Three Runners Today

   Ocean Heights runs at Lingfield Today

There is some great racing today with ‘Trials Day’ at Cheltenham and also good cards at Doncaster and Uttoxeter.  There are two flat meetings at Lingfield and Newcastle and in Ireland they have jumps racing at Fairyhouse.  We have three runners today, two at Uttoxeter and Ocean Heights runs on the flat at Lingfield.

Ocean Heights had an early start this morning as he runs in the opening race at Lingfield at 11.58am, an apprentice handicap over 1m2f and Jack Dace rides.  He had been running well without troubling the judge in recent starts but this looks a good opportunity for him to take a step back in the right direction.  This race is a significant class drop and I will be disappointed if he is not fighting out the finish at the very least.

Jaipaletemps and Eton Mes are our two representatives at Uttoxeter and Rian Corcoran rides both.  Jaipaletemps run in the two-mile handicap chase at 1.57pm.  There are just the five runners but it looks competitive and we are racing off a career high mark.  He seems in good form at home since his win at Taunton seven days ago and while this race comes soon enough I think he will enjoy conditions far more than he did last weekend.  The ground will be testing which he loves and while the handicapper will catch up with him at some point I hope it is not today! Whatever happens we have had a terrific time of it of late and he owes us nothing so fingers crossed!

Eton Mes runs in the concluding race on the Uttoxeter card, the 2m4f handicap hurdle.  This is his first run in a handicap and I hope he has a great chance.  He has shown promise in his three novice hurdle starts to finish fourth each time and while he has to carry top weight this afternoon, Rian’s seven-pound claim will be a good help.

There are some terrific races at Cheltenham today but the one I am probably most looking forward to is the International hurdle at 3pm.  There may be only four runners but we get to see Sir Gino against The New Lion and while I am in the first named camp in terms of him being the winner I hope they both run their races and we see the best horse come out on top.

We didn’t declare King Turgeon in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster today on account of the ground being too soft and that left the door open for Jack Tudor to ride the favourite in the race, Deep Cave.  I think he has a great chance of riding a big Saturday winner. Jack won on his only ride at Warwick yesterday so hopefully he can keep his good form going.

There are five Premier League football matches today, West Ham against Sunderland is the early kick off at 12.30pm while Bournemouth against Liverpool is the tea time match at 5.30pm.  British tennis player Cameron Norrie was knocked out of the Australian Open tennis yesterday, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic continune their campaign’s today.  The gold in Dubai has reached the third round and there is some good rugby action as Bristol Bears are down at Sandy Park this afternoon to face the Exeter Chiefs.  The teams currently sit third and fourth in the table and so there is not much between them but a lot of local rivalry.

Interviewer: Can you type fast?

Me: Yes and many other words as well!

Have a great Saturday!