Ffos Las, Ludlow Runners

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Haydock, Ffos Las and Ludlow.  David has four runners today; Seventeen O Four, d'Jango and Heure de Gloire at Ffos Las and Itacare at Ludlow.  Seventeen O Four (pictured above) contests the 2m conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at Ffos Las at 1.55pm.  He has taken well to hurdles this term, winning at Chepstow and finishing runner-up on his latest two starts at Sandown and Exeter.  This galloping track should suit him well and he looks to have leading claims with Fergus Gillard in the saddle.

d'Jango runs in the 3m handicap hurdle at 3.40pm.  He produced his best effort yet when runner-up at Wincanton last time and competes from the same mark today.  Philip Armson is in the saddle once again and takes 7lbs off his back and he looks to have a good chance once again.

Heure de Gloire goes in the 2m mares' handicap hurdle at 4.50pm.  She has run well over a variety of distances, finishing third at Doncaster over three miles and would have filled that place at this track but for capsizing at the last over 2m4f.  She has dropped in the weights and is blinkered for the first time today.  She has a chance, although there are only two places for betting purposes.

Our final runner is Itacare, who runs in the 2m5½f handicap hurdle at Ludlow at 5.10pm.  A winner over hurdles and fences in France, he is yet to replicate that form over here, but his handicap mark is dropping as a consequence.  He has had wind surgery since his last run in January and it would be no surprise to see him run better.  Tom Scudamore takes the ride.

Shot Boii finished fourth in the 3m novices' handicap hurdle at Wetherby yesterday afternoon, keeping on at the one pace in the closing stages.  Still only a lightly raced youngster, there are further races to be won with him and he certainly seemed to appreciate the return to a less testing surface.

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There was a shock this morning as world number one women's tennis player, Ashleigh Barty has announced her retirement from the sport at the age of just 25 as she is 'physically spent'.  Barty, who has been ranked number one in the world for the last 114 weeks (fewer only than Steffi Graf, Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova) is the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion.  Given the amount of money these athletes make, I don't suppose she is going to have to worry financially...what a nice position to be in in your 20's!

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I went to see a handwriting expert last week, she could tell I was laid-back, gullible and well-off just from a signature on a cheque.