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Captain's Blog - 20th January 2012

The BHA will meet with the PJA today to discuss the new whip rules and I heard on the radio this morning that the new chief executive – Paul Bittar may be prepared to make some changes to the penalty structure. NO NO NO, that is not the point, the penalty structure is allied to a rule that is deeply flawed. Is it not blindingly obvious that the rule needs changing not the penalty structure? I suppose that if the BHA were to decide to scrap the new rule it would effectively mean that they have held their hands up and admitted that they were wrong and that would be an alien concept to our great leaders, but there is nothing wrong with eating humble pie now and then sometimes it can taste better than you though tit would. The PJA need to get to that meeting today and fight the rule, not the penalty structures, not the number of strikes a jockey can adminster, but the rule in its entirety, if they fudge the issue and accept some pathetic compromise then they will have let their members down.

I am in the office nice and early today to get ready for a busy day of action from Meydan and Catterick. A real contrast there I am sure you will agree. James Willoughby will join me in the studio and he will be in charge of finding a few winners in the desert. The feature event today is the Cape Verdiwhich will probably be won by Mahbooba who is trained by Mike De Kock and is about 8/11 at the moment. She will be very hard to beat and to be honest does not have a great deal of tangible opposition.

Tune in from 11.00am to get the considered thoughts of Mr Willoughby.

Ranjaan obliged for us yesterday at taunton at the generous SP of 7/2. I was somewhat alarmed before the race as he drifted out to bigger than 5/1 on the exchanges, but despite being a little bit keen in the early stages of the race still managed to win a shade cosily in the end.

As you may be able to tell my blood is boiling in anticipation of what is going to happen in this PJA vs BHA clash today. I suspect it will be more of a love in than anything else and that is no good for anybody, least of all the sport.

All the best.

Today's Selection

4.20 Wolverhampton – First Class