Busy Week Ahead

Don't forget it is Valentine's day tomorrow!  If you are off racing to Catterick the first 100 ladies through the gates will get a red rose and if you pre book online you can get lunch, champagne, a racecard and some tote vouchers (www.catterickbridge.co.uk).  I am not sure my wife would like a day at Catterick, it is a long way to drive!

David has a busy day at Exeter today with eight runners.  There is a good card with some competitive races.  Mamlook runs in his second chase and is looking to build on a very pleasing winning debut at Fakenham last time out.  Qulinton returns to action after a mini break following a good second at Wetherby on his last run.  Spirit of Barbados makes his hurdling debut and our young conditional Francis Hayes is having his first ride over hurdles on Monopole.  Frank is a young Irish jockey who joined us in November from Andrew Baldings.  He has ridden two winners on the flat and has the potential to be a very good jump jockey. Battle Group, Street Enetrtainer, Atlantic Pearl and The Tatkin make up our Exeter team and check back here tomorrow for news of our weekend runners.

It is a big day on Tuesday for the Grand National when the weights are revealed for the great race.  Phil Smith will still be working hard to finalise things but I am sure by now he has a good idea of what weight the majority of horses will carry.  David will be attending the luncheon on Tuesday and I am sure we will see a few photos in the paper the next day of a few trainers already celebrating!

I also just wanted to warn everybody that Ant and Dec are going to be filming at Kempton races on Wednesday evening.  Entry to the track is free although lucky it is otherwise there would be no-one there!  I see that they both want to go into acting, I think they have been acting all their lives!
I see that someone is advertising a number plate for sale in the Racing Post for £70,000 - GG WIN.  I once had a plate M1 RCB.  I pushed the R near to the M1 and it split M1R CB.  Within a week the police had stopped me and told me to put the numbers back on as they should be. I did mention to them that they should be be looking for bank robbers and other criminals but it made no difference!  Have a good day.