Good journalism still exists (part two):

Good journalism still exists (part one):

Tony Stafford remains in top form. Any mention of Raymond Tooth puts me in mind of Lear Spear, fondly remembered (by me, at least) for his 1998 Cambridgeshire win.

Tremendous horse, aggressively campaigned by his excellent trainer and if he stays sound we get to see a lot more of him in the coming years.

Can’t blame Tizzard at all for thinking in terms of the Champion Hurdle with Alexei, especially after yesterday’s Fighting Fifth only muddied the waters even further. Lightly-raced 5yo, improving fast, strong traveller, effective at Cheltenham, weak division.

The days when top racehorses made the national news and were household names are long gone but Constitution Hill would become a cause celebre to those who hate racing and would like to ban it if he was to suffer a fatal fall on the track. That doesn’t look a far-fetched scenario now. Retire him.

Relevant re Myretown’s chance at Newbury today is this, from Andrew Mount in this week’s RFO. The stable isn’t in great form at all.

Perhaps it’s just me but if I was a bitcoin investor I’m not certain I’d be too reassured to attend a conference at which I was taught “how to gnaw [my] way through zip ties”.

I’m sick of hearing from the miserable chisellers if I’m honest.

Given that racing was facing duty harmonisation with gaming/slots just a few months ago, the changes in the #Budget - assuming OBR leak is correct - feel like pretty much the best result anyone could have hoped for. Shows what can be achieved when the various factions co-operate for a change.

Panic Attack won’t “technically” be 3lbs well-in at Newbury because of anything to do with who rides her. She’ll “actually” be 3lbs well-in as her OR’s gone from 135 to 142 since the weights came out but she only has a 4lb penalty. Never ceases to amaze me how trainers/journalists get this wrong.

www.racingpost.com/news/britain... Apparently, there are some punters who don’t struggle to get significant bets on. Eye-watering stuff.

www.attheraces.com/news/2025/No... Having pooh-poohed the “is this the race of the season?” rhetoric in the build-up, I have to acknowledge it was a terrific spectacle yesterday. Gaelic Warrior is now fav for the King George but if he does go there I’m not sure this would be the ideal preparation.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba... Well, that was surprisingly enjoyable.

There was nothing to dislike about the horse’s attitude yesterday.

observer.co.uk/style/featur... A wonderful tribute to someone who was clearly a wonderful person.

www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/winter-watch... Top content from Adam Houghton in @thetdn.bsky.social The Winter Watch column is essential reading over the next few months for Flat fans. High-class horses for next season will be appearing on the AW at regular intervals, as the article demonstrates.

Keith Melrose in tomorrow’s Racing Post: “The jury is still out on Jango Baie’s attitude, in my view.” Where on earth has that come from? He doesn’t advance anything in support. I’ve never seen any suggestion anywhere that the horse might be ungenuine. Bizarre.

WHAT A PICTURE

Early stages of Saturday’s 1965 Chase at Ascot will be interesting. Both Il Est Francais and Pic d’Orhy are likely to be aggressively ridden with Gidleigh Park probably prominent as well. Might be the ideal scenario for Jango Baie (well-backed since final decs) to bide his time and pick them off.

Pandemic back in the news today. Cheltenham Festival going ahead sure to be mentioned. This is from my blog on 11/03/20. Dorries was (incredibly) a Gov Minister at the time and had just announced she had Covid. If you’re thinking to yourself “I never read his blog “, you’re not alone. Nobody did.

Unfortunately, Mullins makes no effort whatsoever to inform racing fans and punters (who, along with owners, keep the whole show on the road) regarding running plans. Along with the Gosdens on the Flat, he’s one of the very worst culprits.

www.racingtv.com/watch/on-dem... Sadly, @lydiahislop.bsky.social seems to have stopped posting on here. Those of us trying to maintain a horse racing presence on Blue Sky would I’m sure be happy to welcome her back but in the meantime we can all enjoy the new season of the Road to Cheltenham.

