Two Runners At Southwell

There are three meetings taking place this afternoon with flat cards from Chester and Leicester and a jumps fixture from Southwell.  David has two runners this afternoon with Miss M and Yaa Salaam in action at Southwell.  Miss M makes her hurdling debut in the 2m mares' novices' hurdle at 3.15pm.  A winner on the flat, she was a little disappointing on the level last time but never had the run of the race.  She had previously been tough and consistent and has schooled well at home so she could go well at a decent price under Tom Scudamore.  Yaa Salaam goes in the 2m handicap hurdle at 3.45pm.  He drops back in trip having disappointed last time over ½ mile further, but previously had plenty of placed form that would give him a chance here.  He has to contend with top weight of 12-0, but amateur jockey Fergus Gillard takes a handy 7lbs off his back and he is another with each-way claims.

We drew a blank with our runners at Uttoxeter on Sunday with Midnight Magic faring the best of our pair with fourth in the staying handicap chase.  The pace was a strong one and he was ridden a bit handier this time around.  It could be that he is better suited by being held up and passing horses but he is certainly better than this effort.  Our other runner, Airton finished out of the frame in the staying handicap hurdle.  He is undeniably well-treated at present and could still pop-up at some point at a price.

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There was an exciting race for the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix held at Silverstone yesterday.  It was a bad day for Mercedes with their duo finishing only second and third(!) behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.  Verstappen's Red Bull was much easier on it's tyres than his rivals and beat the silver arrows fair and square.  I know that we are supposed to marvel at just how robust the Pirelli tyres on these cars are supposed to be, but it makes the racing far more interesting when they are wearing out quicker!  Perhaps organisers should throw in a further imponderable and randomly water some of the tracks?!  I'm only joking, but it would certainly make for less predictable racing than we have been subjected to for the last seven years.

Ronnie O'Sullivan was courting controversy at the Crucible again yesterday after progressing to the quarter finals of the world championship with a 13-10 victory over Ding Junhui.  The Rocket said that the standard of young players coming through was so bad that he would 'have to lose and arm and a leg to drop out of the top 50'.  Whilst that may be true, it still shows a fundamental lack of respect for his fellow competitors...I wonder just what he is thinking sometimes.

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I used to have a job at a calendar factory but they gave me the sack after taking a couple of days off!

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