Where Are The Jumps?!

Once again, if you like jump racing you are out of luck - there is no action over the sticks now for the next three days!  You also won't be going racing if you live in the south of England (not unless you want to take a trip to the far south east for a Yarmouth fixture, which personally I don't!)...there are four other meetings taking place today at Warwick, Newcastle, Hamilton and Leicester, yet another victory for race planning!

I thought that Weekend Millionair looked unlucky on his chasing debut yesterday at Worcester.  Our six year old was just getting into the race when he capsized at the third last.  He looked like he would have gone very close to winning - hopefully his confidence will be unaffected by this and if so, he should be more than capable of winning something similar.  Bad Girls also showed some promise when finishing fifth in the bumper, she settled better and keept on in the closing stages suggesting there could be a little race in her somewhere.

Looking through the cold trainers list, I see that the likes of Alan Bailey, Alan Swinbank and Brian Ellison are on the 'cold trainers' list.  I bet they will be trying to avoid page 18 of today's Racing Post!  The trainer to follow at present is Peter Bowen who has enjoyed 10 successes with his last 19 runners - one of the best pieces of advice I was ever offered was to back runners from stables in form.

It's hard to believe that Mercy Rimell is 94 today.  Mercy has paid a few visits to the yard through the years and was an excellent trainer in her own right.  She was very old school with her ways, but they were certainly effective.

*****

What is going on with the tennis at Wimbledon?  First Nadal went out of the men's championship and now it is Roger Federer.  With two of the 'big three' gone, maybe it really could be Andy Murray's year?  Of course, he will have to stay injury free, which seems to be easier said than done...just look at Maria Sharapova.  She fell over and injured ankle and despite playing on in discomfort, she lost.  It's a shame because I always enjoyed watching Sharapova...I can't think why?!  Maybe the players should be wearing golf spikes?