Two Out Of Two!

It was a great day for the yard yesterday with two winners from two runners at two different meetings.  Problema Tic won the big race of the day, staying on nicely to land The Perth Gold Cup by 3 1/2 lengths, picking up over £16,000 in prize money in the process.  I am sure that his owners will have had a quiet drink to celebrate!  The stable won the race in 2007 with Tamarinbleu who went on to Grade One success over fences.  Meanwhile on the flat at Nottingham, Street Entertainer abosolutely bolted up on his first on the level since 2010 and has the look of a well-treated horse.  He has quite a few entries over the coming week and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him turn out again under a penalty before the handicapper can have his say.

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon, two on the flat at Brighton and Windsor and two over the sticks at Southwell and Newton Abbot.  Once again the little Devon jumps track at Newton is offering the best prize money and is testament to the hard work they put in at the track.  The stable has three runners there this afternoon, Hugo Drax, Royal Mile and Smooth Classic.  Royal Mile competes from a mark of just 79 - he has some form in the book and this step up in trip could help...let's hope they can continue the good form of the yard.

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There is an interesting piece in today's Racing Post about favourite Royal Ascot memories.  Personally my favourite was when Sweet Glow won the Ascot Stakes under Cash Asmussen for MCP and owner John Fairbrother at a decent price.  It was some celebration afterwards and I reckon that John (who owned a sweet factory) probably did most of his winnings in champagne!

Royal Ascot starts a week tomorrow and David will most likely have some runners in the Ascot Stakes in his bid to supplement the 2010 success of Junior.

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It is hard to believe but eighteen times champion jockey A P McCoy was unseated at Perth yesterday on 'This Is It'.  A P has been in cracking form this season, and this was just a brief reminder that he is mortal afterall!

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Are our under 21 football team as bad as they look after crashing out of Euro 2013?  Surely they must be better than Norway?  It must be time for a change.

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What a performance from Rafa Nadal as he became the first man to win the French Open championship eight times.  Of course the bookies dived in and offered 7/1 that he now wins the next three French Open's as well.  As usual they are giving nothing away and considering Nadal's recent injury history, I would think that he is a 7/1 chance to remain injury-free!