Newton News

We drew a blank at Newton Abbot yesterday afternoon, although I thought that Tigger performed creditably again when finishing fourth in the staying handicap hurdle.  He probably knows his way around the Devon track with his eyes closed - this was his sixth start of the season there!  The step up to 3m3f had looked likely to suit him, but he just didn't look as though he quite got home under Tom Scudamore having travelled well until three out.  He has been gradually creeping up the weights for finishing in the frame - let's just hope the handicapper doesn't see fit to add any more!

A P McCoy rode another winner aboard the J P McManus owned Cappagh at the same meeting and is now on 99 victories for the season.  It would be some achievement if he could break through the one hundred barrier before the late summer break - some people are still backing him to record three hundred winners (and while if anyone can do it, he can), but that bet is not for me.

There were a couple of races at Newton yesterday that I am sure the jockeys involved would not really want to see again.  The first was the 4.00pm race in which lady jockey Rachael Green took a soft unseat from Fountains Flypast - she was clearly very upset and punched the ground in anger...I don't think I would want to be on the end of a right hook from Rachael!  The other was the 4.30pm race and it looked as though Stephen Clements thought he had the race in the bag jumping the second last aboard Deans Grange and started to take things a little too easy.  In fairness they are only 7 and 5 pound claimers respectively so we shouldn't be too hard on them.

Bristol City and former England goalkeeper was also enjoying a day at the races yesterday afternoon - I did wonder how anyone has ever put the ball past him as he looks like a really big bloke to me!  He did used to let the odd one through in his days at Upton Park so I should know!

Talking of football, I see that Tottenham have signed a new striker "Formica" - the trouble is, he is always on the bench...boom boom!