Ascot Trio

        Walkadina runs at Ascot Today 

The weather is much drier and cooler this morning at Pond House after a horrendously wet afternoon yesterday!  Conditions were terrible on the top of Haldon Hill also and racing was abandoned before the final two races of the day although I am not sure if it should have really gone ahead at all.  It did however, and there was a big shock in the opening race with a 300/1 winner, the longest priced winner in British Horse Racing history!  There have been two 300/1 winners in Ireland but this was the first time it had happened over here and so well done to James Best and the Nigel Hawke team on their success.  Ground conditions like yesterday can cause these shock results and quite often the form has to be treated with caution but well done to all connections.

Eton Mes ran well enough in the maiden hurdle to finish fourth, so that is two fourth placings from two starts over hurdles and he now qualifies for a handicap mark.  Way of Stars made a promising start over hurdles in the juvenile event to finish third.  There weren't many runners but it was a tight little contest and we were happy with his run.  He jumped well but was simply too keen in conditions early in the race to see the best in him come the finish.  He handled the ground but will be seen to much better effect with conditions not quite so extreme.  It was good to get the experience under his belt and he is a lovely prospect going forwards.  I did wonder if Vision De Maine would handle conditions and he did not!  He was never really happy throughout and Jack looked after him and pulled him up.  I thought River Run Free would be okay on the ground but being held up in the races yesterday was not the position to be in and he was struggling from some way out and again Jack looked after him for another day.  Saccary's race was one of those lost after the meeting was abandoned and that was probably no bad thing!  All horses are fine this morning which is the main thing and we will be steering clear of those conditions for these horses next time!

Today there are two jumps meetings at Ascot and Uttoxeter, the latter goes ahead after a morning inspection.  We have three runners at Ascot, Punta Del Este, Walkadina and Indulto Rouge.  Punta Del Este runs in the opening contest of the day at 12.40pm a conditional jockeys handicap hurdle over 2m5f and Rian Corcoran rides.  There are twelve runners and it looks a competitive race, like all races there this afternoon!  He has some good form in the book put has been disappointing in four runs for us so far but there was a definite step in the right direction last time out at Exeter where he finished a staying on fifth.  The handicapper is giving him some help and with Rian taking off a very valuable ten pounds in this, I hope today could be the the day we see better!  He is about 14/1 in the betting.

Walkadina runs in the 2.25pm handicap hurdle over two miles and Jack Tudor rides.  She has run well in her two starts so far this season and was narrowly beaten at Ludlow this time.  The handicapper has nudged her up three pounds for that but she hopefully still has scope for improvement.  This race is tougher but I hope she won't be too far away come the finish.  She is a strong traveller but doesn't always find as much at the end as we might hope.  The favourite looks like he might be hard to beat but we are about 17/2 fourth best in the betting and I don't think we will be far away.

Indulto Rouge runs in the concluding Listed bumper at 3.35pm and Jack Tudor rides.  We won this contest last year with Windbeneathmywings and our four year old looks like him today!  Not sure he will be able to pull off a performance like Windy did but I think he will outrun his odds.  He is a very nice horse for the long term and we were all a little disappointed with him at Hereford but I think he will have improved a lot from that where the course did also not suit.  It is a very tough race with plenty of winners in it but it will be interesting to see how we get on.

The flat racing today comes on the all-weather at Southwell and Newcastle while in Ireland they race at Dundalk.

Rory McIlory won BBC Sports Personality of the year last night.  Much deserved but it is a little sad, as a child it was one of my favourite things to watch at this time of year.  I did not even know it was taking place this time! 

The England cricketers were all out for 286 in their first innings and in reply, Australia have made it to 271-4.  They already have a lead of 356 runs with six wickets remaining and look set to go 3-0 in the series.

My boss calls me "The Computer".  Not because of my calculation skills but because I go to sleep when left unattended for 15 minutes.  

Happy Friday!