Newton Abbot Double

It was a good day for the yard yesterday as we recorded a double at Newton Abbot with our two runners, while our pair at Worcestser also performed creditably to finish close seconds...unfortunately a certain A P McCoy was aboard the winner on both occasions!  I phoned the winning owner of Party Girls (pictured above) in Hong Kong and I don't think he believed me when I told him that she had won!  This did represent a drop in class to selling company and she benefitted from first time headgeat and a positive ride from Michael Heard whose 10lbs claim reduced her weight to only 9-4.  Meanwhile, Hawhill also bounced back to form under a front-running ride from Kieron Edgar and looks as though he could follow-up - remember he does seem to like heavy ground.

Over at Worcester I thought that Navanman was  unlucky to come up against a well above average individual in El Namoose in the bumper, but he did come well clear of the remainder and Tom Scu was not overly hard on him.  Runner-up in an Irish point-to-point he looks sure to benefit from a step up in trip in time and this has to be considered a promising debut effort for the stable.

Our other runner, Houston Dynimo was beaten a neck by McCoy and in-form Marju's Quest - he has proven to be a fantastic buy since finishing down the field in a seller and he should continue to pay his way over the coming months.

I thought that Hadden Frost was a little unlucky to pick up a ten day ban at Newton Abbot yesterday for his ride aboard Ice Konig.  The horse was unconsidered in the betting and seemed to run well to finish third, beaten sixteen lengths.  Surely the jockey knows if the horse is running on empty?  If he goes off a 6/4 favourite and bolts up next time I will be proved wrong, but until that happens I think he has been hard done by.

It was nice to see the owners of Virtuel d'Oudon yesterday morning.  Jan called into the yard on her way down to Dartmouth and I took a little piccy of her with friend Ann and her pride and joy, Virtuel (pictured right)!

*****

It is the turn of Newcastle manager Alan Pardew to be in the hot seat at the moment.  His team Newcastle are at home to Hull today and if they fail to perform again he could be in serious trouble.  Personally I am not convinced that his players are putting it all in for their manager - perhaps the Newton Abbot stewards should be looking into it?!

My football bet for the weekend...Hearts at 4/11, Aberdeen at 8/15, Torquay at 8/15 and Barnet at 1/2.  My beloved Hammers take on Liverpool this afternoon at 5.30pm and they are 7/2 chances to get a result...at those sort of odds I could be tempted!

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