5 Runners This Afternoon

There is a busy day ahead with jumps meetings from Cheltenham, Doncaster and Hereford, as well as a couple of all-weather flat cards from Newcastle and Wolverhampton.  David has five runners today; three at Cheltenham and two at Hereford.  At Cheltenham we run Eamon An Cnoic, Warthog and Queens Cave and at Hereford Stream Lady and Buster Edwards represent the Pond House team.

Eamon An Cnoic has run a number of good races in the best handicap chases.  A stiff two miles on testing ground would seem to be his optimum conditions and he will get that here, although he is still 5lbs above his last winning mark.  With the eight runner field, he would have an each-way chance under Tom Scudamore.

Warthog contests the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at 1.55pm.  He ran a great race last time out when finishing third in the BetVictor over this trip on the other course and can run from the same mark today.  A repeat of that effort would give him place claims once again under David Noonan.

Our final runner at Cheltenham is Queens Cave who runs in the mares' handicap hurdle at 3.40pm, who has long been held in high regard.  She returned from a lay-off to run an excellent second behind a very promising type at Chepstow and went one better when a decisive winner at Exeter last time.  This is a very competitive contests but she looks to have a good chance.  Tom Scudamore takes the ride.

Over at Hereford, this mares' handicap chase final at 1.10pm has been the target for Stream Lady for a while.  She was a winner from this mark at Sedgefield back in August but there has to be a doubt about the ground for her with the going officially soft (heavy in places).   There is some good prize money up for grabs, so it is worth a shot but the going does temper enthusiasm.  Our other runner at Hereford is Buster Edwards who runs in the 3m1f handicap hurdle at 2.55pm.  He stays well, as demonstrated by his Fontwell success earlier in the season, although he too may prefer lest testing ground.  Nick Scholfield is aboard both of our Hereford runners.

Although there were no winners at Cheltenham yesterday, I thought that all three runners performed with great credit and they all picked up some prize money.  Surely it is only a matter of time before Nordic Combined wins a race over hurdles?  He was only beaten 5 lengths into fourth in the 2m1f handicap hurdle and certainly deserves to get his head in front sooner rather than later.  What A Moment took a step in the right direction on this third run back from a long lay-off.  He was bang in contention until the penultimate fence and this was much more encouraging.  Our final runner Champers On Ice finished a close third in the concluding staying handicap hurdle, sticking to his guns in tremendous fashion once headed.  This was a good performance trying to concede 16lbs to the winner and he clearly remains in excellent form.

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I see that Liverpool fans have a reason to celebrate even before they take to the field to play Watford this afternoon.  Manager Jurgen Klopp has agreed to a new deal that will see him remain at the club until 2024.

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump slumped out of the Scottish Open snooker yesterday meaning that Dave Gilbert will face Mark Selby in one semi-final, whilst Jack Lisowski will take on defending champion Mark Allen in the other.  It appears that former world champion and world number one Mark Selby is coming into form at just the right time with the world championships only a few months away now. 

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Why was Santa's helper depressed?  He suffered from low elf esteem!

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