Baileys Blog Search

Plus 2 and dry when driving in.

The Easter weekend has never been as hot as this one. Great for those who enjoy their break, but not so good if your job is a clerk of a racecourse. Somehow they have to get runners and that means promising good and safe ground for trainers to bring their horses.

Sun and bank holidays bring in the crowds and they need horses to watch. Point to points can get away with not having many runners as will be the case at Paxford and Lockinge today; they are producing a social event and as a result both courses will be heaving.

Paul Martin and Cathy Traynor  were here third lot to see their KBRP horse Donnie Brasco

We have two runners today. Mergeela heads to Fakenham for a mares bumper and she wants fast ground, while Huntingdon’s bumper reopened; their clerk of the course swears the ground will be safe so we have put Sadlemor back in. Anyway for my thoughts on both horses chances please click here.

Dan Skelton passed the 200 winner mark yesterday (from 969 runs) which is a feat not achieved since Martin Pipe did it the 2001/2002 season when Martin trained 235 winners (from 999 runs). Dan has run 249 individual horses this season…

Talking runners, todays Irish Grand National has again thrown the big stables into battle.  Gordon Elliott runs 12 horses of which 9 are owned by Gigginstown and then there are a further 3 Gigginstown runners from other trainers. Willie Mullins, who has never won the race, fields 7.. The race has 30 runners..

Cricket weather.. This is how they made the bats..