Winning Roc

       Al Roc Winner at Newton Abbot

It was great to get our second winner of the season yesterday courtesy of Al Roc winning at Newton Abbot with Philip Armson on board.  Our veteran chaser was winning for the ninth time in his career but for the first time in this country since coming over from France.  He had been running consistently of late and it was great for him to get his head in front.  The handicapper hand given him a chance and while lady luck was perhaps on our side after his rival, and likely winner blundered away his chance at the last, he was running a cracker whatever happened and we were delighted he got the win.  This was Philip's first win this season and he went onto record a double in the very next race by riding a winner for trainer Alex Dunn.  Al Roc does hold entries at Bangor on Saturday and at Ffos Las on Monday but we will just see how he his before making plans.

Belguardo ran okay on racecourse debut at Worcester but ran very green and will have learnt a lot from the experience.  Ultimately he will prefer a longer trip and soft ground over hurdles in the future.

Today there are two jumps meetings at Fontwell and Perth but the stable does not have any runners.  It is day two of the York Ebor Festival while there is also flat racing action at Salisbury and Newmarket and in Ireland they race over jumps at Clonmel.  Frankie Dettori and Emily Upjohn won the Musidora Stakes yesterday and she is now favourite for the Oaks.  The big race of the day today is the Dante at 3.35pm.  The James Ferguson trained El Bodegon is just shading favouritism for the 1m2f Group 2 contest but it looks wide open to me and I think I will go for the Frankie and Gosden team to win again with Magisterial at 9/2.

I watched a bit of both football matches on the TV last night with Chelsea beating Leeds and Manchester City cementing their top of the table position with a 5-1 win away to Wolves.  It was the Kevin De Bruyne master class at Mollineaux as the Manchester City captain scored four of their five goals in a terrific performance.  I do enjoy watching Wolves play but sorry nan, they were simply not good enough last night!  Man City are now three points clear at the top with just two games remaining for both them and title rivals Liverpool.

I was delighted to hear news yesterday that former Pond House in-mate, Flou Artsistique was a winner in the dressage arena again.  He and Amy were in action at the ROR Regional Championships at David Broome's and they won both the Preliminary and Novice titles which means they now head to the National Championships at Aintree in August.  She joked, at least he is heading to Aintree in one way, even if he didn't manage it in his original career!  Well done to Amy and Flou Artsistique, it is always lovely to hear how they are getting on when they leave us and it is brilliant he is excelling in his new discipline.

 
              Flou Artsistique & Amy