Galway Finale

Glorious Goodwood may be finished but we still have the final day of the Galway Festival this afternoon.  There is another cracking eight race mixed card to look forward to which gets underway at 1.50pm.  There are two flat meetings at Chester and Yarmouth while a lot of British and Irish trainers and jockeys are in action across in France at Deauville where they have some Group races.

I was saddened to read on Friday that Thurles racecourse in Ireland will close with immediate effect.  It was Irelands only privately owned racecourse and a track where both A P McCoy and Rachel Blackmore rode their first winners.  The Molony family have owned the track since the 1900’s but announced the news on Friday morning, citing the cost of doing business as one of the contributing factors.  There were due to be eleven more fixtures there this year but their slots will not be utilised.  It is the first racecourse to close in Ireland since Tralee in 2008 and it has also been used by lots of trainers for schooling because it is a ‘drier’ course throughout the winter.  This has been to its detriment in recent times however with the dry weather and they do not have a watering system.  They lost three meetings last year and then had to cancel schooling sessions as well which all means a loss in revenue.   

We have reached day four of the final test between England and India, it has been an action packed opening three days.  England's main objective is not to lose this match so they win the series.  It promises to be another exciting day of play.

It is also the final day of the Women’s Open golf at Royal Porthcawl.  Two Japanese golfers were leading the way with a little gap back to the rest but English player, Lottie Woad is also playing well.

Martha Pipe is off to a local show with her pony Tandy today, I will let you know how she gets on tomorrow!

I was walking the jungle and saw a lizard on his hind legs telling jokes.

I turned to a local tribesman and said, “That lizards really funny!”

The tribesman replied, “That’s not a lizard…he’s a stand up chameleon”.

Happy Sunday!