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“It’s a disgusting practice but is clearly not just limited to Cheltenham.”
Hotel prices up by as much as 1,850% around Heathrow Airport today.
Radcliffe are a team capable of beating anyone but the league table doesn’t lie. They are struggling but I think they will be OK.
Their ground is on quite a severe slope. I think teams have to make the most of when they are kicking downhill. It is much harder work the other way!
It has been another big week for Southport. On Tuesday, a 1-0 win over Longridge Town in the semi final of the Lancashire Trophy saw the Sandgrounders progress to the final, where we will play Bacup Borough on 16th April. If we win, I expect there will be an open top bus parade through the town to show off such a prestigious trophy…
Or maybe there will be two trophies to display, given we play Warrington Rylands in the quarter final of the Liverpool Senior Cup next Tuesday. The winners play “Everton” (in reality their youth team) in the semi final.
More importantly, there is Scarborough on Saturday. It might be my last match of the season, given I cannot attend the next two and I am hoping we will be safe by the final day.
David Morgan is already putting his own stamp on the team and I expect a home win. It is National Non League Day, with no distractions from the Premier League and a chance for non league clubs to take centre stage.
“I suspect she’ll leave me pining for the return of Leonna Mayor.”
I believe Ms Mayor is currently on maternity leave. Considering some of the poorly judged messages she has put on social media recently, a period of absence from our screens is no bad thing for her and her employers.
Given that every commercial break on Sky Sports Racing has adverts for Saga holidays, remedies for aches and pains, life insurance, pure cremation and funeral plans; I am not convinced racing is reaching a young audience anyway, with or without Ms Quek and her friends.
There was a student day at Chepstow last Sunday. Wolverhampton stage a few throughout the year.
They are quite popular in Ireland as well. I have been at Gowran Park and Tramore on student days. They were OK. I am not sure the students showed much interest in the racing but they didn’t get in anyone’s way.
“There sad fact is that racecourses aren’t really that interested in selling the racing. All they’re interested in these days is selling tickets and alcohol; the racing is just something that goes on in the background.”
That sounds like Chester’s mission statement.
I agree about Ballyburn but I don’t think it is fair to use him to question Sir Gino. He laughed at him without coming off the bridle.
I don’t believe a comparison between Des Lynam and Sam Quek is relevant.
Des Lynam was an old school broadcaster in the anchorman role. The only person he can be compared to on ITV’s team is Ed Chamberlin.
Lynam was also part of a vanished media landscape. I don’t think there was ever any expectation of him making the sport more accessible to a wider audience or more relevant to the young (he would laugh at the idea).
Through no fault of her own, Sam Quek inhabits a world of hashtags, “likes” and “retweets”. People in her position need the publicity in a way Lynam’s generation did not.
I also reckon she is self aware enough to know that in TV Land, there is always someone younger coming along behind. It might not be pleasant but it is the way the media works.
She is making her money while the sun shines. I don’t blame her for that but she has arguably become somewhat overexposed.
And if the ITV executives believe she will help to bring a new audience to racing, I believe that overestimates the extent of her popularity. It is as misconceived a notion as the Jermaine Jenas video. Which, now we know what we know about Mr Jenas, looks even more disastrous in retrospect.
Towcester is still open as a greyhound racing venue. The home of the Greyhound Derby, no less. But the horse racing circuit stands idle.
I suppose there have been some partial closures as well. Wolverhampton and Nottingham giving up National Hunt, Warwick stopping its Flat racing. Although Wetherby has introduced a few Flat meetings.
Agree, Nathan. Ms Quek has taken the job because it is no doubt well paid and gets her some more publicity. The idea she will attract more people to racing (or even cares about that) is farcical.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It was something said on a podcast. Nothing has been said officially.
Although Keys did seem certain and, as Kendicate said, his scoops have been right before.
Yes, Derby cricket ground is in the site of the old racecourse. Part of the ground is still referred to as the Racecourse End.
I think Golden Miller ran there once or twice. One of several courses he ran at which are now defunct.
ITV announces new addition to their Aintree coverage:
“Quek won gold with Great Britain’s hockey team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and has also starred on ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!’, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and as a team captain on ‘A Question of Sport’.”
Ideal credentials for horse racing, then.
“Whatever if becomes it will be full of the ghosts of great horses: Arkle, Kauto and Dessie to name just a few.”
I will be saddened if Kempton closes. I used to enjoy going there when I lived in London. It might not be the prettiest course but it does its job well. And those three names alone show its importance within racing’s history. If the Jockey Club do sell up, it will be a classic case of knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing.
I don’t particularly want Leicester to close either but I agree it is not easy to reach and in terms of its quality it must be a candidate for the worst course in the country. The Carling King Richard III Cup seems to sum up its decline – and I am by no means an admirer of the man!
The podcast also speculated on the future of Leicester. I don’t want to see any more courses close down but if there has to be one, I would raise the least objection about Leicester.
It provides poor quality racing on the Flat and over jumps. There is only one half decent quality meeting, at the end of April.
It used to feature the Leicestershire Stakes, which was renamed the Richard III Stakes after the medieval king’s remains were discovered in one of the city’s car parks. It was a Listed race, then briefly held Group 3 status, then reverted to Listed until being discontinued in 2023. I believe there is now a handicap bearing the old king’s name instead.
The course is some way out from the city centre. Given the demographic of modern Leicester, it would be no great surprise if the course closed from lack of local support.
