First Winner for Conal

      Castle Daragh Winner at Chepstow

It was brilliant to end our season with a winner at Chepstow last night with Castle Daragh winning the hunter chase with Conal Kavanagh on board.  This was Conal's third ever ride and his first ride under rules so it was fantastic he made it a winning one!  Castle Daragh had been running well in point to points but I am not sure we were expecting that!  I think he appreciated the better ground and he jumped very well under a nice ride from Conal.  He did start celebrating a little early, Mickael Barzalona style but he is only 16 it meant a lot to him.  We will probably now look to run him in another hunter chase before the end of the season.

It is of course the final day of the 2023-24 jumps season at Sandown today, with it being the only jumps meeting of the day.  The trainer and jockey champion battles have added extra excitement to the final few weeks of the season and while Harry Cobden looks set to be crowned leading jockey, it has been a goof effort from both Harry and Sean in the final few weeks.  Both are very talented riders and each would have been worthy winners.  We have contributed a few winners to Harry’s total this year but I am not sure we have even ever used Sean!  While I expect Willie Mullins to be crowned champion trainer by the end of the day, it is not done a dusted just yet so all to play for this afternoon.

I am  not quite sure how I feel about the champion trainer of Britain title going to an Irish trainer.  Fair play, he has the best horses and he is a great trainer but for me it just highlights what is wrong with British racing at the moment (Ireland are so dominant) and maybe how the trainers title should be decided on winners and not on prize money.  Before racing yesterday, Willie Mullins had 25 winners on the board from 151 runners and prize money totalling just over 3.1 million.  Paul Nicholls has actually trained the most winners, 131 from 548 runners  but sat in third place with just over £2.8 million in prize money.  Dan Skelton was in second place with 120 winners from 777 runners and £2.9 million in prize money.  Willie Mullins has had a phenomenal season and won most of the top races which is why he has the most prize money.  It is what it is however and well done to the Closutton team.  JP McManus will once again be crowned champion owner so very well done to him and Patrick Wadge is champion conditional.

Jumps racing then has a break in the action for a week before it starts all over again next weekend!  In between we have the small matter of Punchestown to keep us all entertained!

There are five flat meetings at Leicester, Haydock, Ripon, Doncaster and Wolverhampton and while in Ireland they have a flat meeting at Navan.

There are seven Premiership football matches this afternoon, the early kick off is West Ham against Liverpool at 12.30pm.  Everton play Brentford at 5.30pm and Aston Villa are at home to Chelsea at 8pm.  Liverpool must bounce back from their midweek defeat as it is a must win game for their title chances.  Arsenal and Man City are not in action until tomorrow. 

Somerset did not bat that well on the first day of their County Championship match away to Worcestershire so will have to bowl and field well today.

I have enjoyed watching the golf action from the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.  Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy have paired up for the event and are playing well towards the top of the leader board.  It is nice to see all the players so relaxed and enjoying themselves in this event.  The action continues this evening.

My friend said, “My kid refuses to eat fish.  What do you think is a good replacement?”

Me, “Cats.  Cats love fish”.

Have a great Saturday!