Leicester & Kempton!

       Ocean Heights runs today!
Today we have runners under both codes with Lady Balko over jumps at Leicester and two on the flat at Kempton this evening, Kintaro and Ocean Heights.  Lady Balko ran well enough at Leicester last time to be fourth on handicap debut over two miles.  She will definitely enjoy the step up in trip this afternoon and runs in the concluding race on the card at 4.25pm, novices handicap hurdle over 2m4f and Jack Tudor rides.  I see she is 11/4 favourite in the betting and I wouldn’t swap her for anything else in the race.

Kintaro runs in the first division of the 1m4f handicap at Kempton at 7pm and Rob Hornby rides.  He didn’t run too badly on stable debut at Lingfield last time and we will learn more about him this evening.  He is the outsider of the field so looks to have it all to do but hopefully he won’t run too badly.

Ocean Heights runs in division 2 of the 1m4f handicap at 7.30pm and Aidan Brookes rides.  This looks the much stronger of the two divisions and they bet 5/1 the fields which looks competitive and wide open.  Our seven year old loves the track and young apprentice Aidan gets on well with him and takes off a handy five pounds.  He won on his penultimate start at this track over the same trip and last time he still ran well over a short distance and he was drawn in the car park which didn’t help.  We ended up making the running that day which didn’t really suit so I imagine there will be a slight change of tactics tonight and I don’t see why he won’t run his usual honest race.  We are about 6/1 in the betting but you literally couldn’t rule out any of them unfortunately!  Fingers crossed we will have a bit of luck and we have a good chance.

Yesterday at Chepstow Via Dante was very disappointing when I thought he had an each way chance!  The writing was on the wall from a very early stage and Jack wisely pulled him up.  He thought he hated the ground but once on his own I am not sure he tried very hard – he is a bit of a monkey!  He does have ability and there will be another day for him.  Bashful Boy ran his usual honest race to be fourth on ground that was not to his liking either.  I am sure he can get back on track in the spring when underfoot conditions improve.

Alongside jumping at Leicester today there is more local action to Pond House at Exeter.  We did have Behind the Curtain declared to run but had to make him a non-runner after he wasn’t quite right after schooling.  Kempton is the only all-weather meeting in Britain but in Ireland they race at Dundalk on the flat.

Last night in the football there were five Premier League matches which were Aston Villa V. Newcastle which saw a 3-1 win to Newcastle. Crystal Palace V Sheffield and both of these teams came into this match with equally poor runs of form but it was Crystal Palace who knocked up the win of 3-2. In the Luton V. Brighton game, Brighton have been scoring goals for fun in the FA Cup, but they are finding them much harder to come by in the league, resulting them in losing 4-0. The Everton and Fulham 0-0. Everton dropped into the Premier League relegation zone, despite clinging on for a hard-fought goalless draw at Fulham.  Nottingham Forest 1-2 Arsenal, the Gunners closed the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to two points after an impressive second-half show cracked Forest's resistance to the City ground. 

Tonight there are three Premier League matches with Manchester City at home to Burnley and Spurs at home to Brentford, both 7.30pm kick off.  The feature game is at 8.15pm with Liverpool at home to Chelsea and this should be a good game. 

I got mugged by six dwarves last night.

Not Happy!

Have a good day!