Crus On Course!

Today there are three meetings taking place over the sticks at Huntingdon, Lingfield and Sedgefield.  Although the stable does not have any runners, our jockey Tom Scudamore continues to travel the length and breadth of the country in search of winners and he has booked rides at Huntingdon today.  Carlisle yesterday, Huntingdon today - I don't think I would like to buy a used car from Tom!  I guess at least you would know that it had been properly run in(to the ground!).  There is a picture of Tom on the front page of the Post today with an article saying that he is full of confidence in Grands Crus ahead of the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.  The grey has been very well backed and is now as short as 2/1 favourite with some firms.

Martin won the race an incredible eight times, including with Our Vic who did win this race as favourite in 2005.  2005!...where does the time go, I can still remember him coming over the last under Timmy Murphy like it was yesterday.  Anyway, David won the race last year with the ill-fated Great Endeavour and it would appear that the bookies are running scared of Grands Crus this time around.

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There should be an interesting race this afternoon as Lingfield hosts the Flat Jockeys' handicap hurdle.  It will be fascinating watching how they all get over them, although one or two will undoubtedly be very experienced.  Looking through the form figures, none of the field have fallen so they have been given some fairly safe conveyances although Lindsays Dream did unseat last time out - lucky Jamie Goldstein gets the ride aboard that one!

It reminds me of a similar race at Chepstow in 1992 where it was jump jockeys versus flat jockeys contest.  Martin had a couple of runners in the race and one, Gold Medal was ridden by a young Frankie Dettori who was claiming 7lbs.  I don't think Frankie had ever been so frightened and I am told that he closed his eyes over most of the hurdles but fortunately Gold Medal was an extremely good jumper!  The pair finished fourth behind the Michael Hills ridden Silver Age, although I am not sure that the flat jockeys should have been claiming 7lbs from the jump jockeys.  Frankie went on to win the first of his three flat jockeys championships a couple of  years later.  Looking at the result now, the list of jockeys reads more like a Legends race...

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I watched some of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here last night for the first time this series.  What is Helen Flanagan like?  Everytime there was any noise her eyes nearly popped out of her head!  Her eye make-up made her look like something from the Rocky Horror Picture Show!

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Andy Murray ended up having a good season, winning three titles in all and £2.9 million in prize money.  Having said that, some of the golfers win that without landing a title at all.  If you have young children, get a golf club into their hands at the earliest opportunity!