The temperature has dropped, the evenings are growing darker and the British countryside is being painted russet, saffron and scarlet. The shift from summer to autumn can mean only one thing: it is time to fully move from flat racing into the National Hunt season. The 2017/18 campaign promises to be another thrilling affair, full of drama, intrigue and excitement. Perusing the calendar of upcoming meetings draws one’s…

Following on from the flattering Malta vs England 0-4 result, in which they took an age to get out of the traps, England once again get a chance to impress on Monday in an important World Cup qualifier. A win for England will continue their reign at the top of the table, but a loss will result on Slovakia leading the group, which will be a blow for…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c9N5wu1AXw A timely reminder that even when going for a huge odds-on shot, there is no such thing as 'free money'. You need to do your homework rather than hold a belief that if a horse is big odds-on it simply can't be beaten. A false sense of security can lead you to empty pockets!  In this Lingfield race from 2015, Triple Dip was surely seen as an…

Dual Guineas winner Churchill was eased when making no impression in the closing stages of the St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, eventually finishing fourth, 3½ lengths behind Lancaster Bomber. It’s worth noting that Aidan O’Brien’s colt had beaten his stable companion on five previous occasions, so something was clearly amiss at the Berkshire course. His previous defeat of Barney Roy in the 2,000 Guineas…

I love a story where someone 'goes for it' and comes up trumps. There's no better way than that to describe the recent good fortune of John Hesp of Bridlington. The 64 year old grandfather of seven had recently decided to enjoy life a bit more and one of his major 'bucket list' items was to extend his typical twice monthly trip to Napoleon's Casino in Hull to…