Hi there It is said that everybody is entitled to an opinion, but in certain areas of expertise I would suggest that not everybody’s opinion should carry equal weight. For example the majority of media pundits have never ridden a … Read More »

I’m not sure what to make of the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown yesterday. On the one hand it was thrilling to see Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File – the ‘right’ horses – engaged in such a tussle … Read More »

I want to start this week with a few words about our first Weekend Bulletin, which covered the weekend’s racing including the three-day meeting at Cheltenham. Jodie and I were delighted with the coverage that we were able to give … Read More »

On Sunday a colleague sent me a copy of a piece from the Racing Post Grapevine feature in which Tony Charlton expressed his appreciation for my putting him in touch with Toby Balding. I don’t recall doing that but I … Read More »

November has always been my favourite month. Right from the day Gaykart just outpointed Pretty Puffin, with Eric Eldin getting the better of Lester Piggott on a bitterly cold Newmarket afternoon and urchins were begging ‘A penny for the Guy, … Read More »

There were points of interest for us all over the place this weekend, with everything from a modest 0-60 nursery on Friday at Southwell to the razzmatazz of the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar. It’s a reflection of the rich … Read More »

Now this is going back a few years, but there is never a day in our industry when this doesn’t apply. Back in the 70s when I was a student I used to frequent a betting shop in the Whitgift … Read More »

I approach my 77th birthday not in trepidation but with much to ponder. I am greatly interested in quotes attributed to famous people. I don’t always agree with them, of course. Francois de La Rochefoucauld, whom I studied at school and … Read More »

On any ordinary afternoon Aidan O’Brien’s achievement in sending out the winners of six of the seven races at Leopardstown would have been the main headline of the day. But that spot came under pressure when news came through that … Read More »

There is so much media coverage of racing these days that it was refreshing to be reminded of the value of old-fashioned ‘inside’ information over this last week. Andrew Balding has always struck me as being a sound judge, and … Read More »