Title Down To Wire

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with a flat card from Brighton, an all-weather flat fixture from Chelmsford City and jumps cards from Wincanton and Carlisle.  Believe it or not, the best of the action comes tonight at Chelmsford where their 1m (0-95) handicap tops the bill.  It is a competitive contest with some promising types in the line-up, the best of which could be the consistent three year old, Far Hope.  The only time she has finished out of the frame was at Royal Ascot, so can be excused that - she went close last time out and should be thereabouts again.  Championship competitor William Buick is in the saddle and looks to have each-way claims at a decent price.

Talking of William Buick, he rode a double at Nottingham yesterday to reduce his arrears to Oisin Murphy to just two with the defending champion leading 150-148.  With the championship ending on Saturday, despite Buick's momentum, I would probably still just favour Murphy with a two winner head start.  It is the closest title race I can recall since Seb Sanders and Jamie Spencer tied in 2007.  I wonder if these two would settle for a draw?

David decided against running Cheltenham Festival winning chaser Siruh du Lac at Wetherby yesterday afternoon.  Tom Scudamore walked the track and the ground, which had been watered, was still considered too lively for him to take his chance.  A really exciting prospect for the season ahead, he is just too good to risk on ground that is not suitable.

There are no runners from the Pond House team today, although we will be back with runners tomorrow at Uttoxeter, whilst we declare this morning for Saturday which includes the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las.

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The Northern Ireland snooker tournament is currently ongoing in Belfast and no surprise, Ronnie O'Sullivan was courting controversy again winning his second round match yesterday, claiming he was 'very bored' and the atmosphere was 'flat'.  The game has been very good to him and I find it incredible that he should keep openly criticising, but I suppose that is one of the things that makes him so interesting to watch as he is unpredictable.  Judd Trump is the reigning champion having won the last three renewals, beating O'Sullivan each time.

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I was in the pub last night and I got into an argument with some guy that said he was an 80's pop star.  I didn't believe a word of it, but he was adamant!