Five At Worcester

It is a busy day for the yard this afternoon with no fewer than five runners at Worcester.  Conor O'Farrell takes the ride aboard American Art, Bold Perk and Twilight Affair, while Timmy Murphy rides David Johnson's Vertige Dore who makes his chasing debut.  Champion jockey Tony McCoy has come in for the ride on Very Cool.  We appear to have one or two chances, so let's keep our fingers crossed for a productive afternoon.

It was a shame to see crack miler Canford Cliffs retired following his run in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last.  It is a disappointing end to a marvellous career that spanned five consecutive Group One successes, and both Richard Hughes and Richard Hannon claim him to be the best that they have had anything to do with - that is some compliment.  I am sure that connections want to do right by the horse, but even so, with the necessary time he could have come right again and it makes you wonder how much of a commercial decision this has been with him due to retire to stud at the end of the season - would another defeat by Frankel have detracted from his value?  Regardless, he was a wonderful racehorse and a great favourite of mine - hopefully he will have a long, happy and successful career at stud.

Talking of injuries, I feel for former flat champion jockey Ryan Moore who is on the sidelines again following a fall at the weekend that broke his right thumb and his right humerus.  Ryan has been unlucky with injury over the last couple of years and this one will certainly put paid to any hope of him regaining his crown...apparently he is to go back to the doctor at the end of the month, but he is unlikely to be riding much before the end of the year.  Unlucky Ryan, and we hope that you are soon on the mend.

I only ever had one fall and that was enough for me!  Mind you, it was my first go at schooling and the fence looked like it was bigger than Becher's Brook, although MCP tells me that it was no bigger than a matchbox...thinking about it, he was probably right!  Anyway, these jockeys are certainly a tough breed and they deserve every penny they get.

While we are on the subject of well-paid sports stars, it is the start of the new football season tonight and it all kicks off with Hull versus Blackpool.  Judged by their early season form of last year Blackpool would be absolute certainties to win this, although their form did tail off as the season went on, not to mention the loss of some key players including Charlie Adam - they really could struggle in the Championship this season.

*****

Back on the racing front, I thought that Jeremy Noseda introduced a promising newcomer at Haydock yesterday called Attenborough.  Even with the ground changing to good/soft he looked very good and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he were to prove even better on faster ground.  He was very green and is definitely one to keep on the right side of.