2 Runners At Newton Abbot

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with flat cards from Hamilton and Bath, an all-weather flat meeting from Newcastle and a jumps fixture from Newton Abbot.  David has two runners at Newton Abbot today; Flammarion and Mr Tambourine Man.  Flammarion contests the 2m½f novices' hurdle at 1.30pm.  A new addition to the team over the summer, he produced a good debut effort for the stable when runner-up on the flat at Ffos Las in August.  He is yet to run over hurdles but has schooled well at home.  He has plenty of ability and has a chance, although there are only two places for betting purposes.

Our other runner is Mr Tambourine Man (pictured above, courtesy of Jon Partridge) who runs in the 2m5½f handicap hurdle at 2.37pm.  A winner over 2m1f in Ireland, he ran creditably on his British hurdling debut and was staying on at the finish over 2m4f at Hexham last time.  He looks like he will appreciate this trip and is another with place claims.  Tom Scudamore is aboard both of our runners today.

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Arsenal emerged victorious in their London derby on Sunday, beating Spurs 1-0.  After losing their first three games of the season, the Gunners looked to be in trouble at the bottom of the table, whilst Spurs were the only team to have won all three matches at the top of the table.  How quickly things have turned around with Arsenal now above Tottenham only three games later.  Manchester City beat Chelsea on Saturday, whilst new leaders Liverpool could only draw with Burnley.  With Manchester United losing, the top of the table is looking very congested.

Europe's golfers were comprehensively beaten 19-9 by the USA in the Ryder Cup over the weekend at Whistling Straits.  Rory McIlroy says that America will be a dominant force for twenty years.  Whilst I know very little about gold, I do know that sport can turn around very quickly and that sounds very much like a knee-jerk reaction to a pasting.

Lewis Hamilton won his 100th Formula One race on Sunday in the rain at Sochi, extending his own record and putting himself back in the lead of the drivers' championship.  He beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen who finished second after starting at the back of the grid and I am sure they will be very happy to have minimised the damage on a track that looked sure to suit the Mercedes.  The hard luck story of the race was undoubtedly Lando Norris, who led for much of the way in his McLaren until the downpours hit the track in the closing laps.  Norris elected to stay on the track on slick tyres when most had come in for intermediates and with the weather deteriorating fast, it was enough to cost him victory.  This seems to be something of a golden age of British motorsport with Hamilton, Norris and George Russell.

The Minnesota Vikings belated started their season by beating the Seattle Seahawks 30-17 last night.  They had somehow found a way to get beaten in both of their previous matches this season, but made no mistake here with 23 unanswered points taking them to a decisive victory.  Maybe the season isn't lost after all?!

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I went into the supermarket over the weekend and I couldn't help but notice that the exit sign was flickering on and off.  When I mentioned it to the manager he said, "It's on the way out".