Latest From The Gallops

We have been enjoying the slightly milder weather over the last few days and I am pleased to be able to bring you some nice photographs from the gallops.  Ante-post Grand National favourite Junior is pictured as he is put through his paces alongside decent ex-flat stayer and winning hurdler Ashbrittle.  Junior makes his long awaited seasonal reappearance in a handicap hurdle at Newbury tomorrow.  Also in action were The Pier and Painter Man, who both hold upcoming engagements - weather permitting of course!

We have been enjoying the slightly milder weather over the last few days and I am pleased to be able to bring you some nice photographs from the gallops.  Ante-post Grand National favourite Junior is pictured as he is put through his paces alongside decent ex-flat stayer and winning hurdler Ashbrittle.  Junior makes his long awaited seasonal reappearance in a handicap hurdle at Newbury tomorrow.  Also in action were The Pier and Painter Man, who both hold upcoming engagements - weather permitting of course!

  
Above left: (l-r) National favourite Junior and Ashbrittle, and right: The Pier and Painter Man on the gallops

Our one runner at Southwell yesterday Le Chasse Spleen was unable to trouble the judge as he finished sixth in the three mile handicap hurdle.  The winner of the race, Changing Lanes was subject of a huge gamble from 7/1 in the morning into a starting price of even money.  He had pulled up in three of his five previous starts this season and had duck eggs against his name in the other two, so someone clearly knew that he was back in the kind of form that had seen him successful twice from 15lbs higher marks in the past.  Winning connections were interviewed by the stewards and their findings will be forwarded to the BHA - it will be interesting to see what they make of it!

Over in Ireland Michael Butler landed himself in hot water when charged with dangerous riding in the novices' handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.  Butler, who was attempting to make all the running aboard hat-trick seeking Lookoutnow obviously took exception when the rider of Dog Barrel Hill tried to get up his inside approaching three out and promptly put his rival through the wings of the hurdle.  He now goes to the Irish Jockey Club for sentencing and he looks like he will be enjoying a long holiday to me.

*****

There were no fewer than four meetings on the one channel (Attheraces) yesterday and while that is normally a good thing (preventing me from getting repetitive strain injury from having to keep changing channels with my remote control!) many of the races ended up clashing.  Where the races did clash there wasn't even a show of betting - now, I know that Matt Chapman is not the show's producer, but if he were to button it once in a while we might be able to get a quick betting show in!  Matt certainly loves the sound of his own voice, but most of us punters would like to know what price our fancies have been sent off...come on ATR, sort it out!

*****

I feel very sorry for jockey Graham Lee, who is going to be missing all of the big jumping festivals this spring including Cheltenham and Aintree following a fall at Southwell yesterday.  Although initially it was thought that Lee had broken his femur, it actually turned out that he had dislocated his hip - an injury that could keep him on the sidelines for upto six months.  It just goes to show what a tough life it is being a jump jockey - we wish you a speedy recovery Graham.