Three at Kempton!

       Shot Boii runs today at Kempton!
There were due to be two jumps meetings today but after Bangor was abandoned yesterday we are just left with Kempton and fingers crossed that will be on as it has to pass a 7.30am inspection.  After rain overnight on Wednesday we had quite a pleasant morning in the yard yesterday and our horses and riders stayed dry for their exercise but come 2pm the heavens opened and it was a rather grim afternoon with lots of rain.  We did fair better than some places further North, including Doncaster which was due to race yesterday afternoon but was abandoned not far off the first race when a snow storm made the racecourse unsafe.  We were due to run Stray Bullet there but decided to make him a non-runner in the morning and we were very glad we had not travelled all that way!

We were due to have runners at Bangor this afternoon, but now we have just the three at Kempton providing the meeting goes ahead.  Our trio is made up of Tough Approach, Shot Boii and First Lord Du Cuet and all are ridden by Jack Tudor.  Tough Approach runs in the 2.10pm novices hurdle over 2m5f.  After a promising stable debut, his hurdle efforts have been disappointing this far.  There are two very short priced ones in the field today and then it is big prices the rest, we are 25/1 fifth best in the betting.  He won’t mind the rain softened ground and he is definitely better than he has shown so far but it would be good to see him take a big step back in the right direction this afternoon.

Shot Boii runs in the 2.40pm novices handicap chase over three miles.  He has put in two super runs since fitted with the visor, winning at Hereford and then finishing runner up at Warwick last time to a well handicapped and improving rival.  This looks a competitive and open race and we are about 10/1 in the betting and he is versatike with ground and has run well at the track before.  He continues in good form at home and if the visor continues to have the desired effect then I don’t see why he doesn’t have a solid each way chance.

First Lord De Cuet ran his best race of the season to date at Market Rasen last time and a similar run should see him run well in this.  The winner of that race has won again since and we are actually racing two pounds ahead of his mark for collateral form.  He is yet to win over fences so I would love to see him get is first victory over the larger obstacles.  He is about 11/2 fourth best in the betting in quite a competitive race but hopefully he won’t be too far away. 

There are two all-weather meetings today at Wolverhampton and Chelmsford and in Ireland they race on the all-weather at Dundalk this evening.

Sean Bowen nearly made the perfect winning come back on his mount at Huntingdon but he had to settle for a very close second.  He looked as good and strong in the saddle as ever though, like he had never been away! Harry Cobden did ride a double at the track however so things are even tighter at the top of the jockeys table!

There are no Premiership football matches this evening but we can look forward to another super weekend of sport with some great racing, Six Nations rugby action and plenty of football to look forward to.

Every single morning I get hit by the same bike…

It’s a vicious cycle!! Happy Friday!