Lots of runners today!

      Sidi Ismael runs today in the
                Becher Chase
 All being well today we have five runners across three different meetings but once again the weather could disrupt our best made plans.  There is a 7.30am inspection at Chepstow this morning and providing it passes this we have two runners, Vision De Maine and Jurancon.  Sidi Ismael travels to Aintree for the Becher Chase while we have two runners at Sandown, Brinkley and Jilaijone.

Brinkley runs in the 12.40pm Pertemps handicap hurdle and Jack Tudor rides.  He had a season to forget last year but returned with a good performance at Uttoxeter a couple of weeks ago to finish a close second to an improving horse who runs at Chepstow today.  He will love the testing conditions and track and while this is a tougher race than last time he is still fairly well treated by the handicapper on old form.  Win, lose or draw I just hope he puts up a good performance to back up his latest effort as it was mentally a positive step in the right direction.  There are eight runners and it looks a fairly open race judged by the betting and we are an 8/1 chance.

Jilaijone runs in the 2.25pm valuable handicap hurdle over two miles with Jack Tudor in the saddle.  He is a terrific little four year old who has run four times this season and run well each time.  While frustrating not to have got his head in front as yet you cannot fault his attitude and effort and he has run some very good races in tough contests.  Today is similarly tough and he is about 10/1 in the betting.  He has run well at Sandown before and won’t mind the ground either so I am sure he will give us a good run for our money once again.

Sidi Ismael tackles the Grand National fences at Aintree in the Becher chase at 2.05pm for the first time and Kevin Brogan rides.  He has schooled well over our practice fences at home and so fingers crossed he will enjoy going around the National course and with a safe passage I think he has a good each way chance.  He will enjoy the soft ground, he is a strong traveller and stays well, all attributes you need to run well in this race.  He carries only 10st 2lb and with his local owners all in attendance I hope he gives them something to shout about.  

At Chepstow, Vision De Maine runs in the second division of the 2m3f novices hurdle at 3.20pm and Nick Scholfield rides.  Our four year old is an Irish point to point winner who finished second in a bumper on stable debut behind a very useful winner who went on to win the bumper at Cheltenham’s November meeting.  He will enjoy the trip and conditions and jumps well at home.  This is a competitive looking race but I would hope he will not be too far away.

Jurancon runs in the concluding bumper on the card at 3.50pm and Gearoid Harney rides.  He heads here after Exeter was abandoned yesterday.  This looks a tough race on paper but he is a lovely four year old who won and Irish point to point and he goes nicely at home.  He is definitely one for the future rather than today but there is no reason he won’t put up a good show this afternoon. 

So while Wetherby was due to race today but had to be abandoned a couple of days ago I really hope the three jumps meetings at Aintree, Chepstow and Sandown go ahead as there is some cracking racing to look forward to, including some of the races we are not in.  Racing starts early across the board so don’t miss the early races but just for your notebooks, the re-arranged Fighting Fifth hurdle at Sandon is off at 1.15pm, the Grade 1 Henry VIII novices chase is at 1.50pm and the Tingle Creek is at 3.00pm.

In Ireland they race at Navan while the all-weather action today comes from Newcastle and Wolverhampton.

There are several Premier League games today with the early kick off at 12.30pm between Crystal Palace and Liverpool.  The 5.30pm match is Aston Villa at home to Arsenal and that promises to be a cracker with Villa a great form at the moment.  What a sporting day to look forward to!

My partner laughed at me when I told him I was going to make a bike out of Macaroni.

You should have seen his face when I cycled pasta!

Have a good day!