Swinton Day At Haydock

It's a busy old afternoon up and down the country with no less than six meetings taking place at Ascot, Haydock, Lingfield, Nottingham, Thirsk and Warwick and better news still...with no inspections planned, it looks as if they will all take place.  There is a great mixed flat and jumps card at Haydock with the big race of the day being the Swinton Hurdle.  They have changed the name of the race which I think is a shame - I still refer to a lot of the present races under their old names like The Whitbread or The Mackeson...I know the sponsors pay their money to advertise their brand, but it is difficult for purists like me to accept change!

It's a busy old afternoon up and down the country with no less than six meetings taking place at Ascot, Haydock, Lingfield, Nottingham, Thirsk and Warwick and better news still...with no inspections planned, it looks as if they will all take place.  There is a great mixed flat and jumps card at Haydock with the big race of the day being the Swinton Hurdle.  They have changed the name of the race which I think is a shame - I still refer to a lot of the present races under their old names like The Whitbread or The Mackeson...I know the sponsors pay their money to advertise their brand, but it is difficult for purists like me to accept change!

The Tracey Shuffle is one of five runners for the yard this afternoon at Haydock

We have runners in both jumps races at Haydock - Qulinton, The Tracey Shuffle and Big Occasion in the Long Distance Hurdle, while young Frank Hayes keeps the ride aboard Arab League in the Swinton, in which we also have Dream Esteem.  Credit to the owners for sticking by these young jockeys and also to David for giving them the opportunity on decent horses - let's hope they are rewarded.

Apparently parts of the ground at Ascot are still waterlogged and they could lose two of their eight races, while at Lingfield they have switched their Derby Trial to the all-weather.  It's a good bit of planning that they have been able to do that, but I don't see how it can be called a Derby Trial if it is being held on the polytrack unless it is for the likes of the Kentucky Derby (oh hang on, that was last week!).

I was watching the action on television yesterday and saw AP McCoy boot Zitenka home to victory at Market Rasen.  It was the champion jockey's first winner for the Easterby's in ten years and the gelding received the full treatment - if he is to win again, I would suggest that they book A P now!

*****

It's the last weekend of Premiership football and it really does look like a penalty kick for Manchester City now.  My treble for the weekend will consist of Chelsea, Tottenham and Wigan - good luck!