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Captain's Blog - 4th March 2011

'He should be reported to the EU for cruelty to Dutchman''

This was the phrase used by Sid Waddell last night as Phil the power Taylor bounced back to form thrashing Raymond Van Baneveld in Round three of the Premier league darts. Now we all know that Barney always struggles against Taylor, but this was a demolition job and Waddel summed it up perfectly with that line. It is a good job our Dutch cousins are laid back types otherwise tulips would be flying out of various prams alomg with solicitors letters and Government apologies.

I am not so sure we would get away with the like in the Racing game as racing folk in general are sensitive souls who take the sport very seriously sometimes to the detriment of entertainment. Many moons ago I suggested that a horse looked like it had eaten more kebabs than was connducive to being fit to win a race. The fall out from this lasted for weeks with me having to issue apologies left right and centre, indeed I found my self eating humble pie rather than Kebabs for several weeks. No harm was done of course except to the sensibilities of connections who took what I said far too seriously. Incidentally the horse was pulled up in the race! Sport is serious, but it is entertainment as well and we would all do well to remind ourselves of that in this great game of ours.

It is 5.30am and I am sitting in my seven week old daughter's room typing this. She decided an hour ago that it was time to get up and I am here trying to persuade her otherwise, an unequal struggle I know, but a struggle nonetheless that I need to win to ensure that 4.30am is not the time we get up in this household for the rest of the year.

I will not be going back to bed as I have plenty of work to do, in particular I am getting ready to spend an hour or so interviewing Ruby Walsh on next week. I will be chatting to him primarily about Cheltenham and will be putting your questions to him, please send them to studio@racinguk.com . It will be interesting to get his thoughts on a whole variety of topics so please do get involved in the show next week.

Twice Over won impressively at Meydan yesterday and now that he has shown he can handle the Tapeta surface is the one to beat on World Cup night. He will come on for the run and will improve which is bad news for his rivals. It would be a fine achievement if he were to win the big race, lets hope he does not get ambushed by a slow pace and a bunch sprint finish that this type of surface seems to lend itself to. We could do without he messy race that we saw for the World Cup last year. We want a clear cut champion, one who runs two minutes flat or less for the 10 furlong trip and one that can stand tall with the likes of Cigar and Dubai Millenium, given the nature of tapeta this is about as likely as Van Barneveld thrashing Taylor next time they get it on.

There seems to be virtually no noise emanating from the cot at the other side of the room from me which for now is great news. The trick is for me to get out of the room now without standing on one of the many creaky floor boards in this house and thereby causing the little one to wake. A tough task for someone who has never been that light on his feet, time to tiptoe through the tulips!

All the best.

Today’s Selection

2:00 Lingfield - Spirit of Oakdale (each way)