Chiefy in Action

It is a big day up in Scotland today with the Scottish Champion hurdle at 2.20pm and the Scottish Grand National at 3.35pm.  The track had plenty of rain yesterday and the going looked quite hard work so it will be a different kind of national than it quite often is on quicker ground.  Tutti Quanti ran no race at Cheltenham last month but if he returns to his Newbury form I think he has a great chance in the Champion hurdle.  He will love the ground and is about 100/30 second best in the betting and would be my selection in the race with Harry Cobden on board.  The Scottish National looks a wide open affair judge on the betting and nothing immediately jumps out at me as a strong fancy, I shall watch with interest and they will need to stay the four mile trip well today.

Ayr is one of two jumps meetings today, the other at Bangor but the stable does not have any runners.  Newbury is the main flat fixture of the day with the Greenham stakes at 2.00pm looking particularly interesting.  I am a fan of the favourite Zavateri from last season but he faces Albert Einstein today and it looks sure to be a good race.  The John Porter Group 3 contest follows and while it may be missing Constitution Hill, Convergent is favourite for the Karl Burke team and it is a good race.  The other flat fixtures today are at Nottingham and Thirsk while in Ireland there is a jumps meeting at Bellewstown.

Jack Pipe is in action today in a pony race at Flete Park near Ivybridge today.  It looks a hot race on paper with some travelling from away, including the Fox-Pitt family so it will be tough but this is the furthest distance Little Chiefy has run over this season, a 1m2f contest and that should suit so it will be interesting.  It is a unique course and I shall let you know how he gets on on Monday, fingers crossed!

Yesterday, it was a bit of a disappointing day for our runners.  Penn Avenue ran well but just got run out of third place close to the line to be fifth.  Some late jumping errors just proving crucial.  Phantomofthepoints didn't travel or jump with his usual fluency and eventually pulled up.  Things looked promising for Bashful Boy at Bath as he made progress up the home straight but then he got a bit short of room and his run flattened out.  He ran his usual honest race to be fourth.  I thought things were going perfectly for October Hill as it was a strongly run two mile contest.  She looked the winner two out but did not finish that strongly after the last hurdle and finished third.  I thought the track and trip would suit but perhaps she does need the sharper track, her best runs have been at Taunton and Ludlow.  Green Sky was very disappointing, the stiff track possibly not suiting her while Show Your Hand did nothing wrong in his race and lost out narrowly in a photo finish.  He travelled strongly and was the last one off the bridle as the race turned into a bit of a sprint, the other horse just building up more momentum at a crucial stage.  He lost nothing in defeat and is a nice horse to look forward to hurdling with in the autumn.  

Coventry secured automatic promotion to the Premiership last night following there 1-1 draw while Premiership action returns today.  Brentford v Fulham is the early kick off at 12.30pm while Spurs have a vital home game against Brighton at 5.30pm.  Chelsea v Manchester United is the evening kick off at 8pm.

I would like to wish my nan, Phyllis a very happy birthday today!  She is 91 years young and I hope you have a lovely day and Wolves can win for you! 

I watched a documentary about beavers last night...

Best dam show I've ever seen.

Have a good day!