Duel On The Downs

It seems to me that everyone is in danger of getting their phones tapped...with the possible exception of tipster Derek Thompson!  If one newspaper is tapping people's phones, the chances are that there will be others at it.  It's a wonder that the bookmakers haven't already chalked up odds about it - it could be called a telephone book!

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It sounds like an obvious thing to say, but good horses attract good crowds...just look at Goodwood next week their "Duel on the Downs" between Canford Cliffs and Frankel has already seen advance bookings increase by 20%.  Let's hope that both horses get to the track in one piece and at the top of their games as it is going to be the race of the season - it is just a shame that So You Think and Goldikova aren't in the line-up - that would be the race of the century!

While we are talking of popular horses, I see that the incredible teenager The Tatling makes his 171st start at Brighton this afternoon.  Hayley Turner won on the fourteen year old last time out at Yarmouth (his first success in nearly two years), and in the process became the 37th jockey to partner the veteran - let's hope that he can win again.

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Can someone please tell me what the point is in keeping Luka Modrig?  It seems to me that he wants to play for Chelsea, so why bother to try to keep a player that clearly doesn't want to play for you any longer?  Face it Harry, you have lost him...but on the flip side, you could buy three or four players with the £20 million you are likely to get for him.  Three or four motivated players or one that isn't interested in playing - sounds like a no-brainer to me!