Three Meeting Saturday

          Jurancon Runs at Ascot Today 

There are three jumps meetings in Britain today with some great racing to look forward to and we have runners at all three meetings, at Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton.  Jack Tudor goes to Ascot to ride Jurancon and Gericault Roque, Rian Corcoran is on board our two Wincanton runners, Eton Mes and Royal Mer while Ritchie McClernon rides Thanksforthehelp up at Haydock.  Wincanton has passed it's morning inspection which is good news and while we await confirmation that Haydock goes ahead it seems fairly positive news from there at 7.30am.  In Ireland they have a good jumps card at Gowran Park while the all-weather flat cards come from Newcastle and Lingfield today.

Eton Mes is the first runner of our day in the opening contest at Wincanton at 12.35pm, a conditional jockeys handicap hurdle over 2m4f.  He won on handicap debut over this trip with Rian riding at Uttoxeter last time and I think he has a very good chance in this.  He will like the track and the going and even though the handicapper put him up five pounds for that win there should be more to come.  The horse that finished third behind him that day, ran well at Chepstow yesterday, looking likely to win jumping the last before just being edged out of things and so the form looks solid.  We are second best in the betting and I wouldn't put anyone off having a bet on him today and hopefully he can get our day off to a good start.

Royal Mer is our second Wincanton runner at he runs in the 3.23pm handicap chase over 2 miles.  He is a five time chase winner and while he hasn't won for a while, he has run well on all three of his starts this season to be placed.  He couldn't quite go the early gallop at Hereford last time but will prefer returning to this stiffer track and softer going.  He will love the ground and with Rian taking a valuable seven pounds off I don't think he will be far away and he deserves to get his head in front.

Jurancon is our first runner at Ascot and he goes in the 2.25pm handicap hurdle over 2m3f.  It is a competitive handicap and we are about 8/1 and I think he has a good each way chance.  He had a brilliant novice season last year but things have not quite gone to plan so far this time around but I hope he can put that right today.  He is a very good horse and there have been excuses for his two below par efforts so far this season and I hope he can bounce back today.  The ground will be fine and while he might be better going left handed I am sure he will be okay round the big galloping track of Ascot.  

Gericault Roque runs in the Swinley handicap chase at 3pm.  This is another competitive handicap as you would expect for the prize money on offer and we are four pounds out of the weights.  Gericault is well handicapped on old form and even though you might look at his recent form and think he has no chance in this, I think he has a great each way chance.  Windsor did not suit him at all last time but he had a good blow out and will have come on from the run.  He is a horse with class who is well handicapped at the moment and I would not be surprised to see him run a big race.  He is older and the body might be a little more fragile than in his younger days but class is permanent and I would love to see him run well.

Thanksforthehelp completes our quintet of runners today up at Haydock in the Pertemps handicap hurdle at 3.50pm.  After winning at Punchestown last season things have not really gone to plan in recent starts but I think he has been simply too high in the handicap and he has been contesting some tough races.  Brendan Powell rode him the last day and said go back up in trip which is what we are doing and he is the outsider of the field but if he puts his best foot forwards he would have a small each way chance.

There is plenty of good races today away from the ones we are in, including the Kingwell hurdle at Wincanton, the Grade 1 Ascot chase and the Grand National Trial at Haydock to name just three - I love these Saturdays and that is before we have the football, rugby and Winter Olympics!

Well done to GBR athlete Matt Weston who won gold in the men's skeleton last time, Great Britain's first gold medal at a Winter Olympics since 1980.  There was plenty of drama in the men's figure skating with plenty of falls and an unexpected winner.  There is plenty of action today with more curling, ski jumping and speed skating to name just a few of the events you can watch.  There were wins for Chelsea and Wrexham in the FA Cup fourth round last night and there are several matches today, including two all-Premiership clashes with Aston Villa against Newcastle at 5.45pm and Liverpool are at home to Brighton at 8pm.

There are two Six Nations rugby matches to look forward to as well with Ireland at home to Italy at 2.10pm and England are away to Scotland at 4.40pm.  If that is not enough sport, the England men's cricketers are playing at 9.30am this morning in the T20 World Cup against Scotland as well!

Happy Sporting Saturday and no joke today!