First Ride for Jared

Today we have two jumps meetings, the second day of Perth's three day meeting and a card at Warwick which hosts a couple of races that were transferred from the Cheltenham April meeting that was lost.  The stable does not have any runners today but there are plenty of runners and competitive races at both fixtures.  There are two flat cards today, one up at Beverley and the other on the all-weather at Southwell.  In Ireland they race on the polytrack at Dundalk and I shall be watching the 7.45pm race with interest.  Number one in the race, Mont St Michel is ridden by Jared Huggan claiming ten pounds for trainer Denis Hogan.  Jared is having his first ride and I shall be wishing him the best of luck.  Jared is the son of our horse dentist, Stuart and has spent a lot of time here at Pond House after originally coming down with his dad when he was doing the horses teeth.  He won't mind me saying, school was not really his thing and he got on so well with Jack Pipe he basically lived here through school holidays and more at one stage!  Originating from Hawick, where a lot of jockeys seem to come from, he has then been over in Ireland working and he has ridden several winners flapping both in Scotland and in Ireland.  He and Jack keep in regular contact and I hope he has a great first ride this evening and we shall all be watching.

Last night at Taunton, Parchment was again disappointing in the novices hurdle and finished fourth.  He was perhaps a little keen early in the race but not silly and he travelled and jumped well before literally finding nothing when coming off the bridle.  Back to the drawing board.  Green Sky showed up well for a long way in first time blinkers before weakening while Best Night never really got involved in the same race.  Old Bridge looked flat to the boards from an early stage in his race and definitely wants further in trip while Final Entry ran a nice race to be fourth, not beaten very far.  He saw out the trip well on his first try at three miles and he looks capable of winning a similar contest.  All horses are fine this morning which is the main thing.

Yesterday was the Goffs Breeze Up sale at Doncaster and the top lot made an eyewatering £880,000!  The Mehmas colt was bought by Anthony Stroud for new connections after fighting off several other top potential purchasers.  The colt is a half brother to a listed winner and as good Group pedigree.  I know it is a way of the world now but I don't think any horse can be worth that much money but clearly I am wrong! I hope he goes in wins the Derby or some other big races for his new owners in years to come!  

Manchester City beat Burnley 1-0 last night and are now at the top of the table, level on points with Arsenal but they have a better goal difference.  Bournemouth and Leeds finished in a 2-2 draw with Leeds grabbing a late equaliser to secure themselves a vital point.  There are no Premiership matches this evening but I see that Chelsea are again looking for a new manager after sacking Liam Rosenior who has only been in the job four months, but he does get a £14 million pay out so I am sure that will soften the blow!  Who would be a football manager!

Nurse: "There is a man in the waiting room who says he's invisible".

Doctor: "Tell him I can't see him today".

Have a good day!