Pier Pressure!

We have another runner over in Ireland this afternoon as the Listowel Festival continues.  The Pier (pictured above) contests a two mile handicap hurdle and should handle the prevailing heavy ground.  He carries 11-0 in this competitive looking race and he will be partnered by Tom Scudamore.  We will be hoping for better luck than yesterday when Premier Dane fell shortly before halfway in the Kerry National.

It was good to see Frankel in action on the Newmarket gallops yesterday partnered by his usual lead horse Bullet Train.  It was even better to see Sir Henry Cecil keeping a watchful eye over them.

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There was a really entertaining football match last night between Chelsea and Juventus.  Chelsea held a 2-0 lead but managed to squander it as Juventus pulled out all the stops to level it 2-2.  There were some great goals and I must admit that Juventus look more than just a little bit useful.  Meanwhile Manchester United managed to win 1-0 although it was a far from comfortable victory against Galatasaray - the Turks were disallowed a penalty and also hit the post on a number of occasions.  I'm sure Sir Alex was breathing a huge sigh of relief afterwards.

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What about the soldier in Afghanistan who gave birth to a baby despite the fact that she didn't even know she was pregnant?  Before my son Lester was born, my wife put weight on and I noticed the bump in her belly - surely there must have been some give away signs?!

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Why doesn't the government have a vote about bringing back the death penalty, especially for killing police officers?  I don't understand why they are so frightened of implementing it?  It would act as a deterrent to wrong-doers and with the advance in forensics and DNA, there is next to no chance of a wrongful conviction.  I would like to know where you get a hand grenade from - I know they don't sell them at my local Tesco store.  Call me a hard-liner but I think that if you are caught with a gun, knife or other offensive weapon, you should be carted off to jail without a trial.  That is my idea of justice...I sound like Judge Jeffries!