Ayr, Southwell Runners

There are five meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Ayr, Fakenham and Southwell as well as all-weather flat cards from Lingfield and Wolverhampton.  David has four runners today; Maggies Mogul and Barrier Peaks at Ayr and Thanksforthehelp and Sans Logique at Southwell.  Maggies Mogul contests the mares' novices' hurdle at 3.30pm.  She was the winner of a point-to-point in Ireland and showed promise in a bumper that has worked out well.  She has been a little disappointing over hurdles but has had a wind operation since her last start and this better ground could suit.  Tom Scudamore is in the saddle and she is not without a chance.  Barrier Peaks is our other runner at the Scottish track and he contests the concluding bumper at 5.10pm.  He produced a good debut effort in a race that has worked out well at Chepstow before disappointing last time.  A reproduction of that first effort would give him every chance under Tom Scu.

Over at Southwell Thanksforthehelp makes his racecourse debut in the bumper at 5.50pm.  He is a well-bred gelding who goes nicely at home, the trouble is there is not much form to go on and so it is difficult to gauge the depth of the opposition.  Looks to have each-way prospects under Fergus Gillard.

Sans Logique runs in the 2m handicap hurdle at 8.20pm.  He has shown flashes of form on the flat and over timber although he would need to improve on what he has shown so far to figure.  He has done plenty of schooling at home and he could well benefit from this better ground.  Kieron Edgar is in the saddle and it would be no surprise to see him outrun his odds.

We drew a blank with our two runners yesterday afternoon, although Iron Heart ran with great credit at Warwick to finish third in the 2m handicap hurdle.  Unfortunately his was the penultimate race of the day and the rain had well and truly got into the ground by then, changing the going to soft.  A winner over hurdles on good ground at Newbury, he had scored on firm on the flat so the going was definitely not in his favour.  He can score again on a more suitable surface.  Our other runner, Major Robinson, fell at Kempton but seems none the worse and there will be other days for him.

*****

There was a great finish to the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield last night with Mark Selby resisting a late rally from Shaun Murphy to prevail 18-15.  In truth, Selby probably won the match in Saturday's evening session where he dourly ground out his three frame advantage having trailed through much of the first day.  He has now won four world titles in the last eight years his patience and style of play make him extremely difficult to beat in these long match formats.

There is Champions League semi-final action tonight as Manchester City face Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their match.  City hold a 2-1 advantage with a couple of away goals aiding their cause.  The match starts at 8.00pm.

*****

How many pessimists does it take to change a light bulb?
None.  The old one is probably screwed in too tightly anyway.

How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one.  But the bulb must really want to change.