Western Winner at Donny

Western Warhorse was a good winner on his chasing debut at Doncaster  yesterday afternoon.  He was given a good, positive front-running ride from Tom Scudamore and he held on well after the last.  He jumped superbly well considering this was his first attempt at the larger obstacles (although he was the winner of a point-to-point in Ireland) and looks yet another exciting prospect for the stable.  Tom Scu described him as a fruit loop...you can make of that what you will!  Thomas Junior made a satisfactory debut over hurdles to finish fourth in a decent looking maiden hurdle and will improve with experience, while Smiles For Miles looked like he was in need of a slightly longer trip.

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon - a jumps card at Catterick and two all-weather flat cards at Southwell and Wolverhampton.  The stable has no runners today.

I see that David has entered recent expensive ex-French purchase Un Temps Pour Tout in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury next month.  Remember, he was the second most valuable jumper ever to go through the sales ring when he was auctioned at Newbury's Hennessy Sale in November.  His form looks even better now that Ptit Zig (who was in front of him in a Grade One hurdle at Auteuil) came out and ran a good race  under top weight in the Ladbroke at Ascot recently.  I bet David is having a few sleepless nights!

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Just think, if you can do under 10 stone you could get a job with former champion trainer John Gosden in Newmarket.  John is looking for work riders at present - I just jumped on the scales and it would appear that I need to lose a few pounds.  Having said that, the way I have been betting lately, I am losing a good few pounds!

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I think I will give the subject of football a swerve this morning after my beloved West Ham were on the wrong end of a 6-0 thrashing by Manchester City.  I suppose it could have been worse - it could have been Manchester United.  I phoned the office first thing this morning and was greeted by head lad and United fan Eddie Buckley, who launched himself at the phone so that he could gloat at me.  Fortunately, he doesn't really have bragging rights at present!

Onto the World Cup and if they change the tournament to Qatar in the winter it will play havoc with all of the Premiership matches taking place.  It will be the same story for a number of European League teams - the officials have managed to get all of their timings completely wrong.

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I see that snooker playe Shaun Murphy managed to make his first maximum 147 break for 13 years yesterday.  It was only a minor event so he picked up £500...he must be gutted as Ronnie O'Sullivan scooped £147,000 when he did the same thing in the world championships a few years ago!