Champ In Action

                     Beyond

David has one runner today on the flat at Goodwood in the 2pm opening contest.  Beyond is having his first run of the year in the 2m5f race.  He was a winner on the flat on his Pond House debut 12 months ago over 1m6f at Sandown.  He ran okay in the cesarewitch before finishing third in a hurdle race at Kempton.  He goes well fresh and jockey Willie Twiston-Davies takes a valuable seven pounds off his back.  Fingers crossed if staying the trip he should run well.  Today there are four meetings, three on the flat including Goodwood, Leicester and Redcar and a jumps card at Perth.  Goodwood is the place to be this afternoon however with the mighty Frankel running for Sir Henry Cecil.  Everyone is talking about the stars at the Olympics and gold medals but in Frankel we have probably the greatest racehorse of all time.  Its not about the betting.  I would think that Frankel will not run many more times before he is off to stud.  He's won all 11 starts and over £1.5 million in prize money.  This is a horse you will only ever see once in a lifetime, you can see the Olympics every four years!

Talking of the Olympics.  What about the non tiers in the Badminton?  I can remember years ago when the top Chinese table tennis player Lee Fu Yung was told not to win in three World single finals.  The Chinese table tennis association wanted China's Tse Tung to win as he came from a much pooorer family and this would look better back in China.  When the final was in Yugoslavia the crowd booed as they could see that Lee Fung Yung was a non trier so it is certainly not the first time it has happened in sport and unfortunately I am sure it will not be the last.

AP is riding at Galway today.  It is hard to believe that the champ has only got one ride in the 5.25pm race.  Owner JP McManus has got seven runners in the race plus a reserve.  I wonder how many different colour caps the valets have!  David's jockey Conor O'Farrell also has a ride over there in 3pm race so best of luck to him.  One thing is for sure, I will not be straying too far from the sofa this afternoon!  Have a nice day.