Katchmore's Ffos Las Success

Above: Katchmore records his third win since joining the team at Pond House

The stable enjoyed a winner at Ffos Las yesterday afternoon after Katchmore produced a really dour performance to land the 2m4f handicap hurdle.  His victory came as a surprise to me - personally I thought that the handicapper had him in his grip from a mark of 130 (he was 11lbs higher than his last winning rating).  The step up in trip certainly seemed to suit, as did the more restrained riding tactics and this was certainly an improved performance from the horse and a good training feat from David to eek out further improvement.  It just goes to show that the handicapper does know what he is doing - I would imagine that he will be putting him up a few more pounds now for good measure!

We have one runner this afternoon at the Welsh track, so let's hope that we can land another success.  Qulinton, who finished third in the valuable Summer Plate at Market Rasen last time out (takes on two of his rivals from that day again this afternoon) takes in the £20,000 handicap chase - as you would expect for that sort of money, there is a very competitive turnout.  It is a mixed card at Ffos Las, so there should certainly be something there to suit everyone's tastes.

There are six meetings taking place this afternoon, as well as Ffos Las there are flat cards at York, Goodwood, Hamilton, Newcastle and Newmarket and there is quite a diverse range of going reports.  While four of the meetings have good/firm ground (watering at two of them) the other two meetings are good/soft or soft!

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Unsurprisingly Frankel drew a record crowd to York on Wednesday for the Juddmonte International Stakes.  The attendance of some 30,000 was up an incredible 55% on the corresponding meeting from 2011 - it just goes to show that the Yorkshire crowd certainly appreciate their champions.  I think that Sir Henry Cecil has masterminded a terrific training program for his champion - his plan has always been to finish in the Champion Stakes at Ascot (just imagine the turnout they will get there!) and if the Arc is not part of the equation I don't think that he should be bullied into running in France.  Why don't we try to convince Ussain Bolt to run over 400m and see if we can get him beaten?...you can see what I am getting at.

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I see that Liverpool beat Hearts 1-0 away from home despite the Scousers fielding an under-strength side.  I guess it goes to show that Scottish football is not as good as it used to be...I'm going to be controversial now because I don't think that any of their sides would survive in our Premiership today.  Years ago the Premier League used to make plenty of Scottish signings but that source seems to have dried up now.