a bit of balance today with two flat meetings from Nottingham and Kempton and a couple of jumps fixtures from Ludlow and Towcester.  David has one runner this afternoon as Chic Theatre contests the 1m7 1/2f handicap hurdle at Towcester at 3.50pm.  He was a winner on good ground at Doncaster last season and our six year old looks to have decent claims from a mark of 120 under stable jockey Tom Scudamore.

I see that it is punting legend Barney Curley's 77th birthday today.  I would love Barney to write an 'unedited' account of his life in racing...I am sure it would be a best seller!  It was only a couple of years ago that he picked us up to take us to the Newmarket Sales, he was in disguise and pretending to be a cabbie who did not speak a word of English - I was astonished when I found out who was really driving the car!  Anyway, many happy returns Barney...

The helicopter was busy yesterday at Brighton as Sylvestre de Sousa and Jim Crowley flew off to Kempton.  Crowley is now 10 winners ahead and it looks as though that will be enough to secure him his first jockeys' title.

It was the yearling sales at Newmarket yesterday and I see that Godolphin's chief executive John Ferguson went to £2.6 million for one which is the most paid for a yearling anywhere in the world this year.  Despite cutbacks in their breeding operations, it seems that they have managed to find a few coffers down the back of the sofa!  It always seems like a massive gamble paying that sort of money and hoping that the horse can run.  In the end Godolphin finished up parting with over 6 million guineas.

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I cannot believe that the Court of Arbitration has cut the ban on lady tennis player Maria Sharapova to only 15 months.  You cannot seriously tell me that all of her training and medical team did not know what medication she was taking.  This will continue to be a problem in sport until those that are found guilty are banned for life.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has banned the use of the internet from Manchester City's training ground.  It would appear that the players talk to each other on I-pads, phones and tablets rather than speak to them face-to-face while they are social media mad thanks to the likes of Twitter and Facebook.  I suppose if you have had enough of talking to someone you can just cut them off - the world is a funny old place these days...you only have to listen to Tyson Fury to realise that!

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Mrs Barnes has a million dollar figure - the problem is, the top half is counterfeit!  Have a nice day...

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