One Newton Runner

Following the abandonment of tonight's meeting at Windsor due to previous waterlogging, we are left with four meetings, with a jumps card from Newton Abbot, flat fixtures from Ayr and Lingfield and an all-weather flat card from Wolverhampton.  David has one runner today as Percy Street (pictured above) takes in the selling hurdle at Newton Abbot at 1.45pm.  Percy is a capable horse on his day and has gone well over course and distance in the past.  The ground at the Devon track is softening all the time and that probably will not play to his strengths.  He is not favoured by the weights, although he still has the ability to go close under Tom Scudamore.

We drew a blank yesterday with Oneonechop finishing fourth in the juvenile hurdle at Stratford and Mr Tambourine Man fifth in the novice at Salisbury.  Oneonechop jumped really well on his first start over timber, although he could not go with the first three from the home turn.  A miler on the flat, there will be other opportunities for him, be they on the flat or over jumps.

Mr Tambourine Man shaped with promise at Salisbury, sticking on well in the closing stages to pass several rivals under Adam Kirby.  A winner over timber in Ireland, he looks likely to benefit from further going forward.

*****

Well, what can I say about the football?  It was coming home for about an hour at Wembley last night before England were denied by the Italians on penalties.  In fairness, the better team won the game with England seemingly absent for large chunks of the match, content to sit on a one goal lead.  This gave Italy all the time and space they needed to pass the ball around at will.  The likes of Rashford, Sancho and Saka cannot be blamed for missing their penalties, they were all late substitutions and barely had a touch of the ball before having to step up to the spot.  The subsequent online abuse that each player has been subjected to was sadly as inevitable as it was abhorrent and those responsible should be ashamed. although we all know that they won't be.

As a long suffering Minnesota Vikings fan in the NFL, I am all too familiar with my team sitting on a tenuous lead rather than trying to close out the match.  The pity is, when will they ever get a better chance to win a big one?  The draw rather fell apart in England's favour and the final at Wembley was a home game...hopefully another major final isn't another 55 years away!

Meanwhile, over at Wimbledon Novak Djokovic won his sixth Wimbledon title to draw level with Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal on 20 Grand Slams, an incredible achievement and with his old rivals only having limited mileage left in their legs, there is no reason why he cannot go on a surpass their amazing feats.

*****

Well, it's been bucketing down all weekend in typical good old British summer fashion, so here's one about the weather...

How do you stop getting summer colds?  Catch them in the winter!