Second At Sedgefield!

What a cracking run from Skylander yesterday afternoon at Sedgefield.  He was only beaten a head and would surely have won in another stride or two.  When you consider that he made a terrible blunder at the fifth with conditional jockey Michael Heard having both legs on one side of the horse, it was an amazing recovery and he has to be considered an unlucky loser.  Meanwhile, Gabrial The Great finished fourth reverted back to hurdles and shaped as though he might benefit from a step-up in trip.

I'm afraid it is another blank day if you are a fan of the jumps with five flat meetings taking place from Ascot, Haydock, Newcastle, Musselburgh and Kempton.  Watching the racing from Sedgefield yesterday, I was quite taken by the manner of victory of Vics Last Stand - this one won from a mark of only 99 and could defy a penalty so keep an eye on this one.

In the flat jockeys' championship I notice that former jump jockey Jim Crowley is now the odds-on favourite at 8/13 to land a first title.  There are not many winners between Crowley and reigning champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa so it is all going to depend on who wants it the most and who is prepared to ride at two meetings a day.

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Richard Hartley who gave us so many wonderful meals and times at the Culm Valley Inn in Culmstock was burried yesterday at Stawley church.  In the order of service there were many wonderful photographs including a photograph of Comply Or Die when he was paraded after winning the Grand National and a picture of Richard with Terry Biddlecombe and Henrietta Knight when they had a wonderful night there...there was even a picture of a horse behind the bar!

He was burried in a wicker coffin with the day's Racing Post and a bottle of red wine and he was a keen follower of racing and the stable.  Our thoughts are with his wife Jane, brother Tim and all the family.  Richard was the most wonderful host and will remembered forever.

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It is hard to believe that Sergio Aguero has refused to accept the three match ban that he has been given.  He says that the referee must have seen the incident, although if that were the case he would certainly have been given his marching orders.  Personally I think he is clutching at straws and I would increase his ban for his dissent.

There were some strange results with the football last night as France beat Italy 3-1 away from home, while Greece beat Holland 2-1 also away from home.  I can still vividly remember when Italy and Holland were top-class international sides.  My boy tells me that I must have a good memory!  Only two more days until England take on Slovakia - let's hope that it is not the same old boring England.  The trouble is, much as I like Sam Allardyce his influence is unlikely to provoke any spectacular action!

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