Busy Sunday

     Bumpy Johnson Runs at Exeter Today

It is a busy day for the stable with five runners at Exeter today and three at Uttoxeter.  The lorry had an early start to Uttoxeter this morning with Tough Approach running in the opening race of the day at 11.55am.  This is a maiden hurdle over 2m4f and Nick Scholfield rides.  He made a pleasing stable debut in a bumper at Newton Abbot and stayed on well to finish third.  He will appreciate the step up in trip today as stamina is his forte and he will handle the track and ground.  There are only six runners and I would like to think he won’t be too far away.

Brinkley and Only The Bold run in the 2m7f handicap hurdle at 1.40pm.  Nick Scholfield is on board Brinkley and Gearoid Harney claims seven pounds off of Only The Bold.  Brinkley was not at his best last season and pulled up on his last two starts.  He has had a good summer break and seems in good form at home.  He is starting to look well handicapped and so if the real Brinkley turns up this afternoon then he would have a great chance.  It will be a watching brief for me but I hope he might run well.  Only the Bold is a horse I like a lot.  He made his seasonal reappearance in a fairly hot race at Newbury last time and should improve for the run.  While probably better over fences, this is another stepping stone to a possible tilt at the Welsh Grand National.  He will handle the track and conditions and I expect him to run well also.

We have four runners at Exeter, Johannes, Kauto Kawai, Bumpy Johnson and Lock Out.  We were due to run Heure De Gloire as well but we have had to make her a non-runner and she will be out again another day.  Johannes and Kauto Kawai run in the opening juvenile hurdle at 12.20pm.  Johannes makes his stable and British debut and Jack Tudor rides.  He is the winner of a French Bumper in France and he goes nicely at home and jumps well.  I would like to think he has a good chance for our new syndicate ‘Livin’ The Dream’.  Kauto Kawai is having his third start in Britain and Tom Bellamy rides.  He has yet to reproduce the form he showed in France for us but he works a lot better at home than he has shown on the racecourse so far.  We have removed the hood this afternoon and he is wearing a first time tongue tie so hopefully this may bring about some improvement.

Bumpy Johnson makes his chasing debut in the 1.30pm novices limited handicap chase over 2m3f and Jack Tudor rides.  He showed improved form after a wind op mid-season last year and hopefully he can continue his upward trajectory over the larger obstacles.  This looks a competitive race but he has run well at the course and won’t mind the ground.  Hopefully he will not be far away.

Lock Out completes our quartet of runners in the final race of the day at 3.45pm.  He reverts to hurdles after not appearing to enjoy fences at Taunton last time.  The handicapper is giving him some help so if he can bounce back to form then I think he has a chance in this.  Jack Tudor rides.

There is point to point action at Larkhill this afternoon and Martin McIntyre heads there for three rides.  Wrap up warm if you are going and I shall let you know if he has any success tomorrow!

There are two Premiership football matches this afternoon and the first of those to kick off is Spurs against Aston Villa at 2.30pm.  Manchester United travel to Goodison Park to play Everton at 4.30pm.  Let’s hope my team return from the International break in better form and can get a result against the Toffees!

My calculator is missing the minus button.