5 Runners At Exeter

There are four meetings this afternoon and it is great to have a bit of local jumps action to look forward to at Exeter.  The stable has five runners: Bathwick Man, Royal Peak, Standing Ovation, Basil Fawlty and Mr Trilby.  Bathwick Man has been in good form of late, finishing in the frame on his last four starts and he should once again go well under Kieron Edgar who takes a handy 7lbs off his back.  Meanwhile Standing Ovation (pictured above) is on a recovery mission having fallen at the second fence at Uttoxeter when sent off favourite - he is partnered by Conor O'Farrell.

Purple 'N Gold was disappointing at Kempton last night, finishing last in the 1m3f handicap.  To me it looked as though he didn't get home, travelling well for nine furlongs...maybe a step back in trip will help?  He had beaten the winner I'm Fraam Govan at Sandown and reopposed on the same terms, so he is clearly better than he was able to show here.

I was watching the action from Navan yesterday and there was one that I thought wasn't given the best of rides and looks a sure-fire future winner.  The horse was Red Raven from the Prendergast yard - he certainly looks capable of better.

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Wow - £3.5million for a yearling at Tattersalls on Tuesday and then £5million for another on Wednesday - has the world gone mad?!

I see that trainer Philip Hobbs has echoed my sentiments about prize money by praising Ludlow and Taunton for the incentives they are putting up.  Ludlow managed to raise £60,000 prize money for their card yesterday - a really good effort.  It will take a few 60 grands to pay back the £5million price tag of yesterday's purchase...something surely is wrong!

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When England travel over to paste the Aussies in their own back yard this winter, they will not be assisted by the 'hot spot' technology.  I would have thought it would be hot enough... boom boom!

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Surely the FA should look more carefully into who are buying our football clubs?  Vincent Tan who owns Cardiff doesn't seem to know a lot about football and if I were a fan I would start worrying about the club's future.

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Another quote from my little golfing book, and one that I can relate to - 'real golfers go to work to relax!'  Have a nice day...