Pair Of Places

Lady Reset (pictured above) continued in fine form with a good second on the flat in the 1m2f handicap at Sandown yesterday afternoon.  Held up towards the rear, she came with a steady challenge up the straight but could not quite muster the winner's turn of foot.  Even so, she stayed all the way to the line under Laura Pearson and this is probably near a career best effort from her.  She certainly appreciated this quicker ground and we will find something similar for her in due course, whilst she has the option of returning to hurdles at some point as well.  Veiled Secret also ran with credit in the 2m4f handicap hurdle at Worcester, finishing fourth under Tom Scudamore.  A couple of late errors didn't aid his cause, but he still performed well from a 4lbs higher than when successful last time.

There is a busy day ahead with six meetings taking place this afternoon - a jumps card from Uttoxeter and flat fixtures from Thirsk, Ascot, Newmarket, York and Chepstow.  The best of the best of the action comes from Ascot today with the highlight being the Group 3 Valiant Stakes for fillies over a mile at 3.00pm.  Sir Michael Stoute's Lights On looks a really progressive sort and I am loathe to oppose her following an impressive performance last time but her two (clear) best efforts have come on a much softer surface.  Preference therefore is for likely favourite Indigo Girl who makes her appearance since runner up in the Group 1 Fillies Mile last October.  Providing she is ready to go after such an absence, she looks to be the one to beat.

*****

The Olympics gets underway today with their opening ceremony taking place.  Given the time difference I don't suppose I will be watching much of it and will wait for some of the sporting action instead.

By now, I am sure you will know that I love my motor racing, but I really do fear for the future of Formula One with the stewards getting more and more involved in affecting race results with inconsistent decisions and penalties.  Following the incident between Verstappen and Hamilton last week, the team principals of Red Bull and Mercedes both lobbied the race director who instructed them to take their grievances upstairs to the raceday stewards.  Now they are being told that they should only see the stewards upon invitation...I am not sure they know what they are doing!

From my perspective there should be a centralised group of stewards who intervene only when absolutely necessary and follow strict criteria to come to consistent decisions.

*****

Needing a star attraction for the summer, a cash-strapped zoo persuaded a visitor to dress up in a gorilla costume and pretend to be a great ape.  This ruse worked well as the man threw himself into the role with great enthusiasm, devouring bucketloads of bananas, prowling his cage with menace and banging his chest dramatically.  But then one day, he went too far and accidentally fell into the lion enclosure next door.
"Help, help!" cried the fake gorilla.
The lion let out an almighty roar, then rushed at him, putting his paw on his chest and growling, "Shut up, or we will both lose our jobs!"