Aintree with Two

  Nick & Martin Ayliffe being interviewed
                by Luke Harvey

There are just two jumps cards today at Aintree and Wincanton.  David sends two runners to Aintree.  Perspicace runs in the 2.10 conditional jockey's handicap hurdle and David Noonan takes three pounds off.  It looks a competitive 14 runner race.  What a Moment makes his chasing debut in the 4.25 novice limited handicap chase.  He was second last time out over hurdles at Perth and Tom Scu rides.  He is an Irish point to point winner who should appreciate the larger obstacles.  Tom Scu rides.

Luke Harvey did a nice interview with Nick and Martin Ayliffe at Newton Abbot on Thursday.  The racecourse had named a race after Nick to celebrate his training career.  Nick first visited the track in 1955 and also rode a few winners as a jockey.  Nick is sadly not well at present so it was a nice touch by everyone to get him involved in the day.  Nick's son Martin works at Pond House and has been an assistant for both Martin and David for many years.

All eyes will be on Chepstow on Tuesday where Thistlecrack could make his first start over fences.  He won both the World hurdle and the stayers hurdle at Aintree last season and was the best staying hurdler around by far.  He is turning his hand to chasing quite late in life for some, as he will be nine come the Cheltenham Festival in March but if he takes to fences he will take some beating whether he goes for the Gold Cup or sticks to the novice route.  I know Tom Scu is getting very excited and very much looking forward to riding him.

I like a comment made by Richard Hughes, "few listen when Channel 4 pundits yap away"!  I have been saying this for ages.  It's all got a bit too technical and there is not much fun which a lot of viewers like, including Mrs Barnes!  Maybe Matt Chapman will liven things up or at very least he will probably upset a few people!

There is some great football action today with Chelsea versus Man United at 4pm.  The not so special one, Jose Mourinho goes back to the club that sacked him.  Mourinho says he has never been friends with owner Roman Abramovich.  Mourinho did win three titles at Chelsea but in the end he thought he was bigger than the club and the players did not look like they were playing for him.  It could happen at United.

I met the fella who invented the crossword the other day.  I can't remember his name, it was P something T something R!