One Runner At Uttoxeter

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with jumping action from Ascot and Uttoxeter and all-weather flat cards from Newcastle and Wolverhampton.  The stable has a runner at Uttoxeter as Saint John Henry (pictured above) contests the 2m7 1/2f handicap hurdle at 2.55pm.  He doesn't get much respite from the handicapper and duly carries top weight of 11-12 once again and he remains 8lbs higher than his last winning mark which was nearly two years ago now!  David Noonan is in the saddle and he can claim a handy 3lbs off his back.  He is likely to be around the 5/1 mark.

The Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot tomorrow looks as though it is going to be a cracker.  The stable runner is Un Temps Pour Tout who looks likely to be around the 16/1 mark - I'm sure he wouldn't be that price if he hadn't have run in the Hennessy.  The favourite is Uknowwhatimeanharry and he is a worthy jolly although 6/4 looks plenty short enough for me.

It was trainer Alan King's 50th birthday yesterday and punters sung happy birthday to him in the winners' enclosure at Towcester - he did look a bit embarrassed, mind you - he is still only a boy.

Talk about bad luck!  Stable jockey Tom Scudamore drove all the way to Towcester yesterday for one ride only for it to be withdrawn due to the ground.  It is a lovely drive at this time of year...just ask Tom!

Only 9 more sleeps to go and David is getting all festive with the Christmas tree up in his office again.  It has a little twist this year though as owner Fergus Wilson sent down a number of pictures and keyrings with a jolly picture of himself on them.  David's office staff promptly redesigned his festive trimmings with the keyrings making excellent tree decorations and the photo making a fantastic tree topper, although Fergus insists he is 'no angel'!

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I know it has been heading that way for years, but the game of football has really gone mad.  A Chinese team has offered Alexis Sanchez £400,000 and will certainly test how serious Arsenal are about keeping him.

What about the pool deck in Brisbane's cricket stand?  It seems that the latest craze in stadiums is to have a swimming pool from which you can view sport - in American football there is a pool in the Jacksonville stadium, while in F1 there is a hotel with a swimming pool where you can oversee the Shanghai circuit.  Anyway, the Aussies will be able to see bikini clad beauties cooling down as they watch the cricket.  You would think that it would put the players off...I suppose it brings a new definition to the term 'bouncers'!  It didn't seem to do the Aussies any harm yesterday as Steve Smith made an unbeaten century against Pakistan.

Tiger Woods is trying anything he can think of to recapture the glory days.  He is going to play with new balls having left Niko and signed with Bridgestone instead.  Woods said, "It is an essential part of my equipment"...no kidding!  I wonder if he thinks it will help his play or his bank balance?

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Thought for the day...when they say coming soon to a cinema near you - how do they know where I live?!  Have a nice day...

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