Hello, team. Five things which aren't exactly headline news but I thought noteworthy at any rate.
(i) The Devizes crew have purchased one of the mares (Toast The Host trained by Pip Hobbs) who ran in Fishcake's February bumper. Toast The Host finished, that day, 4 places in front of dear old Fishcake. The 5YO will remain with Pip. Apparently will have one more runner in a bumper, this term, before going hurdling in the Autumn. No idea what the purchase price was but someone else seemingly impressed by the Fishcake formline...
(ii) Pied Piper, who is set to run on Thursday at Aintree, has been installed at 14's to win The Gold Cup. Cor blimey if he obliges at the Royal Meeting expect to see a Crown and a battered old trilby hurled at the old boy!!!
(iii) Midnightreferendum, one of Alan King's, was mentioned on the forum a while back (apologies can't remember by whom) and she has now been...how do I put this diplomatically...'visited' by old boy, Nathaniel. One more run before retirement - Challenger Finals Day at Haydock Park on 16 April.
(iv) Lieutenant Henderson's Pentland Hills might be back on Friday after 25 months away (last run was '20 Champion Hurdle). The 7YO is entered in the lucky last, that day, at Aintree. Given a chance by the handicapper as was rated 157 when he last ran and now on 151.
(v) Polly Gundry has said that Santini is 'hugely disadvantaged' by never having run in the Grand National before. Really, I say, really, Polly?!? 20 of the last 26 Grand National winners were making their Grand National debuts.
Hope everyone well. And fit and firing ahead of Aintree.
I can sink boats at the minute