New Balls Please!

Despite the heavy rainfall, hopefully we will have some racing today.  Amazingly both Haydock and Beverley have already passed morning inspections, while Sandown say that they should be fit to race.  It is Coral Eclipse day at Sandown this afternoon and while the race may have lost some of it's lustre with the defection of the now retired So You Think, it is still one of the best races of the season and traditionally where the middle distance classic crop get to take on their elders so let's hope that it goes ahead without any problems.

Despite the heavy rainfall, hopefully we will have some racing today.  Amazingly both Haydock and Beverley have already passed morning inspections, while Sandown say that they should be fit to race.  It is Coral Eclipse day at Sandown this afternoon and while the race may have lost some of it's lustre with the defection of the now retired So You Think, it is still one of the best races of the season and traditionally where the middle distance classic crop get to take on their elders so let's hope that it goes ahead without any problems.

I cannot believe how much rain we have endured in Brixham over the last few days and we are not supposed to have had anything like as much as places further north in the country.  As I went down to my local newsagents to pick up my Racing Post this morning I saw two manhole covers floating down the road - I couldn't possibly comprehend it being worse elsewhere.

Yesterday as I was down at my local golf club I watched as a team of men assembled a marquee for Captain's Day.  I guess these guys have to do as they are asked in order to get paid, but predictably the big tent is now flat and situated somewhere near the first tee!  All I can say is roll on the winter when we should get some decent dry weather!

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Andy Murray kept his Wimbledon dreams alive with victory over Tsonga in the semi-finals yesterday, meaning he is the first British men's tennis player to reach the final since 1938 when Bunny Austin lost to American Don Budge.  Murray is a 7/4 chance to beat Roger Federer and even at that price I bet there are quite a few punters who will be supporting him.  There was a dramatic moment during yesterday's match against Tsonga, when he managed to hit the Frenchman squarely in the unmentionables...as his opponent rolled around on the floor I was waiting for a shout from the crowd that never came..."New balls please!".

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It looks like it is going to be a slippery race for the British Grand Prix this weekend at Silverstone.  The race starts at 1pm tomorrow and should be interesting if the 24 competitors have to deal with the unpredictable weather conditions we have been having.  A mate of mine said to me, "They only have two types of tyres, hard and soft.  You would think someone would have pumped them all up!".  James in our office will like that one, he is one of the millions of petrol heads who likes Formula One.  It doesn't appeal much to me - I went to Brands Hatch once, you see the cars flash past and then they are gone.  Personally I think it is better watched on television - certainly this weekend anyway, where at least 20,000 people are being asked to stay at home because there is not adequate car parking provision owing to the grounds being turned into a boating lake by the rain!