No Runners Today!

The weather continues to disrupt the jumps race programme at present with both Exeter and Sedgefield abandoned today and Wetherby already called off for Saturday.  We were due to have three runners at Exeter and they did call a 7.30am Friday morning inspection originally but actually called it off before lunch time yesterday.  We were very wet in the west country yesterday and the course was waterlogged with no chance of significant improvement before racing. That sadly leaves us will no runners today and just the one jumps meeting at Sandown.

There is all-weather action at Newcastle with a twilight meeting start at 3.10pm and in Ireland they race on the flat at Dundalk.  Thankfully they anticipate no problems at Sandown and racing gets underway at 12.50pm.  David Noonan looks to have a good chance of having a winner as he is on board favourite Castlefort.  The three year old finished second on career debut last time at Chepstow.  Some of the races at Sandown do not have a lot of runners but there is good quality with a Grade 2 novices hurdle and chase. 

Huntingdon have their big meeting of the year on Sunday with the Peterborough Chase the feature.  The track passed a Thursday afternoon inspection but they have called a 7.30am Friday morning inspection before declarations with more rain forecast prospects do not look that promising.

The big news of yesterday was that Gavin Sheehan had his 14 day ban for a non-trier at Huntingdon last month overturned by the Disciplinary Panel.  The gelding finished third, beaten 16 lengths but was deemed not to have asked his mount for full effort to obtain the best possible placing.  The horse was banned for 40 days and trainer Lucy Wadham was fined for schooling a horse in public.  In a hearing that lasted four hours yesterday they won their appeal and it leaves Gavin Sheehan available to ride at Sandown on Saturday and last weekend’s big race hero has more big rides to look forward to in the Fighting Fifth hurdle and the Henry VIII Novices Chase.  I don’t know Gavin personally but I think he is a great jockey.  When we had a runner in Belgium a couple of years ago and we went out to Waregem, he was on our flight and had a ride in the race as well!    

Last night in the football Everton 3 - 0 Newcastle while Spurs 1 - 2 West Ham. There is no Friday night Premiership action.

Which animal has the most memory?  The Ram!  Happy Friday!