4 Runners Today!

      Royal Mer runs today at Leicester!
Today we have four runners, two at two meetings!! We have two runners at Leicester, Royal Mer and Man Again and they are both partnered by Harry Cobden.  We also have two runners a bit closer to home at Exeter, Heure De Gloire and Activist.  Heure De Gloire runs in the 2.10pm handicap hurdle over two miles and Gearoid Harney rides.  She ran well at the course last time out to be third, and she will love the conditions today again.  There are only seven runners but it is quite a competitive looking race and she is about 12/1 in the betting.  The handicapper has dropped her a couple of pounds, but she is still four pounds above what she won off at Ffos Las earlier his season.  Gearoid claims seven off and hopefully she has a good each way chance.

Activist runs in the concluding race on the card, the 2 mile handicap hurdle at 4.10pm and Jack Tudor rides.  After winning two races last week he is the short priced favourite to make it a hat-trick this afternoon.  He does have to carry top weight and a double penalty put he is still 4 pounds ahead of the handicapper and it will be the last time he can run in this class of race.  He has had an easy time at home since winning at Plumpton and Taunton last week and remains in very good form which is why we have decided to let him run again.  This is his first run at the track and he won’t mind the ground.  There is always a slight risk of running a horse quite so quickly at home, but they often tell you what to do and the signs are good for another bold show.

We were delighted to secure the services of Harry Cobden for both of our horses at Leicester today.  Royal Mer runs in the 2.50pm handicap chase over two miles.  The favourite, Noche Negra beat us at Southwell last time out, but we have a slight pull in the weights today.  Our five year old won at the track this season and I don’t think the drop back in trip to two miles shouldn’t inconvenience him too much.  The favourite probably want further as does the third horse in the betting so it will be whoever copes with it best.  Ashley Farrant tells me our horse is flying so fingers crossed he is right and can run well.

Man again runs in the 4.20pm handicap chase over 2m4f.  He has just had the one run for us at Sandown last month where he pulled up, but he is a four time winner in France and he goes much better at home than he showed at Sandown last time.  That was a tougher race and Jack felt he was flat out over two miles which is why he tackles the longer trip today.  He will handle the ground and hopefully he will show us more of his true ability this afternoon although he is the outsider of the field at 10/1. 

As well as jumps racing at Exeter and Leicester there is also jumps racing up at Ayr.  There is one all-weather flat meeting at Newcastle and in Ireland they have all-weather action at Dundalk. 

Yesterday at Carlisle we had Shot Boii run. He ran well to finish fourth, but he didn't quite keep on as well as we had hoped up the steep hill finish.  

Last night in the European football action Aston Villa 0-0 Ajax. Aston Villa were held to a goalless draw in the first leg of their Europa Conference League last-16 tie.  

On the first day of the test cricket between India and England, England batted first and were all out for 218 runs so it was not a great start.  In reply India were 135 for 1.

If the number 666 is considered evil…

Then technically, 25,8069758011 is the root of all evil!

Happy Friday!