Runner At Uttoxeter

There are four meetings taking place this afternoon with jumps action from Uttoxeter, flat cards from Doncaster and Carlisle and an all-weather flat fixture from Wolverhampton.  David has one runner today as Ranco (pictured above) contests the 2m conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter at 2.00pm.  A winner on the level during the summer, he has shown some decent form over hurdles, including when runner-up to a progressive rival on his penultimate start.  He has to bounce back from a disappointing effort last time, but conditions should suit and Fergus Gillard take 3lbs off his back.  He is going to be a decent price so could be worth a little each-way.

Doncaster's St Leger meeting gets underway this afternoon and whilst there is a Group 3 and a Listed contest on the menu, the most interesting contest on the card is a 0-70 handicap!  It is of course the 'Leger Legends' race and features some of the biggest names from years past back in the saddle.  Barry Geraghty is aboard the likely jolly, whilst Richard Johnson and Gary "The Angry Ant" Bardwell are just a couple more in a fascinating line-up. 

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There was a great result for Scotland last night as they beat Austria 1-0 to put themselves back into contention for a World Cup qualifying space by moving into second position in their group.  England are in action tonight as they take a trip to Poland, who are currently in second place behind them in Group I.

British teenage tennis sensation Emma Raducanu competes in the quarter-finals of the US Open today as she plays Swiss 11th seed, Belinda Bencic.  Her run to the latter stages of this event show that her heroics at Wimbledon in the summer were no fluke.  Hopefully she will not be suffering from similar fatigue here.

I was very pleased to hear that Mercedes have signed young British driver George Russell for next season.  He has been completely outperforming the machinery available to him for some time and will give Lewis Hamilton something to think about.

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There were two cows grazing in a meadow.  The first cow said to the second, "have you heard about the mad cow disease that's going around?  I'm pretty worried about it." The second cow looked at the first and replied,  "Yeah, it's a good thing we're penguins."