street_entertainer_nottingham_web

It looks like being a busy day of racing with six meetings taking place this afternoon, five on the level at York, Musselburgh, Sandown, Goodwood and Chepstow as well as a jumps fixture at Aintree.  The stable has one runner on the flat as Street Entertainer (pictured above) makes the long trip up to Musselburgh for a tight little 1m6f handicap, but with almost £13,000 prize money to the winner, it is well worth a go.  Our six year old carries a 6lbs penalty for his easy Nottingham success last Sunday and he looks sure to go close - the Sir Mark Prescott trained Mutual Regard looks to be the one we have to beat.  As you would expect, there is a good card at York this afternoon with prize money of £6,000 or more in each race.

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Scus__MCP

Today there are five meetings taking place - four of them on the level at Newbury, Nottingham, Yarmouth and Haydock as well as a jumps card at Uttoxeter.  It will be a poignant day with the first runners from Warren Place since the passing of Sir Henry Cecil on Tuesday.  This is part of the program mapped out by the late trainer and the stable will have runners at Leopardstown, Newbury, Nottingham and Yarmouth - let's hope that there are some winners among them.  The horses are running in the name of Sir Henry's wife, Lady Cecil...it is certainly going to be emotional and I would like to wish them all the luck in the world.

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Henry_Cecil

There was terribly sad news for all of racing yesterday as legendary flat trainer Sir Henry Cecil passed away.  Not only did he possess sublime skill in preparing his racehorses, he was a fascinating man and thoroughly decent to boot.  I will always remember the time when I was lucky enough to stay at his famous Warren Place stables with MCP - Sir Henry dismissed his housekeeper for the evening and insisted on cooking a meal for me and Martin.  MCP wanted chips, so after much searching through the kitchen, Henry finally found a chip pan and cooked him his chips.  He also prepared a pheasant but one of the dogs managed to get hold of it and I have an enduring memory of Henry chasing this dog around Warren Place!

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  Basil_Fawlty_gallops

If you are a keen race-goer and you live in the north of the country I am afraid that you are right out of luck today.  There are four meetings taking place, two on the flat at Salisbury and Lingfield and two over jumps at Fontwell and Worcester - it all looks very tricky this afternoon.  The stable has four runners at Worcester's evening meeting - Basil Fawlty, Lola Galli, Bad Girls and Home Run.  Lola Galli ran okay in a similar contest at Ffos Las and will know more today, while Basil Fawlty (pictured above) was still travelling okay when capsizing at the fourteenth last time out at Exeter.

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  street_entertainer_nottingham_web

It was a great day for the yard yesterday with two winners from two runners at two different meetings.  Problema Tic won the big race of the day, staying on nicely to land The Perth Gold Cup by 3 1/2 lengths, picking up over £16,000 in prize money in the process.  I am sure that his owners will have had a quiet drink to celebrate!  The stable won the race in 2007 with Tamarinbleu who went on to Grade One success over fences.  Meanwhile on the flat at Nottingham, Street Entertainer abosolutely bolted up on his first on the level since 2010 and has the look of a well-treated horse.  He has quite a few entries over the coming week and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him turn out again under a penalty before the handicapper can have his say.

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Jane_Barnes

It looks like being a quiet day on the racing front with one meeting on the flat and one meeting over jumps.  The stable has a runner at both meetings - Problema Tic takes in the Perth Gold Cup up at the Scottish track.  As you would expect for the amount of prize money on offer, it is a very competitive handicap, but our charge did win at Ayr under similar conditions last year so hopefully he will be able to put in a bold show under Tom Scudamore.  Meanwhile classy hurdler Street Entertainer runs on the level for the first time since 2010 in the 1m6f handicap at Nottingham and will be ridden by Neil Callan.

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There is plenty of racing to look forward to this afternoon with six meetings taking place on the flat at Haydock, Newmarket, Chester, Beverley, Catterick and Newbury, not to mention the jumps card at Stratford.  What I would like to know is how can Newbury get away with only offering £29,000 in prize money for their six race meeting?  I thought they were supposed to be a Grade One track?  I understand that you cannot have top quality racing at every meeting, but this is a poor effort when you consider that Stratford are offering £68,000 for their seven race card - plaudits to the Warwickshire track on a job well done!

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