Bullseye!

I was intrigued to read the headline "Pipe set to star in Germany" and was concerned for one moment that I had missed a rare foreign entry from David.  I shouldn't have worried however as upon further investigation it was clear that the article was about namesake and arrowsmith Justin Pipe, the well-known darts player.  I have seen David playing darts, so the article certainly wasn't about him - the games room at Pond House has more holes in the wall than it does in the dart board!

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With no jump racing today we have four meetings on the level at Haydock, Brighton, Chepstow and on the all-weather at Kempton.  Only four meetings taking place and yet the prize money on offer at Kilbeggan in Ireland is better - even their bumper is worth £4,890, while at Chepstow seven of their eight races are worth only £1617 to the winner - if I were the director of the company in charge of racing there I would be highly embarrassed at the money they are offering.  As far as I am aware Ireland are also in the middle of this recession, so how are they able to produce much better prize money?

What about the jockey in Singapore who has been banned for a year for failing to ride his mount out to obtain the best possible finishing position?  I certainly wouldn't want those stewards over here as we could end up struggling for jockeys!

Frankie Dettori was the star of the show at Salisbury yesterday, but I have to admit to being a little puzzled...I always thought that Frankie performed one of his trademark flying dismounts after he had partnered a Group winner, yet the diminutive Italian flew off his mount Songcraft after winning teh conditions stakes.  Frankie is absolutely great for the public image of racing, but it did leave me wondering...are his standards getting lower?!

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I will be glued to the box this evening as England take on Moldova at 7.45pm on ITV.  England are a best price 1/3 to win the match, although Ladbrokes are offering evens that England win and Moldova don't score - that could be worth a bet when you consider that Moldova have failed to score in seven of their last eight matches.  Having said that, we are looking a bit thin up front with a number of our strikers injured at present - it could well be another nail-biter for England.

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I wonder if tennis superstar Maria Sharapova makes a noise in everything she does?  She certainly makes enough noise when she is on the tennis court!  Sharapova is 21/10 to beat Victoria Asarenka this afternoon and that looks reasonable enough - so long as she keeps shouting she should win!