Two For The Sussex National!

Today we have two runners at Plumpton, Sidi Ismael and Iceo Madrik who run in the Sussex National at 2.50pm.  Sidi Ismael’s season has not really gone to plan so far but loves soft going and stays very well and so fingers crossed he can have a change of luck today!  He was unlucky to unseat Kevin Brogan early in the Becher Chase at Aintree and then made a mistake at Exeter last time when he cut himself and Jack Tudor wisely pulled him up before half way in the race.  The handicapper has relented a few pounds and today he is reunited with jockey Fergus Gillard who finished second on him last season twice over 3m4f at Taunton and Ffos Las.  The second of those was off a rating of 134 so he is four pounds lower today.  He is a big price and you need to take a bit of a leap of faith to back him but hopefully he can take a step back in the right direction.

Iceo Madrik is also a big price with Jack Tudor riding.  Our six year old has just had the three starts in Britain and I thought it was a step in the right direction last time out at Newbury on ground that was quicker than ideal, he got a little outpaced but galloped on strongly to the line.  He was bought as a long distance chaser and it has taken him a while to acclimatize to life in Britain but he is a three time winner in France and the trip and ground today look to be ideal.  Again, he does have to improve on what he has shown so far but the handicapper has given him a chance and I wouldn’t be surprised of a much better show today.  It is his second start since a wind operation and looks a good each way price – fingers crossed!

Plumpton is the only jumps meeting of the day in Britain as Chepstow was abandoned a little earlier in the week.  Wolverhampton stages the first of the new Sunday evening fixtures and racing gets underway there at 5pm with an eight race card.  In Ireland they have jumps action at Naas with the feature Lawlors of Naas Grade 1 novices hurdle at 2.00pm.  Willie Mullins trains five of the nine runners but it looks a competitive race with Firefox and Ile Atlantique heading the betting at 9/4 and then it is 6/1 the field.

Point to point racing returns to the Devon and Cornwall area today with their second meeting at Wadebridge.  The first race is at 11.30am and I will let you know of any interesting results tomorrow.

There are eight more FA Cup 3^rd round football matches today, all bar one kicking off at 2pm.  The feature game of the day however is Arsenal v Liverpool at 4.30pm.  This game is live on BBC 1 while Manchester City v Huddersfield is on the Red Button at 2pm.

A joke today courtesy of Martha Pipe (aged 7):

How do you cut the sea in half?

With a sea saw!!  Happy Sunday!