Amigo Ayr Raid!

It's a busy day with five meetings taking place today - three over the sticks at Ayr, Fontwell and Southwell as well as two flat meetings at Newbury and Bath.  It is the first day of the Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr and the stable has one runner, Amigo (pictured above) participates in the three mile handicap hurdle at 4.25pm  He has been running creditably all season and will appreciate the rain softened ground, although he does have to shoulder top weight of 11-12.  Stable jockey Tom Scudamore takes the ride.

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Champion jockey A P McCoy took a nasty fall at Cheltenham yesterday afternoon and spent an overnighter in the local hospital.  You could tell it was a bad one when they had to go around the hurdle on the second circuit as he was being attended to by medics.  A P is just like a piece of steel and he normally gets up even if he is hurt.  He has a chest injury but says that he hopes to be back to ride at the Punchestown Festival in Ireland next week.  Footballers really don't know they have been born when you look at them compared to A P - they moan about the likes of Andy Carroll and his challenge on the Man Utd goalkeeper earlier in the week, but I reckon if they had McCoy's injuries they would be out for the remainder of the season!

Over at Newmarket I thought that Toronado looked to be very appropriately named.  The Richard Hannon trained three year old won the Craven 2,000 Guineas Trial with any amount in hand and has to be a leading candidate for the main event itself, with the Derby looking likely to suit him even better.  I wonder if he does win the Derby will Richard Hannon Senior retire and finally hand the reins over to his son?  It has happened a number of times over the last few years and the sons have made a fair job of it...or so I am told!

There is an interesting two year old race at the Berkshire track today which normally throws up some useful types.  The ground will probably make the form a little tricky to assess as it is good/soft, but I would imagine that the Richard Hannon runners will command respect, particularly Steventon Star who is the pick of stable jockey, champion Richard Hughes.

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Over in Australia I see that Nikita McLean has been given a five month ban by Racing Victoria stewards for assaulting her sister Jackie Beriman.  It sounds to me like it would have made an interesting charity boxing match!