Royal Winner!

It was a good day for the yard at Worcester yesterday as Royal Peak produced a decent performance in the 2m7f novices' handicap hurdle.  He may only have won by a head but he was conceding 21lbs to the runner-up who looks like a potentially well-treated rival having won nine times in point-to-points.  The pair of them drew seven lengths clear of the third so we could be seeing Royal Peak out again very shortly.  What is more, he jumps his hurdles very well and looks like a nice young chaser in the making.  I understand that he is still for sale and having won two of his last three starts (beaten in a photo-finish in the other) he looks like a cheap buy...I believe the owner is also willing to sell 1/4 shares in this improving six year old.

Today there are four meetings taking place with three on the flat at Yarmouth, Brighton and Leicester as well as the second day of their jumps meeting at Worcester and the good news is that the jumps meeting has the most prize money on offer.  The stable has one runner at Worcester, Most Eligible who won a bumper at the track on his racecourse debut.  It will be interesting to see how he fares on his hurdling debut having pleased with his schooling at home.  Most Eligible could have been named after any number of our staff at the yard!

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There is a great two page article on Sir Mark Prescott in the Questions & Answers section of today's Racing Post.  He says that if he had not been involved in horses he would have liked to have been a criminal...oh no, sorry a criminal barrister!  He says that the person he admires most in racing is Martin Pipe...and I thought he was a good judge!  Sir Mark is a real character and can spin a great yarn.

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I thought Manchester City looked good last night as they beat Newcastle 4-0 at home last night.  Or were Newcastle just terrible?  It is difficult to tell, especially as they had a player sent off for a stupid arm incident.

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Finally, many happy returns to Timmy Murphy.  The Grand National winning jockey is 39 today.