Ocean at Lingfield

There was due to be jumps racing at Ffos Las today but that was abandoned on Sunday due to waterlogging so we are just left with jumps racing up at Ayr today and it is probably worth following Sean Bowen for some winners.  He teams up with Gordon Elliott for a few races and looks to have good chances of adding to his season winners this afternoon.  There are two all-weather cards at Lingfield and Newcastle and we have Ocean Heights in action at the first named.  He runs in the 4.18pm handicap over 1m4f and Jack Dace rides.  It is fair to say he has not been running as well as we hoped in recent starts but he is now handicapped to go well and this looks a good opportunity for him to show a bit more today.  He will appreciate going back up to 1m4f and we have put the cheek pieces and tongue strap back on.  He is about 11/1 in the betting and I will be disappointed if he doesn't go close or win today as I am not sure where we go from here if he doesn't!  He has been a great servant to us for many years and did win two races on the flat last summer but maybe he is not enjoying it as much as he did.  He shows his sparkle at home and hopefully we will see a bit more on the track today.  There is one jumps meeting in Ireland today at Limerick.

Yesterday at Plumpton we had two run well and one we had hoped for better.  I thought Pachacuti was our best chance of the day but he was disappointing for no obvious reason.  The track and ground were fine for him but he did not run to his best.  He held every chance at the third last but did not really keep galloping which is what he should have done!  Back to the drawing board with him.  Activist returned to form and ran well to be second.  He got quite badly hampered just before the second last hurdle by the winner which did not help his chances but it was still a good effort and he can win again after this.  Penn Avenue ran well on her handicap debut to finish a close third.  Her rivals duelled on the inside of the track while she was on the outer on her own which may not have helped but it was a good effort from our four year old.  She has a good attitude and is tough and will be winning races over hurdles.

In a little round up from the weekend, there were no winners from our jockeys at Larkhill point to point on Sunday.  Martin McIntyre did best with a second but there were plenty of runners and competitive racing in testing conditions.

There are four Premiership football matches this evening with three kicking off at 7.30pm.  Chelsea are at home to Leeds, Bournemouth travel to Everton while Spurs host Newcastle.  Manchester United play West Ham at 8.15pm.  

I am enjoying watching the Winter Olympics when I can and the figure skating and snowboard jumping were good last night (sorry I don't know the official names!)  The British skating duo are in fourth place after the first round last night with the second dance coming on Wednesday evening so it would be great if they can win a medal.  The young British snowboarder, Mia Brookes also just finished out of the medals last night in the snow board jumping to be fourth, I don't really know much about the event but she nearly landed a really big jump which would have won her place on the podium.  The action continues today with cross-country skiing, speed skating and more curling.  The Brits are going for a medal in the curling at about 1.05pm today if you want to tune in!  I will try and watching some of the ski-jumping this evening!

I tried reading the dictionary in bed last night but I didn't finish it..

I got up to P.

Have a good day.