Ludlow, Kempton Runners

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps cards from Ludlow and Kempton as well as an all-weather flat card from Wolverhampton.  The Pond House team has runners at both jumps fixtures today.  Extra Mag and Martabot run at Kempton, whilst Mrs Miggins and Three Star General run at Ludlow.  Extra Mag (pictured above) has looked very promising in two starts over hurdles since arriving at Pond House - he has a penalty to carry for his Exeter success in the novices' hurdle at 1.00pm but still looks to have very good claims under Tom Scudamore.  Martabot has to shoulder top-weight of 12-0 in the 2m5f handicap hurdle at 3.10pm but he has shown enough on occasions to suggest that he can land a race of this nature and blinkers are employed today.

Over at Ludlow, Mrs Miggins contests the mares' handicap hurdle at 2.20pm.  She has finished third on three occasions and if all eight runners stand their ground she would have each-way claims under David Noonan.  Our final runner is Three Star General who runs in the 3m amateur riders' handicap hurdle at 4.30pm.  He was runner-up last time out at Plumpton and runs from the same mark of 111.  Fergus Gillard is a good, young amateur and takes a handy 7lbs off his back and Three Star General is another with place claims.

You have to feel for Henry Oliver after he was fined £140 for waving his arms at Burrenbridge Hotel before the race at Uttoxeter on Saturday to get him to start.  I know they are going by the letter of the law, but surely some common sense would be better employed?  As far as I am concerned they are ruining racing.  Sir Anthony McCoy seems to agree, stating "I'm going to block the BHA Stewards in case I end up reading again such embarrassing rubbish".

There is a great article in today's Racing Post about Martin's fantastic chaser Carvill's Hill.  Now, he was a real racehorse, hailed at the time as the next Arkle...I remember going back to Ireland with him and they treated him like a superstar, which he was.  The reception he received coming back into the winners' enclosure after the Irish Hennessy was unlike anything I had ever heard, Cheltenham included.

*****

Mrs Barnes was watching Dancing On Ice at the weekend so that meant that I was as well, that's my excuse anyway!  I just don't know how Gemma Collins is still in the competition - she can't skate or dance.  She even fell over but the public vote kept her in.  If it had been me leaving the competition instead of her I would have gone mad.

*****

Thought for the day...never argue with an idiot.  He will drag you down to his level and then beat you with experience!  

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