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Tanya's Blog - 28th September 2010

Hark, is that the faint echoes of “could you just” I hear. I returned from annual leave yesterday with batteries recharged, I hope and with not much changed in the racing world. I had a fabulous week, watching from afar what unraveled at Ascot on Friday and Saturday.

Yesterday I cranked the ignition and drove the better half to the PJA Golf tournament, which he didn’t fair well in but you do have to be on the cusp of being selected for Celtic Manor this weekend to have a chance. The winning team with three-quarter handicaps had an accumulative score of 95points. Will Kennedy (Time For Rupert) played with the better half and drove well apparently. In between I went to Redhill in Surrey to be part of a photo shoot for a calendar intended to be in aid of the Retired Greyhound Trust, Julie Collier has put such hard work into this venture I wish her every success and I will provide you with details how to order in a future blog.

Then it was back to the office which yesterday was taken over by the X-Factor and today the judges will be in attendance so I’ll need more accreditation than passport control to get through just to park the car, perhaps if I’m not let in Cheryl Cole can run off some footage or do some stats to help me this weekend’s broadcasts.

Had plenty of texts from my friends suggesting that 14-14 as the final points tally in the Ryder Cup should be backed, I can’t see it, and I think the whole thing will be very lopsided. Still 20 pages are being dedicated to the Ryder Cup in the Racing Post soon so I’ll be interested to read what Jeremy Chapman and Steve Palmer come up with.

There’s the Arc this weekend also and Chelsea, Arsenal on Sunday. On to today’s racing and there’s a bunch of two-year-old races to kick the card off. The rain hasn’t stopped falling in Sussex overnight, so I wonder if the same can be said for Newbury which will be tough on the youngsters. What did catch my eye was Dress Up in the 4.20, she was just run out of the Weatherbys Super Sprint back in July and could be just too good for her rivals. Sohraab is a class act to be running in the 4.55 but might find Brandywell Boy carrying a feather weight a massive problem.

POINTERS

John Gosden has had four winners from his last 13 runners

William Haggas has had four winners from his last 12 runners, and he has a 38% strike rate at Brighton according to the Racing Post signposts

Sir Mark Prescott has had four winners from his last 9 runners at Brighton

William Buick has had five winners from his last 18 runners

Royston Ffrench and Mark Johnson has a 50% strike rate at Brighton

Chris Wall and George Baker have a 33% strike rate at Newbury which will be severely tested today