Hope For The Jumps

After Lingfield passed their inspection this morning, we have two all-weather meetings on the level to look forward to at Wolverhampton and Lingfield.  Sadly once again it is a blank day for jump racing although there is a remote chance that both Ayr and Exeter could go ahead tomorrow.  Ayr was raceable yesterday while Exeter have snow on the track but it is raining at present and temperatures are fairly mild - let's just hope there is no further snow or freezing temperatures tonight.

After Lingfield passed their inspection this morning, we have two all-weather meetings on the level to look forward to at Wolverhampton and Lingfield.  Sadly once again it is a blank day for jump racing although there is a remote chance that both Ayr and Exeter could go ahead tomorrow.  Ayr was raceable yesterday while Exeter have snow on the track but it is raining at present and temperatures are fairly mild - let's just hope there is no further snow or freezing temperatures tonight.

As you can see from the video below, the lads, tractor drivers (and helicopter pilot!) have done a great job of removing any snow from the gallops.  They were covered over last night and removed before exercise this morning.  The video itself is taken after the horses had completed their gallops this morning and offers a somewhat longer look at these beautiful animals (I do mean the horses and not the jockeys!).

String After Gallops 22nd Jan from David Pipe on Vimeo.

I always enjoy seeing the old horses win and there was a grand old campaigner who was successful at Wolverhampton yesterday.  It may only have been a seller but ten year old Red Somerset was winning the 18th race of his career yesterday (seven of them on this track), in fact of those wins only two have come on the turf so he is a real all-weather specialist.  He still retains plenty of ability and will continue to win his share of races when kept to the right grade - he is a real favourite of mine and a credit to connections.

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I have seen some of the "highlights" of the Lance Armstrong interview with Oprah Winfrey.  It is a shame that he wouldn't give the names of the people who helped him with all the drugs.  I know he is getting too old to be competitive now anyway but I think that his ban should never be lifted, furthermore he should be prosecuted - he's a cheat and he doesn't even seem very sorry...give us the names!

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Andy Murray took only 95 minutes to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open tennis yesterday while Croatian world number one Novak Djokovic took nearly five hours.  Murray has yet to drop a set so far and looks to be in good form although I hope that he hasn't too easy to up his game when things get tougher in the latter stages.

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Jokes about German sausages are about the wurst I have ever had!...there are plenty more where that came from and some of them are belters - I wonder what you think?