No Runners Friday!

There are two jumps meetings today at Sedgefield and Sandown but we do not have any runners.  The Sandown card features the Grand Military Gold Cup at 3pm and it is great to see a field of ten runners.  We have supported the race for the last few years but just unfortunately this year we did not have any suitable horses.  Broken Halo is the favourite trained by Paul Nicholls and is partnered by Jodie Sole.  While the horses form figures this season are FP I think he is the most likely winner of the race.  He won it last year and the trainer/jockey combination are red hot in these races.  I am glad to see plenty of runners today as I have to say I have been a little worried about the races future with dwindling field sizes in more recent years.  We were of course lucky to win the race with Rathlin Rose partnered by Guy Disney in 2017 and 2018 which were very memorable occasions.

There are two all-weather flat meetings today at Lingfield and Wolverhampton while in Ireland they just race on the polytrack at Dundalk this evening.  

Declarations were made yesterday for Saturday’s racing and there are some big names in action on both sides of the Irish Sea.  Exciting juvenile hurdler Burdett Road, Supreme second favourite, Jeriko Du Reponet, Stay Away Fay, Gala Marceau, Jonbon, Lossiemouth and Paisley Park to name a few.  One person who won’t be in action at the weekend however is jockey Nico De Boinville who only returned to action last Sunday, partnered a winner on Monday but was stood down by the doctor after finishing second at Chepstow on Wednesday.  He had just returned from four weeks off with a broken collarbone but it was found to be sore after riding and he is taking it day by day as to when he will return to action but he will therefore, not partner Jonbon on Saturday and James Bowen will be the lucky man in the saddle. 

I was reading yesterday about the top ten courses that offer the best race day experience have been announced.  Ludlow and Chelmsford have moved into the top ten in England and Wales and have joined Grade 1 tracks such as Aintree, Newbury and York according to the results of the 2023 Quality Assured racecourse scheme judged by trained assessors.  Ludlow was the most improved and other courses in the top ten include Beverley, Chester, Haydock, Newmarket (Rowley Mile) and Salisbury.  I have visited a few but not all of those mentioned so looks like I might have to pay some of those I haven’t already been to a visit!

Last night in the first FA Cup fourth round match it was Bournemouth & Swansea. Bournemouth didn't take too long getting on with taking control of the game as within 14 minutes they were already at an advantage of 3-0, they have now become the first team to confirm their place into the fifth round of the FA Cup after a staggering win of 5-0.  

There are four matches this evening from the FA Cup and after beating West Ham following a replay, Bristol City now face Nottingham Forest at Ashton Gate, 7.45pm kick off.  The other games are Chelsea v Aston Villa, Sheffield Wedneday v Coventry City both at 7.4pm and Spurs against Man City at 8pm which is live on ITV.

In the Australian Open tennis we now know the finalists for the women and Sabalenka will play Chinese play Zheng. Aryna Sabalenka beat America Coco Gauff 7-6, 6-4 while Zheng beat her opponent Dayana Yastremska 6-, 6-4.

Why did the mechanic sleep under the car?

He wanted to wake up oily in the morning!

Happy Friday!