Qalinas Placed At Ludlow

The stable runner Qalinas performed creditably last night to finish a close third in the novices' handicap hurdle at Ludlow.  He was only beaten four lengths from a mark of 107 and he looks to be well capable of winning a race or two, particularly when stepped up in trip.  Tom Scudamore went on to ride a double on the night aboard Coronea Lilly and Vegas Cash - talk about London bus syndrome, you wait 937 days for a Ludlow winner and then two turn up at once!  I thought that Rebecca Curtis' bumper winner Vegas Cash looked very useful in beating a well regarded runner of Nicky Henderson's and he looks sure to go on to better things.

Above: The string on the Pond House gallops this morning

The stable runner Qalinas performed creditably last night to finish a close third in the novices' handicap hurdle at Ludlow.  He was only beaten four lengths from a mark of 107 and he looks to be well capable of winning a race or two, particularly when stepped up in trip.  Tom Scudamore went on to ride a double on the night aboard Coronea Lilly and Vegas Cash - talk about London bus syndrome, you wait 937 days for a Ludlow winner and then two turn up at once!  I thought that Rebecca Curtis' bumper winner Vegas Cash looked very useful in beating a well regarded runner of Nicky Henderson's and he looks sure to go on to better things.

I was watching the flat action from Salisbury on the television and noted two horses that looked like sure-fire future winners.  They both ran in the fillies' maiden that was won by Reyamour - Infintum (second) and Rosie Probert (third) would certainly turn the form around with the winner if they ever met again.  In particular, Infinitum owned by the Cheveley Park Stud and trained by John Gosden, did just about everything wrong on her racecourse debut but flew home to almost pull the race out of the fire.  She looks like a winner waiting to happen.

Bonfire was a thrilling winner of the Dante yesterday afternoon at York.  The Andrew Balding trained three year old battle on well to beat Ektimhaam by 3/4 length but with some of his main rivals clearly running below form, I would be surprised if connections of Camelot lost too much sleep after this result.

The stable has no runners today but even so there is plenty of action to look forward to with six meetings taking place.  There are flat cards at York, Hamilton, Newbury, Newcastle and Newmarket, while there is also jumping action from Aintree.  There are plenty of runners at the Liverpool course - I guess the good ground (good/soft places) has attracted the trainers and they have been rewarded with some competitive racing, including two wide-open handicaps with seventeen and twenty runners.

*****

I find it hard to believe that Roberto Di Matteo's future with Chelsea rests on the result of the Champion's League Final against Bayern Munich this weekend.  I would have thought he had already done enough by delivering an FA Cup to Stamford Bridge, but the owner does like to find his own manager.  Talking of football managers - how can Andre Villa-Boas be in the running for the Liverpool vacancy?  Why should he be any better than he was at Chelsea?  Personally I think that Roberto Martinez is the only man for the job.

I can't wait for the Championship Play-Off Finals - West Ham are even money to beat Blackpool.  Fill your boots...the Hammers have already beaten Blackpool twice in the league this season!