Scottish National Day!

Today is Scottish National day and that is the feature race at Ayr alongside the Scottish Champion hurdle.  The Ayr card looks very interesting aside from the big races with Willie Mullins having 18 runners on the day and by the end of play we may know even more which way the trainers title is likely to be heading.  Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls have runners in every race on the card while Dan Skelton has runners in all bar the last two races. 

The winner of the Scottish National at 3.35pm will take home £112,000 in prize money and Mullins has the first two horses in the betting.  There is prize money down to sixth and everyone will be hoping to pick up as much as they can.  Macdermott is the favourite and is ridden by Danny Mullins at 8/1.  The Skelton team have the favourite for the Champion hurdle with L’Eau du Sud and with £56,000 to the winner of this race they will be wanting to win this.  There is plenty of prize money on offer on the rest of the card as well so there is some good action to watch throughout.

There is also jumps racing at Bangor but the stable does not have any runners.  There is plenty of flat action at Newbury, Thirsk, Brighton and at Nottingham and in Ireland they race on the flat at the Curragh.  The feature race on the Newbury Card is the Greenham Stakes at 2.40pm over 7 furlongs.  The Ralph Beckett trained Zoum Zoum who is unbeaten is the favourite ridden by Rob Hornby.

Yesterday things did not really go to plan at all for our runners!  Sometimes you get those days and you are left scratching your head rather frustratingly!  Phantomofthepoints ran respectably on ground the was probably quicker than described.  He will want further and fences next season.  The ground was too quick for Royal Mer and Jack did the sensible thing in looking after him when his chance was gone and pulling up.  At Exeter, Vision de Maine was also a little disappointing.  He did run a little better than his previous attempts over hurdles, but I had hoped for a little better on better ground.  He will appreciate further in time and now qualifies for a mark so hopefully we can see him in a better light in handicaps.  Tough Approach was our last runner of the day and he ran okay for a long way, but he was also disappointing. 

It is FA Cup semi-final weekend and the first of those takes place today with Man City against Chelsea at 5.15pm.  Man City have to bounce back from the Champions League defeat during the week while Chelsea are playing better at the moment.  Despite losing on penalties to Real Madrid on Wednesday, City did actually play well and I expect them to beat Chelsea.  There are three Premier League matches as well today with Luton v Brentford and Sheffield United against Burnley both kicking off at 3pm .  Wolves play Arsenal this evening at 7.30pm.

There is Women’s Six Nations rugby action today with England against Ireland at 2.15pm and Italy against Scotland at 4.45pm.  Exeter Chiefs are at home to Bath in the Premiership at 5.20pm.

There is so much sport to watch and that is before I even mention the golf at Harbour Town!!

When my friend told me to stop impersonating a flamingo…

I had to put my foot down!

Have a fantastic Saturday!