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Plus 3 and dry when driving in; it was though very wet yesterday.

David Bass rode Charbel in Lambourn yesterday and was delighted with how he worked.

We have decided on heading for the Arkle Chase to take on Altior.

No sooner than I had said on ATR that this was likely to be his Festival target then twitter went mad. Loads of thoughts on why he should go for the JLT.

My thoughts are fairly normal ones and they are that he loves two miles.. he has never been further and although we had hoped to have run Charbel over further in February, but due to our well documented coughing we have missed all those options.

So what we don’t know is will he get the extra trip.. Now is not the time to experiment especially with rain around the likelyhood of softer ground for the Festival week.

Finally Charbel is flat bred and not bred to get the trip of the JLT especially on soft ground..…Hence the Arkle Chase is the route we are most likely to take.

Last nights Cheltenham Festival panel kept the Cotswold Hunt Supporters in the Andoversford Village Hall happy, I believe. I did my bit and then Mrs B and I went out to supper to celebrate 16 years of happily married bliss.

Talking Bliss...

David Bass was in this morning to ride out a couple of lots before heading to Doncaster.

Thomas Gallagher, Christine Foxley, Jo Franklin, Shaun Lloyd -Tuffley, Ken Boyland, Deb Jones, Kelly Gorman and Chris Wellings were all here second lot for a morning on the gallops followed by breakfast as booked through CD Tours

Karen Masters called third lot to see her KBRP horses Knockanrawley, Our Belle Amie and Kayf Storm

A busy weekend and an important day for The Last Samuri and Harry Topper.. We have runners at Doncaster and Newbury today and Huntingdon tomorrow. For my thoughts on their respective chances please click here.

Steve Winter is 50 and he is celebrating by taking a box at Huntingdon tomorrow; his horse or rather The Irrational Group’s horse Derrintogher Bliss needs to step up to the plate (TNDGB favourite expression) and realise that he needs to win. No party poopers please.

Greatwood Charity Race day at Newbury today and we are heading there early to the charity lunch which is always well supported.

The old jokes are the best..?

A jockey is talking to the trainer ahead of the race.

“You got to ride him to win,” the trainer says, “because I’ve got a monkey on this horse, and so has my wife.”

“Will there be any room for me?,” the jockey asks.

England won the first ODI against the West Indies yesterday

Have a great weekend and see you Monday..