Only Fools runs today!
We start the new week with two jumps meetings, one at Fontwell and one at Southwell. We have one runner today, Only Fools who runs in the 3:18 pm handicap hurdle, over 2 1/2miles at Fontwell and Jack Tudor rides. She put in a rare below par effort at Plumpton last time, but if she bounces back to her previous form, she looks to have a great chance today. She won at Ludlow and then finished a close third at Leicester. She won’t mind the ground and it is a small field. She is 10/3 in the betting and hopefully she won’t be far away.

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There is plenty of jumps action to watch today as in Britain we have Chepstow and Huntingdon and in Ireland there is action at Wexford and Down Royal. We have a quiet Sunday with no runners today for the stable.

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The Cheltenham Festival may have been and gone for another year but there is some good jumps racing action today and the Irish still have some interesting runners in Britain.  The stable does not have any runners today but there is jumps racing at Uttoxeter, Kempton and Newcastle.  There are two all-weather flat meetings at Southwell and Wolverhampton and in Ireland they race over jumps at Thurles.

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 Thanksforthehelp runs at Cheltenham Today

While the long journey to Hexham didn’t quite pay off yesterday, hopefully we may have more luck with Jilaijone running at Fakenham.  He runs in the 4.25pm valuable handicap hurdle at 4.25pm and Jack Tudor rides.  He ran better than the bare form suggests in the Betfair hurdle at Newbury last time and this race is a much lower class.  He is about 8/1 in the betting and I think the ground and track will suit – he is not the biggest so should be able to nip around the corners nicely!  He was very consistent and ran some great races earlier in the season before getting stuck in the mud at Sandown in December.  He will enjoy todays better ground and I think he has a good chance.

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   Fighter Allen runs at Cheltenham Today

We have our first runners at the Cheltenham Festival this week today with Jamaico and Fighter Allen on their way to Prestbury Park.  Both horses are making their stable debuts and are fairly big prices but hopefully they can put up a good show and come home safe and sound.  Jamaico runs in the opening race of the day, the Turners novices chase over 2m4f at 1.30pm and Jack Tudor rides.  Our five year old joined us last summer after winning at Auteuil over fences.  He is very lightly raced and had a setback in the autumn which is why he has not been seen this side of the English channel as yet.  He is fit and raring to go and while we did consider a prep run, time got a bit tight and so we decided to bring him straight here although he has had two racecourse gallops as well.

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   Me with Graham Souness at Cheltenham!

I enjoyed a lovely day at Cheltenham yesterday and look who I got to meet - Graham Souness, the legendary football player, manager and TV pundit!  As expected, the races were dominated by the Irish but Willie Mullins didn't have it quite all is own way with Rachel Blackmore and Henry De Bromhead winning the opening Supreme novices hurdle.  That win by Slade Steel boosts the form for the Ballyburn to win the opening race on today's card so he looks very hard to oppose in the 1.30pm.

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     Lady Balko Winner at Taunton Again

It was great Lady Balko was able to bring up her hat-trick of wins, scoring comfortably at Taunton again yesterday under Jack Tudor.  She is a strong traveller and slick jumper and when the jockey says go, she does!  She is a thoroughly likeable mare and won this off a rating of 100 carrying top weight.  While the handicapper will have is say no doubt, she is very versatile and goes on any ground so I hope there is a more to come from her going forwards.  She doesn't have any current quick entries but we will see how she is in the coming days and make a plan.  First Lord Du Cuet ran okay but never really got into a smooth rhythm throughout.  He still had a chance at the last fence but unfortunately a mistake their ended all hope.  Lock Out didn't run too badly in the last, he travelled strongly and jumped well throughout.  He got a little outpaced after three out but then stayed on well up the straight to be nearest at the finish.  A step up in trip next time might be on the cards.

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