Flight from Leeds to Dublin for DRF - £40 return. Train from Leeds to Cheltenham on Champion Hurdle day £200 return. No surprise I've chosen to Frodon-style campaign too.
When the wife is running you through the cost of childcare, and you point out we could have had a horse in training for a similar amount, it doesn't go down well...
Virtually any other mare would have been off to stud two years ago. Anybody criticising Abdullah and Gosden for cherry-picking their way to a fourth attempt at the Arc needs to give their heads a wobble.
Amazing how McCoy is hailed as some sort of sage now you agree with him on the Cheltenham Festival. He didn't look so Solomonesque when speaking on Frost/Dunne.
The sire might be more Enjoy The Buzz than Galileo, but nonetheless I'd like you to meet this Group 1 winner, Amy Jessica Johnson who arrived yesterday weighing 7lb 5 1/2 oz (Phil Smith had her 1lb higher). So proud of mother and baby.
Life is Good went into that Classic with a Timeform rating of 131 himself and had won 9 of his 11 starts. He was rolling like a drunk and needed oxygen at the 1f pole. A top-class horse broken by an all-time great in Fligjtline.
The best 5f horse is 6, the best 6f/7f horse is 6, one of the best middle-distance horses is 6, and the best stayer is 6. I do wish these Flat horses would stick around so you got to know them.
Rachael Blackmore will get all the covergae, and rightly so, but Henry de Bromhead, what a season, add the Grand National to the Champion Hurdle, Chase and Gold Cup.
Basil Fawlty: You know, perhaps I should be more specific: “Hotel for people who have a better than fifty percent chance of making it through the night.”
#ClassicFawlty
🇬🇧
@JohnCleese
Hearing that part of the deal for Irish racing continuing is that all cards will be maiden hurdles, as it's the only races where competitors would be guaranteed to stay a safe distance behind other runners.
The confirmations for the Futurity are indeed a bit ridiculous, but your ire should be directed towards those not supporting the race, as opposed to those that are.
The standard penalty for a rider failing to achieve the best possible placing is 14 days. If we're talking optics, banning jockeys for longer for trying too hard, than not hard enough, isn't a good look.
❌ Jim Crowley has been handed a 20-day ban and a £10,000 fine for using the whip three times above the permitted level in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, when winning the race on board Hukum.
Didn't quite stay the trip. Finishing speed definitely on the slow side, but dug in until about mile 21. Still a PB in 3.04.01 so not too disappointed.
If Crystal Ocean wins by a neck, how many of those suggesting that Buick went too soon are praising him for an enterprising ride and getting first run? Just 2 very good horses with little between them.
Ryan Moore been excellent all week, made the difference on Kyprios, judged it so well on Broome in the Hardwicke and simply inspired on Rohaan. The highlight of the week for me.
What I don't understand about the Melbourne Cup, is if there is no crowds, why not host it at a decent hour so those that are making the race don't have to get up at a silly hour to enjoy it.
Not really a fan of snooker, but there's a strong argument for Ronnie O'Sullivan being the greatest sportsman of all time. Ability-wise, longevity and titles won he's miles clear in his field. Who else from other sports can compare?
Defi Du Seuil is pure class, what a turn of foot in that ground beating the legend Un De Sceaux. This lads gonna take some beating even if Altior does turn up in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham. That was seriously impressive. Wow!! 🚀 👑
Calyx given a
@Timeform
rating of 110p after his win at Newmarket on Saturday. Ordinary overall time, but rapid closing sectional sees him rated value extra. Only 7 horses faster on July course, 5 of them in last year's steadily-run July Cup. A Group horse in the making.
Just about to cut up an apple for daughter's snack. Is it only me that rubs it up my thigh to put a shine on it as if they were Curtley Ambrose opening from the Kirkstall Lane end?
Would be great if the detritus that feel the need to tweet jockeys wishing them ill watched this and reflected on it before they bother net time. I hope Wesley Joyce rides a stack of winners throughout the rest of his career.
🗣️ "Since I got back riding, that's all I ever wanted to do."
Wesley Joyce tells Jonny Ward just what it means to have ridden a first winner since suffering horrific injuries from a fall at the 2022 Galway Festival 💕
This Darren Yates that all the shrewdies on twitter say is doing it wrong, is it the same one that won £550K on Dettori's magnificent 7 and used his winnings to develop a multi-million pound business?
Been swimming today and found £30 on the changing room floor. Gonna get the car cleaned from the guy opposite and gain brownie points with the wife. Great start to the World Cup.
The criticism of Cooper is as misplaced as it is predictable. This rain on top of hard ground would have been asking for trouble. Damned whatever he did, sometimes the weather is just a law unto itself.
#ManchesterMarathon
. We'll call that job done. 3.06.20. Slightly slow finishing speed having been on for 3.05 at halfway. But the miles are definitely longer in the second half!
Capri plodding on into 4th in the Irish Leger trial. Reckon he likes to go down the pub and regale the locals of the tale of when he beat Stradivarious and Crystal Ocean?
Hi
@marksandspencer
, I bought some of you 'triple cooked' chips today. Can you confirm if they are currently only double cooked, and me heating them will make them triple cooked, or whether me heating them will actually make them 'quadruple cooked'. Thanks
My daughter had to go for a ride in an ambulance on Friday, fortunately she's fine now, but in the melee she left her best pal behind. The parademic found him and returned him safely. God bless our front line NHS workers.
#igglepiggle
Mrs backs the winner, everyone on Facebook telling her she should have my job, not so keen on it when I tell her she's got 4 races from Lingfield to write up.
"It’s hugely exciting to be involved in the dawn of this new era’ - a regular on At The Races over the years, we're delighted to announce that
@LynchyTF
will join Sky Sports Racing as Senior Racing Analyst 🙌
All behind Willie in the trainers' championship aren't we? Forget where I read it, but great line that Willie had more winners at Cheltenham than Nicholls had runners.