Big Race Debate

Should no hopers be allowed to run in the top class races?  There is debate about this topic following last weekends Derby where you had two runners taking part who were simply not good enough.  You had a 52 rated maiden, Castlemorris King and Bath winner Marhaba Malyoon in the race.  The problem lies with the fact that there are no rules to say they cannot run in a race like this.  The horses started the race at prices of 100/1 and 150/1 but in reality they should have been 20,000/1.  That is the chance they had of winning.  

The trouble is that these horses caused trouble to the fancied Carlton House and although I do not think it made any difference to him not winning the race it is not good for our sport.  I think that someone needs to bring in a rule that a horse has to be of a certain standard to run in a particular race.  I think this especially important for the jump races as one day it could cause an accident.  In these top class races the good horses jump and travel so much quicker than lower rated horses, therefore increasing the risk of falling and then a bad horse perhaps bringing down one of the better horses.  To me it is just common sense but we shall wait and see what happens.

David has one runner today at Aintree this evening.  Businessmoney Judi is trying to record a hat-traick of wins and maintain her unbeaten run over obstacles since joining Pond House.  She was a nice winner last time out at Wincanton with Conor O'Farrell on board and he is once again in the saddle for this conditional jockeys race.  There is not much jumping action this weekend and David saddles one runner on the flat tomorrow.  Kazzene runs at Sandown in his first try on the flat in this country.  He won on his hurdle debut for the yard but then was a little disappointing but he does have some good form on the flat in France so we hope he can bounce back in the 0-85 handicap.

I see that Manchester United and Liverpool are splashing out some money on some young players.  Man Utd have paid £17 million for Blackburn's Phil Jones and Liverpool have paid £20 million for Sunderlands Jordan Henderson.  Both have been bought with the future in mind but I don't think they are are worth those sort of fees on what they have achieved so far.  Time will tell!