2 More Sleeps!

The racing has finished for Christmas now and the next action takes place on Boxing Day where the highlight will undoubtedly be the fascinating clash in the King George Chase at Kempton.  The only racing taking place anywhere near is the meeting at Dundalk in Ireland where there are eight races on the all-weather.  Even so, I bet there will still be plenty of people in the betting shops helping to fill up those awful roulette machines.  Even so, it is still going to be a busy day at Pond House - there are no fewer than eight meetings taking place on Boxing Day and all of the runners have to be declared today...steer well clear of the office until after 10am!

I thought that Gary Charm ran okay at Bangor yesterday afternoon although I was a little surprised that he did not see the marathon 3m5 1/2f trip out a bit better having hit the front.  He certainly looks capable of winning races at slightly shorter than this trip.  Tom was on the mark with Twenty Eight Guns who provided our stable jockey with a 2/1 winner for his brother Michael - I did try to steer a few of you in that direction, I hope you were on!

Veteran jockey Andrew Thornton rode 28/1 chance Barton Gift to victory at Bangor yesterday giving him his 998th career win.  He carried the colours of former trainer Mercy Rimell and the owner and jockey go back a long way (some 25 years) so theirs was  a popular success.  It seems like almost that long that Andrew has been trying to ride those last few winners to reach his landmark success.

A number of the flat boys seem to have the right idea.  Rather than staying at home and waiting for Storm Barbara to hit, they are riding at Jebel Ali - the riders who are out ther competing on the dirt include Pat Dobbs, Dane O'Neill and Sam Hitchcott - they are probably getting a bit of sun as well.

I was watching ITV last night when an advertisement popped up for the new racing channel..."ITV, the home of horse racing".  Of course the great switch over takes place in the New Year.  Let's hope that it helps to raise the profile of racing in this country, although sadly I have my doubts.

What a lovely Christmas present for poor old Alan Pardew as he has been given the sack from Crystal Palace.  Mind you, he will find £3 million in his Christmas stocking - it's a hard life being a football manager.  It looks as though disgraced former England manager (of one game) Sam Allardyce is being lined up for the job - Palace fans had better start getting used to watching ten defenders!

I watched darts player Peter Wright going through his dance routine with the girls at the Ally Pally yesterday.  Not only does he have the worst haircut in the sport, he's a pretty abysmal dancer to boot!  Even so, he is a colourful character and all sports need people like him to add a bit of entertainment value.

I went to a fancy dress party last night dressed as a football.  Unfortunately I was soon kicked out!  Have a nice Christmas eve eve...

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