Bridge at Bangor

We have our first jumps runner for a couple of weeks and Old Bridge runs in the opening race at Bangor this afternoon, the 1.55pm novices hurdle and Jack Tudor rides.  Our four year old has run well on his last two starts when we have stepped him up in trip to 2m4f.  He finished second at Uttoxeter to a well handicapped rival and then was not beaten very far at all, staying on all the way to the line in a novice event at Worcester to be second again.  There are only six runners in the race and the betting suggests three horses have a chance and three horses may not!  We are third favourite at 4/1 and we might have a bit to find with the principles but if he runs the same as last time I think he has a very good chance.  He should be placed and hope hopefully he could win!  He has run well at the track before and likes the ground so fingers crossed!

There are two jumps cards today at Bangor and Worcester.  With the recent rain Worcester is now good to soft in places while Bangor is good to firm in places, once again just highlighting how watering all summer means that when rain falls the ground gets a lot softer a lot quicker!  There are three flat meetings at Ascot, Haydock and Kempton.  In Ireland they have a flat fixture at Down Royal and jumps action at Kilbeggan.

Last  night, Northern Ireland were 3-1 winners away to Luxemburg in the football World Cup qualifying matches and Wales also won away, 1-0 against Kazakhstan.  There are more matches this evening and Scotland are in action away to Denmark.

I watched the end of the England v South Africa One Day cricket match last night which was quite exciting.  England lost again but they did at least get it closer this time and the game went down to the wire in the last over.  England lost by five runs and therefore have lost the series but I did enjoy watching the last hour of play.  The second quarter final of the Vitality Blast competition takes place this evening, Durham play the Hampshire Hawks at 6.30pm for a place in Finals Day.  

World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka will play American Amanda Anisimova in the women's final at the US Open tomorrow after both ladies won their semi-finals in the early hours of this morning.  Novak Djokovic plays Carlos Alcaraz later today for a place in the men's final.  

Did you hear that Fedex and UPS were merging?

They're going to be called FedUps!

Happy Friday!