First Winner Of 2016!

David kicked off the new year in the best possible manner yesterday with the first winners of 2016...and it was at Cheltenham to boot!  Champers On Ice battled on bravely to win a hot looking novices' hurdle under a penalty, posting a very useful effort.  He is clearly going the right way and is a smashing prospect for the future.  Meanwhile Alternatif looked sure to be involved in the following race, a 3m2 1/2f handicap chase although his stamina appeared to peter out approaching the last as he weakened to finish fourth.  I went to Exeter yesterday and managed to get extremely wet!  The ground was almost unraceable but it was good to see some of the old faces I haven't seen in a while and despite the horrendous weather it was good to see plenty of young race goers which bodes well for the future of the sport.

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with jumping action coming from Sandown and Ayr, while there are a couple of supporting all-weather flat cards from Chelmsford City and Southwell.  David runs two in the valuable veterans' handicap chase final at 3.00pm at Sandown; Soll and Houston Dynimo.  Soll finished a good fourth in the Becher Chase at Aintree last time out - this giant of a horse is a real stayer so this three mile trip on soft ground with an uphill finish should be right up his street and Tom Scudamore takes the ride.  Houston Dynimo is our other runner and he is towards the bottom of the weights on 10-3 less David Noonan's 5lbs claim and it would be no surprise to see this admirable type go well once again.  There is a great piece in today's Post about Houston's owners Gordon and Sue (pictured above) - two lovely people and great characters...I'm sure there will be some tears of joy if Houston runs another big race!

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There is more good Premier League action to look forward to today as top of the league Leicester are at home to Bournemouth who are dwelling towards the bottom of the table.  Either the bookies have made a big mistake or they can't believe that Leicester's position either.  Manchester United are 4/7 chances to beat Swansea and I know which of the home sides I would rather be backing at the comparative odds!  The game that should provide plenty of goals is Watford versus Manchester City at 5.30pm - you know where I am going to be for most of the day!

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The second cricket test match against South Africa gets underway as well and you can still get 11/8 about England despite the fact they slaughtered the home side in the first match of the series.  I know South Africa have a good record on this Cape Town wicket but I am far from convinced that they are the team of old.

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What did the grape do when the elephant stood on it?  It gave a little wine!

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