Shegar Cup Day

Another day and no jump racing!  Nevermind, there are plenty of meetings on the level to keep us entertained, including the Shergar Cup at Ascot as well as meetings from Haydock, Newmarket, Redcar, Ayr and Lingfield.  Oh, and don't forget that the Olympics are coming to a close this weekend!

Another day and no jump racing!  Nevermind, there are plenty of meetings on the level to keep us entertained, including the Shergar Cup at Ascot as well as meetings from Haydock, Newmarket, Redcar, Ayr and Lingfield.  Oh, and don't forget that the Olympics are coming to a close this weekend!

Talking of the Shergar Cup, I was quite amused to read in yesterday's Racing Post about the attempts of Ascot to widen the appeal of the event by including an all ladies team.  Nothing amusing in that as such, but the photo shoot that they carried out with the girls did make me chuckle.  Hayley Turner as well as her international contemporaries Chantal Sutherland and Emma-Jayne Wilson (who are all attractive women)  were dressed up in vivid pink and black hooped dresses that made them look more like Freddy Krueger than catwalk models...I wonder if they will be able to scare off the opposition today?!

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Back at home the horses continue to exercise on the gallops and I have a couple more pictures to bring you this morning.  This time they are of former winning pointer Molly Oscar and Lahib The Fifth.  As you can see from the pictures, they are clearly enjoying having a bit of sunshine on their backs...they had better make the most of it as the weather is due to turn again this weekend - you can always rely on the Great British Summer!

  
Above left: Molly Oscar and right: Lahib The Fifth

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I will be sorry to see the Olympics draw to a close at the weekend - it has provided some great action and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching them on the television.  Team GB have performed amazingly and there is still the chance of further medals to come - their success has led to a sense of national pride and euphoria that seems to have been missing for some time.  Despite the mess the economy is in, it would be wonderful if we could somehow retain this positive feeling when the Games finish.  I wonder how they will close the games tomorrow night?