Champers' Chase Debut

***Mango Cup Non Runner
 Uttoxeter 2.00pm***

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with Uttoxeter passing their early morning inspection, they are joined by Fontwell and Southwell.  David runs Champers On Ice, Mango Cap and Mister Drifter today.  Champers On Ice (pictured above) developed into one of the top staying novice hurdlers last season and he makes his eagerly awaited chasing debut this afternoon.  He has scared away most of the opposition (there are only two that line up against him) and he is a 2/5 shot - with a clear round he ought to win and he has schooled very well at home.  Let's hope he produces a good display.

Mango Cap has been a little disappointing since winning at Perth and would need to return to that sort of form to figure.  Our other runner, Mister Drifter makes his racecourse debut in the bumper - he works nicely at home but it is difficult to know what to expect owing to the lack of form to go on.  Tom Scudamore is aboard all of our runners today.

David was off at the HWPA awards in London yesterday and I see that Racing Post photographer Ed Whitaker scooped another gong for his work.  He did learn a lot when he was last down at Pond House when I ran him through a few of the basics...he was very impressed with my Brownie snaps!

I see that The New One's chasing career has been put on hold for the time being as he reverts to timber at Cheltenham on Saturday - he is getting on a bit now, I wonder how long they can keep putting fences on hold?

The frost covers at Ayr may have cost the racecourse £5,000 but at least it meant the Scottish track was able to host their meeting yesterday - it would have cost the course significantly more than that if they had to abandon.  It seems a small price to me.

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Slaven Bilic has been told by the board at West Ham that his job is safe - you might want to take a look at the next manager to leave markets...a vote of confidence from the board is usually the kiss of death!

Manchester City Reserves take on Celtic tonight in the final match of the Champions League.  City are a best priced 3/8 - I wonder where they get these odds from?  I think I will be having a little double on Barcelona at 2/5 and PSV Eindhoven at 8/11 to give me a bit of interest whilst I am switching the television from one channel to the other!  Talking of my television - it must need adjusting because I don't know how on earth Ibrahimovic managed to get away with kicking Seamus Coleman in the head!

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Mrs Barnes and I often laugh about how competitive we are...but I laugh more!  Have a nice day...

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