Two at Ffos Las

   Poker Play runs over fences at Ffos Las

It is a busy day with six meetings across the country.  There are flat cards at Ascot, Catterick and Wolverhampton plus jumps cards at Stratford, Ffos Las and Market Rasen.  Ffos Las has passed a 7.30am inspection and racing goes ahead which is good for the yard as we have two runners at the track.  The good news is also that Tom Scu has his first rides back this afternoon from injury and he rides both Poker Play and Induno.  Tom has been in a lot this week riding out and schooling so has is eye in and is fit and raring to go.  Poker Play runs in the novice chase at 3.35pm over 2 miles 5 furlongs.  He won a competitive handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter last season on heavy ground by nine lengths.  He has also run well over further at Exeter and so he will not mind conditions.  It looks a competitive race but he has schooled well and we are hopeful of a good run.  We also run Induno in the last race, a bumper over two miles.  He has had one run before where he finished second in a bumper at Warwick on good ground in April.  He was only beaten 2.5 lengths and although the ground is different this afternoon he goes nicely at home and with the Warwick experience under his built he is expected to go well.  It is two good comeback rides for Tom Scu and hopefully they might give him a winner or two!

It is British Champions Day at Ascot with amazing prize money and four Group 1's to look forward to.  We have French and Irish raiders but the star of the show looks to be Stradivarius in the 2.10pm race.  He has won all six of his starts so far for the Gosden/Dettori team and he will go off at odds on.  The ground is given as heavy and soft in places so there could be so strange results, it maybe who copes with conditions best.  I just hope class will shine through in the end.

Tonight there is more good action to watch from across the Pond with the American Grand National at Far Hills, New Jersey.  The race is due of at 9.20pm.  There are some runners from this side of the Atlantic as Gordon Elliott returns with last years winner Jury Duty and he is also joined by stablemate The Storyteller.  Willie Mullins also has a runner in the race.  It would be great if we could bring the trophy home again to this side of the water!

Proper football is back today!  My team West Ham play away to Everton and the games is live on BT Sport at 12.30pm.  West Ham are 3/1 which has given me some interest.  Man City play at Crystal Palace at 5.30pm and that games is on Sky Sports.  City look too short to me at 4/1 on.  The really big game tomorrow is Manchester United versus Liverpool at 4.30pm.  Liverpool are best priced 5/7.  I think there should be plenty of goals.

An intellectual thought doesn't last long in my head, it can't stand the solitary confinement!  Have a nice day.

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