Over and Out

The 2025-26 National Hunt season concluded at Sandown yesterday and jumps racing takes a few days break on this side of the Irish Sea but we do have Punchestown to look forward to starting on Tuesday.  There are three flat meetings today at Nottingham, Musselburgh and Wetherby and racing at all in Ireland.  The Musselburgh card is a twilight card which gets underway at 3.45pm and ITV4 are showing five races from there as well as four of the later races at Nottingham.  

Yesterday, was the end of an era for the Paul Nicholls yard as Harry Cobden had his final rides as the Ditcheat stable jockey.  Harry, originally replaced Sam Twiston-Davies in the number one role back in 2018 and he has ridden plenty of Grade One winners for the stable and they have had a great partnership.  Cobden is now JP McManus' retained jockey but the plan is still for ride for Paul when he can.  Times will be different but everyone has to seize these opportunities when they come along.  Harry is a great rider and horseman and I am sure he will be riding lots of winners in those green and gold silks this season.

There is local point to pointing at the Axe Vale meeting near Axebridge today.  We do not have any runners but Ashley Dascombe is in action at the track which traditionally attracts a large crowd, especially when the weather is a nice as forecast today.  Martin McIntyre is still on the sidelines, as is James Shaw.  James got knocked out in a fall last weekend and popped into see us during the week.  Thankfully there is no lasting damage and the plan is for him to attend the Injured Jockeys Hub at Taunton on Tuesday in the hope of being back to work on Wednesday but he will just have to see how he gets on.  He will have to pass a concussion test before he is allowed back race riding again.  

Group One winning flat trainer Robert Cowell's training yard, just outside Newmarket is on the market for £5.4 million.  Owned by the Cowell family it is being put on the market to settle a family inheritance following the death to Robert's father, Bob in 2024.  Robert has been training from the yard for the last 25 years and hopes someone may buy the yard and let him rent the yard and continue training.  So, anyone with a few spare million, you have a tenant already waiting for you! Bottisham Heath Stud is listed for sale with Windsor Clive International and it has 74 boxes, a 7F gallop, two houses plus additional living quarters on a 162 acre plot.

There is no Premiership football action today but we do have the second FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.  Chelsea play Leeds at 3pm and while Chelsea are favourites, they are not in good form at the moment and sacked their manager during the week.  They will be hoping for a good result today to give their season a lift.

Exeter Chiefs are are Premiership rugby action this afternoon away to Gloucester at 3.30pm.  

I opened my birthday card and a bunch of rice fell out...

I instantly knew who it was from.

Uncle Ben!

Have a fab Sunday!