Winner at Hereford!

            Lady Balko wins at Hereford!
It was great to get our 29^th winner of the season yesterday with a deserved first success over hurdles for Lady Balko at Leicester.  She has improved on every start over hurdles and after a good second at Leicester last time she won easily yesterday.  She travelled and jumped well before Jack sent her on and she powered clear from rounding the home turn.  The handicapper will likely have his say after this but we do have her entered at Taunton next week so we will see how she comes out of this but running her again quickly under a penalty is a strong possibility.

Today we have three runners at Sandown, we were due to have one at Leicester as well but that meeting was abandoned yesterday afternoon.  Sizing Pottsie, Man again and Placenet make up our Sandown trio while Moodofthemoment was due to head to Leicester.  Sizing Pottsie runs in the opening contest on the Sandown card, a conditional jockeys handicap hurdle over two miles and Gearoid Harney rides.  After a promising seasonal reappearance to be second at Uttoxeter he ran a bit below that level of form on his last two starts although it wasn’t a bad run at Leicester last time where he was fourth.  The handicapper has given him a little more help and Gearoid takes off seven pounds today (he wasn’t on board at Leicester).  He loves testing ground and I think he can run well today at about 9/2 in the betting.

Man Again makes his stable debut in the 1.55pm handicap chase over two miles with Jack Tudor on board.  Our five year old has won three chases in France as a three year old including at Auteuil.  He missed all of last year as he arrived from France with a leg injury but we have given him time and he is in good form at home.  He is not the biggest and may appreciate a little further in time but he has plenty of form on heavy ground so should handle conditions.  He jumps well and I can’t wait to see how he gets on.  He does everything you ask of him at home showing a willing attitude.  He is about 12/1 and we will learn a lot more about him today.

Placenet runs in the 4.15pm handicap chase over three miles with Jack Tudor in the saddle.  He has just had the one start for us when he disappointed at Cheltenham’s November meeting over hurdles, he travelled nicely but stopped quickly that day and has undergone wind surgery since.  I think he will appreciate going back over the larger obstacles today and he too won’t mind the ground.  He has won four chases and four hurdle races in France up to 2m6f but I don’t see why he won’t stay three miles.  He is about 7/2 second best in the betting and again I will be interested to see how get gets on.

Things were a little disappointing at Fontwell yesterday with both runners running below expectations.  King Turgeon travelled through the race nicely but then weakened turning for home whereas the writing was on the wall for Heure De Gloire some way out with her needing to be encouraged along with a circuit to go.  It may have come too soon after Ffos Las so we will freshen her up and go again, conditions were pretty atrocious for horses and jockeys and you do get funny results sometimes.

Aside from Sandown mentioned, hopefully there is also jumps action at Newcastle but they must pass a 8am inspection.  Clonmel must also pass a 7.30am check if there is to be any jumps racing in Ireland today while there is all-weather action at Southwell and Chelmsford.

Last night in the football there were two Champion League matches, Paris St-Germain 2-0 Real Sociedad and it was a shock win for Lazio 1-0 over Bayern Munich in their Champions League last-16 first leg.  Tonight there is plenty of Europa League knock out round playoff matches but there is no British involvement this evening. 

A ghost walks into a bar.

The bartender says, “sorry we don’t serve spirits”!

Have a good day.