A Stable Debut!

Pepsiwithacap runs at Wolverhampton Today!

Today we just have the one runner on the all-weather at Wolverhampton.  Pepsiwithacap makes her stable debut in the 5.15pm handicap over 1m4f with Jason Watson in the saddle.  Our four year old came from Gavin Cromwell in Ireland and she seems to have enjoyed running at Dundalk where from four starts she has won, finished second and finished third.  She has won over hurdles and we will run her over hurdles this summer but we thought this was a good starting point from which we can learn a bit more about her.   She finished second over 1m4f at Dundalk in November of a mark of 65 and ran okay back at that track in January.  She runs today off a mark of 67 in a fairly open little contest with just seven runners.  She is about 5/1 fourth best in the betting and hopefully she can put up a bold show in the colours of Jagger Ley Racing.

There is jump racing at Wincanton this afternoon while there are other flat meetings at Nottingham and Kempton.  In Ireland they have flat action at Leopardstown.  Our amateur Gearoid Harney is in action at Wincanton along with Fergus Gillard.  Gearoid was due to have two rides but the second of those is already a non-runner.  He rides Great Ocean for Neil Mulholland in the amateur handicap hurdle at 2.15pm.  The horse has unseated it’s rider the last two rides but is only 7/1 in the betting and so with a clear round he might have a good chance.  Fergus Gillard rides his father trained No No Tonic in the 4.35pm handicap hurdle.  She may be in the grip of the handicapper at present but she saves her best for Wincanton and I know Fergus thinks she will run well.

On Monday evening Team Pipe entered the Racing Welfare Quiz at the Beambridge in.  Our team members included myself, David, Leanne, Emma, Pete Green and Martin Green.  There was a good turnout for the evening and after the questions there was food provided for all.  While we didn’t win, we came a close third and finished just in front of the fourth placed team which comprised of Tom Scu, Tom O’Brien, Kieron Edgar and Rhys Flint so it made our evening to beat these guys!  Congratulations to the winning team from the Nicky Martin yard while Nigel Hawke’s team were runners up.  Thanks must go to Lucinda Gould from Racing Welfare for organising a lovely evening.

Yesterday saw the appeal heard from the Stayers hurdle where Dashel Drasher finished second in the race at the Cheltenham Festival but placings were reversed in the stewards room on the day with Teahupoo who went past the post in third.  Dashel Drasher’s trainer Jeremy Scott is on my point to point committee and I didn’t think they seemed very confident about winning their appeal when I spoke with him but it was good news for them yesterday.  An independent panel ruled after a three hour hearing that the stewards on the day at Cheltenham were wrong in deciding the ten year old had interfered with Teahupoo, who finished a nose behind him.  I think there was about a £38,000 prize money difference between second and third so it was not just the placings at stake in this result.

Last night in the football, Chelsea drew with Liverpool 0-0.  Tonight my team, Manchester United are back in action at home to Brentford and they need to bounce back from a poor display at St James’ Park on Saturday.  Brentford are a good team and beat us embarrassingly earlier in the season so it is potentially a tricky match.  There is one other Premier League game this evening with West Ham at home to Newcastle.

I’ve often heard that “’icy” is the easiest word to spell.  Looking at it now, I see why.  Happy Wednesday!