Disney Fairytale

                     Rathlin Rose -
   Winner of the Royal Artllirery Gold Cup

Today we have five meetings, jumps cards at Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton plus flat cards at Lingfield and Kempton.  Tom Scu goes to Haydock and rides Vieux Lion Rouge in the 3.15pm Grand National Trial over 3m4f.  The Racing Post have him as second favourite behind Blacklion.  He won the Becher chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree last time out and went up four pounds for that win.  A similar level of form should see him go close.  Tom has picked up some good outside rides as well on the card and the best looks to be Most Celebrated in the 1.30pm.  David Noonan is at Haydock while Conor O'Farrell and Michael Heard go to Wincanton.

What a good win it was for Rathlin Rose and Guy Disney in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown yesterday.  Captain Guy gave our horse a great ride, round the inside the whole way and timed his run to perfection.  There is lots of recognition for the success in all the media and it is much deserved for Guy who lost his leg below the knee while serving in Afghanistan in 2009.  He rides with a prosthetic limb and special stirrup for safety.  It was an emotional success for everybody and congratulations to Richard Wilkin one of the owners who initiated the whole process of the horse running in the race and Guy riding him.  Fairy tales do happen!

Cheltenham racecourse are going to unveil at statue of Sir Anthony McCoy on the first day of the Festival.  I hope it is not too life like or it will scare the kids!

It is FA Cup day and there looks to be some one sided matches, Burnley v Lincoln, Middlesborough v Oxford, Man City at Huddersfield and Chelsea at Wolves.  The four odds on shots will keep me interested and I can play about with the remote control button!  Arsene Wenger says he will not quit as the manager of Arsenal and will carry on next season.  He must be thick skinned!  I hope Leicester turn out a full team in their Cup match against Millwall because if they don't I can see them getting beaten.  Mind you that is something they are getting used to!  Quite often you see footballers having a day at the races, well the Everton players were spotted at Meydan this week.  It is a hard life being a footballer in short sleeves at race meetings in the winter!

It is the Coral Welsh Open snooker final between Judd Trump and Scott Donaldson on Eurosport later.  Judd looks to be my idea of the winner.

I was playing tennis and this 80ft bicycle went past, I thought that is a long raleigh!  Have a nice day.