We Told You!

My Brother Sylvest completed the hat-trick when bolting up at Haydock yesterday afternoon.  In the process he broke the course record (as indeed he had at Wincanton when winning the Sunday before) despite the burden of a double penalty.  The eventual winning distance was 4 1/2 lengths but Conor O'Farrell was easing him down on the run-in and he was value for a bit more than that - it seems like the blinkers have really bought about some improvement in our five year old.  Having already put him up by 16lbs for his first success it will be interesting to see what the handicapper makes of him completing the hat-trick.  He is certainly on the upgrade and I would imagine that he will be kept busy and I wouldn't rule out a fourth consecutive win yet.

Haydock and Wincanton course record holder My Brother Sylvest

My Brother Sylvest completed the hat-trick when bolting up at Haydock yesterday afternoon.  In the process he broke the course record (as indeed he had at Wincanton when winning the Sunday before) despite the burden of a double penalty.  The eventual winning distance was 4 1/2 lengths but Conor O'Farrell was easing him down on the run-in and he was value for a bit more than that - it seems like the blinkers have really bought about some improvement in our five year old.  Having already put him up by 16lbs for his first success it will be interesting to see what the handicapper makes of him completing the hat-trick.  He is certainly on the upgrade and I would imagine that he will be kept busy and I wouldn't rule out a fourth consecutive win yet.

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It seems that a lot of the top buys at the Horses In Training Sales at Newmarket are heading abroad.  Measuring Time is heading off to Dubai after being knocked down to Anthony Stroud for 315,000 guineas, while there were several others making over six figures that are likely to be going jumping over the coming months...and I thought people were struggling to stay afloat - it seems not!

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I see that with only a few weeks of the flat season remaining, Sir Michael Stoute has only had 52 winners - it is his worst tally for quite a few years, but he has still won over £1.5 million in prize money and is seventh in the trainers' championship.  Despite only turning out 3 more winners than the Stoute team. Sir Henry Cecil has enjoyed a wonderful season with almost £2.75 million in prize money which equates to third in the championship.  But having turned out over 200 winners from 1,300 runners Richard Hannon looks set to follow-up his championship success of last season.

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According to a tweet from jockey Steve Drowne on a social networking website, The South China News thought that the BHA stood for the "Benny Hill Association"...well doesn't it?!

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Manchester City scored another glut of goals yesterday as they put five past Wolverhampton - they are certainly playing the best football in the country at the moment.