In The Balance

Temperatures were slightly colder at Pond House last night compared to the previous one but were not too bad at -3c!  If racing goes ahead or not today is still very much up in the air with all three jumps meetings holding later inspections with varying degrees of optimism.  I shall write this hoping that racing goes ahead everywhere, if it does we are due to have five runners across two different meetings.  Our lorries were on the road very early this morning to both Doncaster and Bangor as we are in the first races at both meetings so you have to carry on like everything will go ahead as normal.  Our travelling head lads Bob and Craig take home the telephone numbers of the clerks of the courses and get in touch with them last thing at night and then as early as possible this morning to find out the chances of the meeting going ahead.  Sometimes you just have to set off knowing that you may be turning around again and coming home!  It really just depends on the time of your race and the timing of the inspection.  Yesterday, for example, Warwick was called off early enough and we were in a late enough race not to have even loaded Panic Attack and so it was easy.  Today we are well on the way to the races, in fact we may even get to the meeting before we find out if racing goes ahead or not.

We are due to have four runners at Bangor this afternoon, Dindin, Only The Bold, Itacare and Via Dante.  Dindin runs in the opening 2m1f chase at 12.20pm.  The drop back in trip is a slight worry for me today but he is a very tough and genuine horse who looks well handicapped off a mark of 95.  I see he is a 14/1 chance in the Racing Post, 6th in the betting and hopefully he has a small each way chance.  Our best chance of a winner today is probably Only The Bold who runs in the 1.30pm handicap chase with Fergus Gillard in the saddle.  He returns to Bangor where he was the very impressive winner last time on chasing a stable debut.  The handicapper has put him up ten pounds for that win so things will be tougher although he is 5/6 favourite and looks to have a very good chance.  Ten pounds extra would not have stopped him winning last time and a repeat performance should see him very hard to beat in this today.

Itacare runs in the three mile handicap hurdle at 2.05pm with Tom Scu on board.  After a break he returned and ran okay at Kempton last month to be fifth.  The handicapper has dropped him a couple of pounds for that but he may just need a little more help.  Having said that, I think he will improve for the run last time and I think the course will suit.  It is a competitive race but I would not be surprised to seem him run well at an each way price of 12/1.  Via Dante is our final runner of the Bangor card and he runs in the 2.35pm novices hurdle with Fergus Gillard on board.  He is probably more of a long term project as he is very green and he is a big price in this race.  He ran okay at Taunton last time and hopefully he can build on that today but he may struggle to get involved in the finish.

Al Roc runs in the first race at Doncaster today, a veterans chase at Doncaster with Theo Gillard on board.  He has had a busy time but remains in good heart and track and conditions today should suit.  He is the outside of the field but I think he could run okay and pick up some prize money.

There is racing at Cheltenham today and although we have no runners it does look like it has a good chance of racing being on.  Initial reports from Prestbury Park look promising but they are going to inspect at 10.30am.  David is heading to Cheltenham later for the sales which take place after racing.  There are some nice types up for sale and fingers crossed David might be lucky and we may get a new horse or two heading to Pond House!

We did have a new arrival at Pond House yesterday in fact.  Poseidon won the selling hurdle at Taunton for Gordon Elliott and David bought the eight year old at the subsequent auction.  David had spoken to Gordon before the race about the horse and after winning nicely David decided to buy him for the Racing Club.  He is the winner of seven races in his career so far, four times over hurdles, twice on the flat and once over hurdles.  He is currently rated 135/133 over fences/hurdles and I am sure he will give our members a lot of fun going forwards.  Don't forget you can join our Racing Club for just £100 for a years membership - it makes a great Christmas present to!

My wife said she's leaving me because of my obsession with tennis - an I'm too old...I said "I'm only 40 love"!  Have a good day.