Busy Day

Battle Group after finishing 4th at the Cheltenham Festival

There are five meetings today, four on the flat at Carlisle, Bath, Salisbury and Kempton and a jumps card at Worcester.  The stable has lots of entries at Worcester and David is going to have a busy day!  Battle Group kicks off proceeding in the novice chase.  He is extremely talented but a little quirky and if he puts his best foot forward this afternoon he should hopefully win.  He is very clever and does know what this racing game is all about if you know what I mean!  Soulard runs in the handicap chase while Too Generous is making her racecourse debut in the Bumper.  She works well at home but it does look a fairly competitive little race.  Beattie Green runs in a handicap hurdle and the handicapper put her up twelve pounds for winning a seller on her latest start which seems a little harsh.  Ladyvie runs in another hurdle race after finishing third last time out at Towcester, she was the winner of a chase on her penultimate start and is still looking for her first win over hurdle.  UPDATE: Ladyvie is now a non-runner.  Royal Peak is also making his racecourse debut in the maiden hurdle while Qulinton runs in the final race of the day.  He ran well at the course last time out and again has Tom Scu in the saddle.

What a devastating tradgedy that young Campbell Gillies died in a swimming pool accident in Corfu.  I did not know Campbell personally but everyone tells me he was one of the boys and enjoyed life to the full.  He won on Brindisi Breeze at the Cheltenham Festival this year and he was a very talented young man.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

I was watching the racing yesterday and spotted one that appears to be in front of the handicapper and is one to watch when she runs again.  Khione won the 10 furlong fillies handicap with a fair bit in hand.  She raced a little lazily but looked useful when Kieren Fallon asked her to quicken on the soft ground and is one for the notebook.

At Wimbledon Andy Murray looked in good form and won very easily.  Mind you, you can pick out the semi finalists.  There are only four tennis players that have got a serious chance in this tournament in the mens side although Andy Murray will need some luck if he is to progress any further.

In the Eurpoean Football Championships it is the first semi-final tonight, Spain versus Portugal at 7.45pm.  Surely Spain will pass the ball throught the Portuguese defence and they look a fairly good bet at even money.