Rouge Wins At Haydock

The stable had a nice winner at Haydock on Saturday when Vieux Lion Rouge won the three mile handicap chase in good fashion by four lengths under Tom Scudamore.  He stayed the trip very well and he certainly seemed to enjoy this soft ground as he recorded a clear personal best.  He certainly looks as though he is going to make a better chaser than hurdler and he should go on to better things.  Meanwhile, Batavir ran with credit when finishing third in the Fixed Brush hurdle and Dynaste filled the same position behind Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti in the Betfair Chase.  Cue Card looks as though he is right back to his best and if he goes for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day he will take some beating if able to reproduce this - is should be a Christmas cracker with Vautour in opposition.

Houston Dynimo finished fourth yesterday at Exeter and it looks as though he would appreciate a slightly longer trip based on this evidence...it looks as though we might have to buy our own cakes!

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Kempton and Ludlow as well as an all-weather flat card at Chelmsford City.  David has one runner as Lady Of Longstone takes in the handicap hurdle at 3.15pm - she rarely runs a bad race and another big run is expected.  Leading amateur jockey David Noonan is in the saddle and he takes a handy 5lbs off her back - his claim has diminished somewhat after he rode his 20th winner last week.  Meanwhile stable jockey Tom Scudamore goest to Ludlow for one ride - you know what they say about that.  I am not sure about the soundness of that theory - I thought it just meant the agent was unable to secure any more rides!

*****

I don't want to talk about yesterday's football...it's amazing, I had about fifty texts from old friends yesterday that I couldn't even remember.  Talk about coming out of the woodwork to give me some stick!  I thought Liverpool were outstanding as they beat Manchester City over the weekend.  Does a manager really make that much difference?  Having said that, City really were terrible.  It must be the most open Premier League for years with Leicester of all teams, leading the way at present - even Manchester United could still win it!  That will please my old mate Tony.

*****

I watched Anthony Crolla win a world boxing title at the weekend, stopping champion Darleys Perez.  He is a real Mr Niceguy and say that he has forgiven the thugs who left him for dead last Christmas.  He looked very useful and is fully deserving of his world title.

*****

World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic just keeps on winning.  The Serb is just too good for the rest of the world at this time - some of the Arsenal players were there watching - I wonder if they were trying to see what you need to win.

Tweet