- Thursday, 25 July 2013 07:37
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
It’s a busy day on the level with no less than six meetings taking place at Sandown, Yarmouth, Bath, Epsom, Doncaster and Brighton. I would have thought with Brighton, Sandown and Epsom being in such close proximity to each other, the tracks are going to be short on punters – those punters would probably have gone to each track if they were on different days so I don’t understand the logic in holding them all today.
- Wednesday, 24 July 2013 06:49
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Today there are five meetings - four on the flat at Catterick, Lingfield, Sandown and Leicester as well as a jumps card at Worcester. The stable has a couple of runners at the National Hunt fixture, Royal Peak and Standing Ovation. Both are shorter in the markets than I would have expected, indeed Standing Ovation (pictured above) is the 7/4 favourite according to today's Racing Post. Having said that, he did run by far his most promising race at Newton Abbot last time out and this does seem to be a weak looking 0-95 handicap chase. Conor O'Farrell takes the ride aboard him.
- Tuesday, 23 July 2013 07:33
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
My goodness, wasn't it hot yesterday? The temperature in London reached in excess of 33ºc and the forecast storms never materialised...although we had thunderstorms around the yard in the early hours of this morning, we had only 1/2mm of rain. Today there are four meetings to look forward to with two on the flat at Musselburgh and Ffos Las as well as two jumps cards at Southwell and Bangor - the stable has one runner at each National Hunt meeting and young Kieron Edgar is going to be kept busy as he travels from one meeting to the other to ride both Darcey Diva and Vapiano. Darcey Diva (pictured above) has her first run over hurdles at Southwell, our mare had some fair form in bumpers so let's hope she can translate that ability to obstacles, while Vapiano makes his debut for the stable at Bangor.
- Monday, 22 July 2013 07:02
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
There are four meetings to look forward to this afternoon with three on the level at Ayr, Windsor and Beverley as well as a jumps card at Cartmel. The stable has no runners this afternoon. I remember taking a trip to Cartmel on a Bank Holiday Monday years ago - the whole area comes to a complete standstill and it is impossible to park your car without getting blocked in. I am not painting a great picture of the track, but it has a fabulous atmosphere and is a great place to visit if only the once! The ground at Ayr looks pretty lively - there are races that have only three and four runners, as well as a five runner affair so four of the races have attracted only sixteen runners.
- Sunday, 21 July 2013 07:38
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Bathwick Man -
Winner of this race 12 months ago
Today there are three race meetings, a flat card at Redcar and two jumps meetings at Newton Abbot and Stratford. David has one runner at each jumps meeting both for owner Sarah Clifford. Bathwick Man runs at Stratford and Waterunder at our local track. Bathwick Man was the winner of this race 12 months ago. He does have to step up on recent form to have a chance this afternoon with Conor O'Farrell in the saddle. Tom Scu rides Waterunder. He was the winner of a hurdle race at Ffos Las this season but does have to give a lot of weight away this afternoon. The flat card at Redcar has terrible prize money on offer. The biggest prize to the winner is £6,409. All the rest are worth £3000 and two of them are worth £1900. Mind you, if the trainers and owners run them the courses will get away with it.
I would like to say a special happy birthday to a trio of our owners today. Wayne Clifford, Malcolm Denmark and Gino Paletta all share their birthday's today so I hope they all enjoy a great day.
- Saturday, 20 July 2013 06:58
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Massannie goes for four timer
David has four runners at Market Rasen this afternoon on their feature summer card. Massannie is looking to maintain her unbeaten record since joining Pond House in her first handicap hurdle. Street Entertainer and War Singer contest the competitive feature hurdle race. War Singer is relatively unexposed over obastacles and is open to improvement while Street Entertainer was running a big race in the Swinton hurdle when an error cost him any chance. Both have each way chances in a tough race. Problema Tic runs in the big valuable chase. He was the good winner of the Perth Gold Cup on his penultimate start but was disappointing at Uttoxeter last time so does have to bounce back to form. Decoy is our only other runner of the day at the Cartmel. He has been slightly disappointing of late and Kieron Edgar goes up to ride. There is also some good prize money on offer for this race so there is some great action to watch both over jumps and on the flat today. There are five flat meetings at Newbury, Newmarket, Ripon, Haydock and Lingfield.
- Friday, 19 July 2013 07:01
- Written by Chelsea Eggleton
Today we are all going to London for David Johnson's memorial service. MCP is going to say a few words and I have no doubt there will be a large number of people there and a lot from the world of racing. Matt Chapman is also going to say a few words, so if you are anywhere near the home counties you may hear him! It will be an extremely emotional day but no doubt a fitting tribute to a wonderful man. Today there are six meetings, all on the flat at Hamilton, Haydock, Newbury, Newmarket, Nottingham and Pontefract. David has just one runners at Newbury, Togiak who runs in the 4.35pm 10 furlong handicap. It looks a competitive race as you would expect for the prize money and our runner does have to improve his form to have any chance of taking a hand in the finish.
