Thursday 12 March 2009



CHELTENHAM
FESTIVAL
2009
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Yesterday at Cheltenham we had our first winner since the Journal started, way back on 1st January 2009. Cooldine (Won 9/4) our 'best bet' for Wednesday halted a run of five consecutive losers when winning the Rsa Chase by sixteen lengths. In our 'other bets' we had one winner Master Minded (Won 4/11) and a second, Karabak, beaten less than two lengths. With two days of the Festival still to go let's hope we can improve the record still further. Incidentally, our last selection prior to Cheltenham was Mick Channon's horse Imperial Starlight, which ran at Southwell on 1st February. The horse lost on that occasion but has since run again and won at 4/1. Today's 'best bet' is the Ferdy Murphy trained, 6 y.o. gelding Poker De Sivola , who runs in the Kim Muir Handicap Chase, run over 3m.1f.110yds at 4.40. Poker De Sivola is a young steadily improving horse who should appreciate every yard of this trip. He fell at Wetherby last time out, but if none the worse for the experience, he should make a bold show here. Ran well at Cheltenham in 2008 and looks well treated at the weights.

Other Bets
1.30 Astarador
2.05 Dont Push It
2.40 Our Vic
3.20 Kasbah Bliss
4.00 Oceanos des Obeaux
Profit/Loss -2.75 Points

Two Little Pals

Here is the first picture in a series entitled Two Little Pals.
Watch out for futher pictures over the coming days!

Who Am I? - Wednesday's Answer

Did you solve the clues to yesterday's Who Am I puzzle and correctly identify our mystery celebrity? The answer was:
Amy Winehouse

Two Little Pals

This is the first in a series of 'Two Little Pals' pictures.
Watch out for more over the coming week!

Poem - Blankney Squire

Today's poem relates the story of how Henry Chaplin and Florence Paget were due to be married, but shortly before the wedding she jilted him and eloped with his arch rival Lord Hastings.

Blankney Squire

This is the story of a Blankney squire
No doubt the last of his kind
A man to respect and admire
A man well dressed and well dined
His name was Henry Chaplin
A man of great ambition
With a passion for hunting and racing
Who became a great politician
Born in the Hall at Ryhall near Stamford
In December 1841
His father a wealthy clergyman
He therefore a parsons son
He attended Harrow then Oxford
A young man with an abundance of charm
But his preoccupation with hunting
Filled his Oxford Dean with alarm
In the summer of 1864
Fate took a hand in the young squire's life
He fell in love with Lady Florence Paget
And asked if she would agree to becoming his wife
After a very brief engagement
And with the wedding going to plan
A few days before the ceremony
Lady Florence eloped with another man
She had recently visited Blankney Hall
Being prepared as her future home
She went round the stables and kennels
With no hint of the drama to come
She went shopping at Marshall and Snelgrove's
The famous London store
She went through the stores front entrance
And met Lord Hastings outside the back door
She informed Henry Chaplin by letter
Love did not exist from the start
By the time he received it she'd married
Thereby breaking the young squire's heart

Rodney Garlant

Today's Smile

My memory's not as sharp as it used to be,
Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
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Know how to prevent sagging?
Just eat until the wrinkles fill out.
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It's scary when you start making the same noises
As your coffee maker.
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These days about half the stuff
In my shopping cart says,
'For fast relief.
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