Big Freeze Continues

The big freeze continues and we now know the earliest possible jumps action we will have is on Monday where there is due to be jumps action at Lingfield and Musselburgh.  Ffos Las has been criticised for their handling of the abandonment of yesterday's fixture.  They always seemed pretty confident they would race which was the main thing and gave people false hope.  They failed their 7.30am inspection but were still saying they thought they would race only for it to be called off less than two hours later because they had not water (frozen) in the stable yard!  By this time horses, trainers and jockeys were already well on their way to the racecourse, some having more treacherous journeys because of snow than others. 

Trainer Fergal O'Brien was probably the biggest outspoken critic of Ffos Las clerk of the course Dai Jones.  As I have mentioned before, everyone understands conditions are not easy at the moment but as long as correct communication is given, then surely no one has reason to complain.  It seems yesterday perhaps this was not the case, surely they knew they had no water at 7.30am so perhaps a decision should have been made then?  We all want to race but I do feel like perhaps there should be a standard cut off time and if you can't race then, the meeting should be abandoned, regardless of the fact that it might be alright later?  We were actually lucky yesterday as we decided not to set off from home with our intended runner, Pachacuti.  With the possibility of frost being in the ground still as we were in the first race we did not want to risk our horse and we did suspect they would struggle to race anyway and we were proved right.

There was also problems at Chelmsford's all-weather fixture late in the day yesterday which has not gone down well either.  They had two inspection at 7.30am and at 10am which they passed but lots of the horses, jockeys, trainers, officals and public were already at the track when they abandoned not long before the first race scheduled to be off at 5.30pm.  Firstly the stall would not work properly because of the freezing moisture on them.  They were just going to do flag and tape starts for the meeting but then the track began to freeze underneath them as well not long before the meeting was due to get underway and they had to call it off.

All being well there is supposed to be three all-weather meetings taking place in Britain and Ireland today.  They are due to race at Southwell this afternoon and Kempton this evening and also at Dundalk this evening.  Temperatures at Pond House were once again very low this morning at -8c so fingers crossed these meetings can go ahead later today and we have something to watch.

I like watching any sport and I do like watching the golf when I can.  This weekend is a very special tournament that I hoping to catch a bit of in the evenings.  The PNC championship is for players who have won a Major Championship or a Players Championship and they play alongside a family member who does not hold a tour card.  Tiger Woods will be playing with his 13 year old son Charlie and they were runners up last year.  Nick Faldo will be playing with his son Matthew while current top golfers who will also be in action with family members are Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth.  Defending champions who will also be playing are John Daly and his son John!  They are playing in Orlando, Florida where I am sure it will be much warmer than here!  It is worth tuning in just to watch young Charlie Woods alone!  

I went to the doctors the other day complaining about my sore feet.  He said "Gout!"  I said "but I have only just walked in!"  Have a nice day.