Racing at Exeter

    Vision De Maine runs at Exeter Today

While Ffos Las was abandoned yesterday due to waterlogging, Exeter has passed its morning inspection and racing goes ahead.  We had 12mm of rain here at Pond House last night while Exeter had 18mm of rain and the ground is now heavy.  We have five runners there and our quintet is made up of Eton Mes, Way Of Stars, Vision De Maine, River Run Free and Saccary and all are being ridden by Jack Tudor.  Eton Mes gets us underway in the opening 13 runner maiden hurdle at 12.30pm.  He was fourth on his hurdling debut at Chepstow last time showing promise and hopefully he can build on that today and again finish in the first four.  It was 2m3f last time which we thought would suit but actually he didn't see out the trip as well as we imagined.  I think he will appreciate the return to two miles today and he won't mind the ground.  The top two in the betting will be hard to beat but he is a good each way price of 12/1 to get in the frame.

Way of Stars makes his hurdling and stable debut in the 1.30pm juvenile hurdle.  He has some good flat form in the book and has impressed us with his attitude and how he has taken to hurdling since we bought him at Newmarket Sales.  There are only four runners but it is a competitive little races between the top three.  While we don't have any form on ground this testing, his pedigree gives hope that he will handle it and I hope we have a good chance.  He is still for sale should anyone like to own him!  David has decided to run him in his own colours and thinks he is a potential candidate for the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival come March, read into that what you wish!

Vision De Maine is the favourite for the 2.00pm handicap chase over three miles.  He was a good third on his seasonal reappearance at Ascot last time and hopefully he can build on that this afternoon as I think there is more to come from his handicap mark.  My only concern is the ground today, if he can handle it or not but I hope he can and if he does he will have a good chance in a competitive race.  He is quite lightly raced and unexposed as a staying chaser but we know he has plenty of stamina which you will need this afternoon.

River Run Free runs in the 2.30pm handicap chase over 2m3f.  He finished a never nearer fourth on his seasonal reappearance at Uttoxeter last time.  I think he lost the race at the start the last day and raced a little lazily on his own in a small runner field.  Today will be a bit different and he will like conditions so I would like to think that he will take all the beating and resume his upward progression from last season.

Saccary completes our runners for today and runs in the 3.00pm handicap hurdle over two miles.  He has yet to really sparkle over hurdles despite some good flat form in the book.  Today's track should suit him better that Ludlow last time and I don't think he will mind the ground.  I would not be surprised to see him outrun his odds but he needs to!

Yesterday at Ludlow, both our horses ran well.  Bras D'or finished second behind the short-priced favourite and improved on his debut effort.  He is a lovely big horse with a bright future and this was a step in the right direction.  Neon Moon ran another solid race to be fourth.  He travelled well and jumped very well yesterday, probably too well as the pace of the race was not strong.  Jockey Ritchie McClernon felt they quickened up while we just kept galloping one pace and the race was not run to suit.  There will be other opportunities for this likeable nine year old to add to his career wins.

Exeter is the only jumps meeting today after Ffos Las was abandoned.  There are two all-weather flat fixtures at Southwell and Chelmsford but there is no action in Ireland today.

Last night there were wins for Manchester City and Newcastle in the League Cup quarter final matches and they will now play each other in the semi-finals while Chelsea have to wait until next week to find out who they will face, either Arsenal or Crystal Palace.  The latter are in European action this evening which is why their quarter final match did not take place this week.

Things look pretty ominous for the England cricketers again in Adelaide.  They did bowl Australia out for 371 but their batting was not great again and they finished the day on 213-8, some 158 runs behind with two wickets remaining.  

Don't forget to get enough food for 27 days as the shops will be shut for 12 hours over Christmas!

Have a good day!