🟢🔴 #Calandagan the Champion! 🏆 Cartier Horse of the Year 🏆 Cartier Older Horse 🏆 The highest rated horse in the world Winner of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Champion Stakes in 2025, #Calandagan is Cartier Horse of the Year!

No, it’s not the race of the season. But it is the first “is this the race of the season?” headline and it’s only November.

What a player.

Michael O’Leary interview, published on Friday. The words of a man who hasn’t paid to get into a racecourse or experienced being a punter in many, many years. Among many highlights the suggested “veterans’ chase” for horses aged twelve and over is particularly risible. Dearie me.

Having read the accompanying article and reflected further on the matter, my view is: we’ve heard it all before.

Last season’s Arkle form, cribbed at the time, now looks v strong given recent wins by Only By Night and L’Eau du Sud. Jango Baie won that race despite the trip being far too short and he’s 14/1 for the King George over what will probably be his best distance. Plenty of mileage in that price.

www.attheraces.com/news/2025/No... So impressive in Ireland today, Final Demand really looks destined for the very top. It’s to be hoped, though, that Mullins doesn’t make the same mistake as last season by running him over too short a trip. This horse will be at his best at three miles plus.

Tony’s posts over the past few days have increasingly made him sound like a harbinger of doom but he’s not making it up and the outlook for the whole three days isn’t great at all.

www.attheraces.com/news/2025/No... That’s a great pity. He’ll be rising ten when he returns so you’d have to think we’ve seen the best of him.

Poor old Mike. At least he’s got his male modelling career to fall back on.

Very disappointing performance from Derryhassen Paddy today. Several jumping errors, looked a bit laboured throughout. Can’t be writing him off at this early stage but not at all what connections would have hoped to see.

Posted eight months ago. The long march to the 2026 Festival begins this afternoon at Ayr. Decent card there today. Good-sized fields.

SATURDAY stats and info for ITV's 11 races. Going, stick readings, weather etc, balloted out information on November Handicap (6 money-back horses), 1st-time headgear stats, pace maps (11) and trainerform; tips.akbets.co.uk/tony-calvin-...

Posted a photo yesterday of Lester Piggott in the silks of Charles St George, owner of many good horses including Ardross and Bruni. I’ve found this which I posted years ago on an online forum about an early (and salutary) betting experience. £8 in 1976 would equal about £55 today. Different times.

Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design. news.sky.com/story/the-x-...

www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/... This is full of interesting content and well worth reading.

Remembering Lester Piggott on what would have been his 90th birthday. One of the very few sportsmen who can truly be called “great” and “legendary”, he rode thousands of winners from the 1940s to the 1990s and generations of racing fans rightly revere him as the ultimate big-race jockey.

Resplendent Grey runs off 153 at Newbury. Still shown on the BHA and RP websites as officially rated 147. So the handicapper has taken a look at Sunday’s run and brought forward the reassessment specially for the Coral Gold Cup. Might seem a small thing but it’s actually quite a significant change.

www.racingpost.com/news/britain... Clement Goldstone KC certainly doesn’t mince his words in relation to Oisin Murphy and Sean Levey here.

Tony Stafford remains as readable as ever.

This is interesting. Well, it is to me. These early-closers all specify penalties for winners “after November 2” - today, a Sunday. It’s always been a Saturday, previously. So, Resplendent Grey, winner today at Carlisle, doesn’t get a penalty but runs at Newbury off what mark? 147? Or a new one?

Article is behind a paywall but this is on the Telegraph website this evening.

Struggling to see any evidence of draw bias on the Del Mar turf course other than at sprint distances. First three in the two juvenile mile races yesterday were 14/8/6 (of 14) and 10/12/11 (of 12).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGbp... Very sorry indeed to hear Colin Addison’s died at 85. Good footballer and successful manager. Fondly remembered at Bramall Lane for scoring the winner against Everton (who were league champions that season) in the 1970 FA Cup. Went to this game aged 11 with my dad.

Promising two-year-old winner for Dylan Cunha at Bath yesterday and very well bought at just 20,000 euros given the excellent pedigree. But it’s to be hoped that punters, commentators and (in particular) on-course bookmakers play the game when pronouncing his name.