Irish Travel Ban

Well, that's it for the racing until Boxing Day now.  The jock's get a couple of days off, although I don't suppose too many of them will be indulging in too many festive treats as they will need to be back on top form for a big weekend of racing with the King George meeting at Kempton on Saturday and the Welsh National at Chepstow on Sunday.  It was announced yesterday that any Irish raiders who were intended runners will not be able to travel across following a new set of travel restrictions.  How long these will be in place for is anybody's guess but some of the Christmas racing will be less competitive as a consequence.

Talking of Christmas, the French carry on as usual throughout the holiday season with racing taking place at Cagnes on Friday.  Mind you, given the dark, damp conditions we have here, I reckon there must be worse places to be on Christmas Day than in the south of France!  Given how much rain we have had recently, I am surprised that the courses are sounding as confident as they are about their Christmas meetings going ahead.  Conditions will certainly be testing and you will need a horse that handles the mud.

Hollie Doyle's star continues in the ascendance.  Following her sensational third place in Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday evening, she rode a winner at Lingfield on Tuesday which took her tally to 150 for the calendar year before receiving not one or two, but three awards at the Lesters.  She scooped the female rider of the year, the special achievement award and of course, flat jockey of the year - a fantastic feat.

*****

What do you call a child that doesn't believe in Father Christmas?  Rebel without a Claus!

Why was the snowman rummaging through the bag of carrots?  He was picking his nose!

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