Fontwell & Wadebridge

       Activist runs at Fontwell Today

There is just the one jumps meeting today at Fontwell and we have one runner, Activist.  He runs in the final race on the card at 4.00pm, the handicap hurdle over 2m3f and Jack Tudor rides.  He is a previous course and distance winner and while that win was off a mark of 104, he is four pounds higher for this.  He ran well at Chepstow last time, staying on strongly over two miles to be nearest at the finish.  This is a competitive looking race bit a repeat of last time will see him go very close in this.

With Kelso having been abandoned early, there is an extra all-weather meeting having been put on at Chelmsford today while in Ireland they race at Punchestown over jumps.  There are two Graded races on the card with the Grade 3 novices chase at 12.50pm the first of these.  There are only five runners, two trained by Willie Mullins, two trained by Gordon Elliott and the other trained by James Joseph Mangan.  Gigginstown own three of the field so are most likely to win the race but it is a very tight little betting contest.  There are just four runners in the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer novices hurdle at 2.20pm.  Willie Mullins has the first two in the betting and I suspect they will finish in betting order!

We also have two runners at Wadebridge point to point today, Ben Lilly and Lustfull Lady.  Ben Lilly finished third in a hot open at the track just before Christmas and runs in the novice riders race today with Ashley Dascombe riding.  This is an easier opportunity for him and while the ground may be softer than ideal I hope he has a good chance.  Lustfull Lady makes her stable and British debut in the seven-year-old and over maiden and James Shaw rides.  She has finished second on her only start in an Irish point to point but that was nearly three years ago.  She has had a few issues at home since joining us but she has ability and it will be interesting to see how she gets on.  She is likely to improve for the run but she could surprise!

Warwick was of course unfortunately abandoned yesterday but it was good that Kempton was able to go ahead.  The weather lets set to be warmer and wetter in the coming days so hopefully racing will return to a bit of normality this week.

The FA Cup third round action continues today with Arsenal away at Portsmouth and an all Premiership clash between Manchester United and Brighton at 4.30pm to name just a couple matches. 

My friend opened a betting zoo with just one bull, but nobody went.

He was charging too much!

Have a lovely Sunday.