National Weights Day

It's a big day for racing with the weights for the Grand National announced in London today.  Much as expected Tidal Bay heads the weights at this stage for the second successive year.  Senior handicapper Phil Smith has given the thirteen year old a real chance by allotting him a mark 7lbs below his current official rating of 168.  Others to appear well treated at the weights include: Long Run (3lbs ‘well-in’), Hunt Ball (4lbs), Triolo d’Alene (1lb), Rocky Creek (1lb) and Katenko (1lb).

David has a team of six entries of which Junior (10-8) is the only one who would get in at this stage with the maximum field size being forty runners.  However, it is still very early days and you would expect Our Father (10-8, pictured above) and The Package (10-4) to get in, while Goulanes (10-1) and Swing Bill (10-1) need a few more to come out.  Standing Ovation (9-10) at number 95 looks unlikely to get a run. 

On hearing the framework for this year’s weights David said, “There is no great surprise at the weights our entries have been given, all of them equating to their current official ratings.   Despite top weight Tidal Bay looks very well treated from a mark of 161, considering he was beaten only ¾ length in the Welsh National from 163.  They are similar staying handicap chases in my eyes.”

Stable jockey Tom Scudamore was also on hand to comment, “There is still a long way to go until Grand National day and a lot can happen between now and then, but my first impression is that the top two (Tidal Bay and Long Run) have been given good chances at the weights.  Our Father looks to have a nice competitive weight and you could say the same for Monbeg Dude.”

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The good news is that Ayr have passed an early morning inspection so we have some jump racing to look forward to.  There is also an all-weather flat card taking place at Southwell.  The stable has no runners this afternoon.  The bad news is that it is pouring with rain again in the west country - it is getting beyond a joke now and you have to feel sorry for those poor people that live and work on the Somerset levels.  Who knows how long it is going to take before they can finally get back to normal life once again?

Looking through the results from yesterday, I did say that the Sue Smith team were in good form and sure enough they had two winners and a second.  Typically, the only one that I actually backed was the one that finished second!  I really should listen to myself sometimes!

I don't know why I sound surprised, but A P McCoy is miles clear at the top of the jockeys' championship (despite being on the sidelines for the first month of the season).  He has ridden 182 winners from 719 rides at a strike rate of 25% - quite incredible.  What is more amazing however, is that his strike rate throughout his entire career is 25% - in other words he has ridden one winner for every four rides for the last twenty years!

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I see that one of former jockeys Joffret Huet bid for the top lot at the French sales at Deauville yesterday.  He bought a four year old hurdler by the name of Vodka Wells for €74,000 - I hope someone didn't say 'who wants a vodka?' and Joffret put his hand up!

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There was a good result for Derby yesterday as they beat QPR 1-0 even though QPR had most of the possession.   I'm not sure I like Joey Barton's hair style much - it looks like one of his tackles...all over the place!

There is some excellent footballing action to look forward to this evening with five of the bottom six clubs in the Premier League in action.  My team, West Ham are at home to Norwich and three points there would move us up to eleventh place - it is that tight at the bottom of the league.  23/20 is the best price available about the Hammers and I could be tempted to have a little investment.