The Lion at Aintree

Today there are two jumps meetings at Aintree and Fontwell but the stable does not have any runners.  Traditionally there is usually racing at Wincanton today but unfortunately that meeting was abandoned earlier in the week with the ground being too firm.  The BHA and everyone involved have done a great job in arranging racing at Fontwell today at short notice and a couple of races will be shown live of ITV.  There is no flat racing today but in Ireland they have two jumps meetings at Galway and Wexford.

Vieux Lion Rouge is at Aintree today and will be parading just before the second race and then will also be there to help present the prizes to the winning connections of the 1.50pm veterans chase which is named in his honour.  Vieux lion Rouge loved Aintree in his racing days and enjoys it as much now on his trips to Liverpool at the age of 16.  He has of course jumped more Grand National fences than any other horse in history and he is a two-time winner of the Becher chase as well as finishing runner up in the race as well and he also ran in five Grand Nationals.   He now resides with the Coles family in Devon and is having a great time and you can follow Callie Coles on social media for lots of snippets of their life which includes some of VLR.  We collected him from there home the other day and Julie Bellamy is taking him up to Aintree today alongside owner Professor Caroline Tisdall.  They set off bright and early on the journey though it was nice the clocks went back this weekend!  Look out for coverage of him on ITV racing this afternoon as I am sure he will get a mention.  

There was drama of the wrong kind for the Moore family at Newbury on Friday.  Ryan's son Toby finished second on the family trained Miller Spirit only to then way in 15lb light on the scales and his mount was disqualified.  It so transpired that Gary and Josh Moore had two runners in the race and the person saddling the horses forgot to put the weight cloth on Toby's horse.  It was a genuine mistake and these things do happen but it's why you have to be extra careful and vigilant.  Toby's grandfather was also fined £1,000.

There are five Premiership football matches today, four of them kicking off at 2pm which includes Wolves against Burnley (just for you nan!).  The 4.30pm kick off see's Everton at home to Spurs.  

The England men's cricket team are currently in action against New Zealand in a One Day International.  The England women's cricket team also play New Zealand today in the Women's World Cup, that game got underway at 5.30am.

I just got myself a senior's GPS.

It not only tells me how to get there, but also why I wanted to go there in the first place1

Have a lovely Sunday!