Top At Leicester

There are three meetings this afternoon at Carlisle, Leicester and an all-weather bumper card at Kempton.  Just imagine, six race full of bumper horses - I am surprised there are that many National Hunt flat horses in training!  Of course, I am only joking...a few of these races have special conditions to allow for horses that have been over hurdles/fences in the past (who would otherwise be ineligible) to compete.  We have one runner this afternoon at Leicester, Top Wood (pictured above) who bids to bounce back from a disappointing performance at Cheltenham last time out when he just ran to freely.  Hadden Frost, who won aboard the stable's Weather Babe at Towcester yesterday takes the mount.

Timmy Murphy wasn't the only high profile injury over the weekend - Ruby Walsh and Gary Sheehan also took nasty falls at Newbury on Friday.  It must have been a busy day for Swindon Great Western Hospital.  Statistically speaking, a jockey can expect to take a fall on average once in every eight rides...these boys certainly deserve their money.  I can't think of another sport where there is so much chance of you getting hurt.

*****

Is it just me, or is it getting increasingly difficult to see when top class footballers have reached their sell-by date?  I cannot believe that at the age of 37 David Beckham would still be good enough to play in our Premier League.  Can you imagine LA Galaxy playing in the Premiership?  I think not!  I reckon they probably just want him to sell shirts and merchandise.  He has been a wonderful footballer down the years and a great ambassador for the sport but he can't be considered an elite player any longer.

Why is it that football clubs need to deal through agents?  I couldn't believe how much money these "representatives" are making - Manchester City paid out over £10.5 million, while bottom club QPR paid out nearly £7 million...what a waste of money!  Surely these clubs would be better off employing somebody to deal with arrangements and paying a salary rather than these exorbitant commisions?  Someone is certainly making a nice living out of doing next to nothing!