Low Temperatures

There were due to be two jumps meetings today but Fakenham has been abandoned this morning due to frozen ground while Ayr must pass a 9.30am inspection to race but remain hopeful with frost covers in place covering the whole course.  We did have Phantomofthepoints declared at Ayr but he did not travel and so no runners for the team today.  There are two all-weather flat cards at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton and no racing in Ireland.

Inspections are set to be the norm for the next few days with temperatures forecast to remain cold and I am not sure how much jumps racing there will be but I shall remain hopeful!  Exeter unfortunately lost their New Year's day meeting yesterday and called it off at 10am.  They gave it the best chance but called it off at a sensible time, rather than let everyone get to the racecourse which is never ideal.  We had actually just loaded our two horses onto the lorry and were about to set off when we heard the news so that was lucky!  The horses were unloaded and then able to do their normal daily exercise.  David and Jack were disappointed not to be having a day out but enjoyed watching the action from all the courses on the TV instead!

Thanksforthehelp ran well enough at Windsor considering he was one of the outsiders of the field to finish seventh in a competitive race.  Jack Tudor felt he do not handle the track and was in top gear throughout.  He probably is high enough in the handicap at present and with a little help from the handicapper can hopefully return to winning ways.  He is fine this morning which is the main thing and we can look forward to other days.

There weren't many goals in the Premiership football matches yesterday with three of the four games ending in 0-0 draws and the fourth being a 1-1 draw.  I did watch a bit of the Sunderland v Man City game and despite that being goalless it was quite entertaining but City dropped vital points behind Arsenal at the top of the table.  There are no Premiership matches today.  

We have reached the semi-final stages of the World Darts Championships and while Luke Humphries was knocked out yesterday, Luke Littler won easily as did Gary Anderson.  I didn't realise that Ryan Searle who is a semi-finalist and plays Luke Littler this evening is a local chap and is a neighbour of Debbie who works in the yard.  We will have to see if he likes horse racing and wants a share in the horse, he is guaranteed £200,000 in prize money having reached this far and it could be more if he wins this evening!  That match starts at 7.45pm while the second semi-final between Gian van Veen and Gary Anderson gets underway at 8.45pm.  

Attempted to exercise this morning.

Didn't work out.

Happy Friday!