Scotia chilling for a few weeks

Good morning all and after the World Cup, Durban July and the long weekend plus this month has 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Tuesdays glad this will only happen again in 2021.
I am feeling rather exhausted was saying to Mrs S in the garden if we dont calm down the life style could catch up


"The Scott's considering slowing down a bit"

Plus the results have been bad having a few runners is great it would be nice if one would arrive but at least we are getting places so the training costs OK its just the bookies costs, never mind the wheel will turn "29".

Very sad news about the potential new superstar Harbinger never running again, its sad that we often lose a champ before they prove how great they could have been.


Harbinger strolls to King George Victory

On the subject of overseas racing I mentioned the Ebor meeting at York next week 17th to 20th of August the International Stakes are on the 17th where Rip Van Winkle and Byward are around 2/1 jt favs with Twice Over at 5/1.

The 18th has the Ebor handicap and its never easy to find the winner Harris Tweed 7/1 and Martyr 8/1 in what should be a cavalry charge.

Yorkshire Oaks in on the Thursday and should be a great race between Snow Fairy, Sariska, Midday and Dar Re Mi.

Moving on to Friday its the Nunthorpe where Starspangledbanner and Equiano top the boards.


Starspangledbanner fastest horse on 4 legs?

As far as the jockey championship I am sure we expected that man Ryan Moore to be well in command, however that man Hanagan could be the managan plus Richard Hughes riding very well so should be an interesting few months.

Current stats Hanagan 133 winners, Hughes 108, Moore 104 and Hanagan is around 5/10 to keep his lead.

Not sure if we have any local betting? I am sure Andrew Fortune is in the lead with 8 winners plus Strydom, Coetzee, Delpech etc, who do you fancy?



Hanagan the managan

I see we had a couple of decent sales recently and as MDK says after the July buying horse flesh in SA at this moment of time might not be a bad investment (although the word investment and horse flesh are not normally coupled on the tote!).

As far as the soccer/fitball is concerned the English league kicks off on Sat. and the highlights should be Spurs vs Man City, Liverpool vs Arsenal and UTD vs Newcastle (just for me).

I have a feeling that this year we are in for a few surprises and that 18/10 Chelsea UTD 5/2, Arsenal and Man City 6/1, Pool 14/1, Spurs 40/1, 100/1 Everton 300/1 Villa and we have 12 teams are 1000/1 on offer.

Just have the feeling that one of the 1000/1 shots are in for a big season, I am not sure which one but the Geordies would be great. As Garrick would say it might be the time for a bit early speculation as this is the year of shocks imvho.


"take the 1000/1 Newcastle"


With all these festivities the last few weeks I had to go to see a doctor, as every time I lifted my arm above my head I was getting a terrible pain?

I showed the doc by lifting my arm and he said the best cure would be to stop doing it!

I then asked if he was related to the comic genius Tommy Cooper...........enjoy!

Funny Video- Tommy Cooper


Tommy Cooper Jokes - One liners (Cooperisms)

Tommy Cooper was more than a catch phrase, he had an original approach. Biographers say that in his earliest days, Tommy Cooper was so nervous that he made unintentional mistakes, he soon saw that if he could recreate these accidents then he would have people rolling in the aisles.

In fact Tommy's earliest trick was with a milk bottle. During the course of the trick he was supposed to turn it up-side-down, but when he did the trick, the milk came pouring out along with the audiences laughter. That got Tommy Cooper thinking, I can get applause through making tricks go wrong - deliberately. 'Always leave them laughing'. To get the most from these classic one liners, I suggest that you get into state, imagine that fez hat. 'Just like that'.

* Went to the paper shop - it had blown away.
* I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn't find any.
* I bought some HP sauce the other day. It's costing me 6p a month for the next 2 years.
* Last night I dreamed I ate a ten-pound marshmallow, and when I woke up the pillow was gone.
* Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was drinking battery acid, the other was eating fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off.
* A woman told her doctor, 'I've got a bad back. 'The doctor said, 'It's old age.' The woman said, 'I want a second opinion. 'The doctor says, 'OK. you're ugly as well.'
* A man walked into the doctor's, The doctor said 'I haven't seen you in a long time'
The man replied, 'I know I've been ill'.
* A man walked into the doctor's, he said 'I've hurt my arm in several places'.
The doctor said 'well don't go there any more'.
* I'm on a whiskey diet. I've lost three days already.
* Slept like a log last night ........ woke up in the fireplace.
* Went to the corner shop - bought 4 corners.
* I went to the doctors the other day and I said, 'have you got anything for wind?'
So he gave me a kite.
* I went to the Doctors the other day, and he said, 'Go to Bournemouth, it's great for 'flu.
So I went, and I got it.'Tommy Cooper Jokes
* I cleaned the attic with the wife the other day.
Now I can't get the cobwebs out of her hair.



Have a good week

scotia.

Bwhahahaha...

Is that Toon Tony on the homepage?

Racing Post

O'Brien holds fire on International plans

AIDAN O'BRIEN has yet to confirm his plans for the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York next Tuesday, although the trainer said that both Rip Van Winkle and Cape Blanco were ready to run if needed.

Rip Van Winkle, who was a slight drifter on Monday, heads the market at a best priced 6-4 and O'Brien said of the Galileo colt: "I hope he is going to turn up, but it is not decided yet. Both he and Cape Blanco are in great form but no decision has been taken.

"We have the Irish Champion Stakes to think about and must get every combination right."

One trainer hoping to avoid what is looking like a a very hot race is David Simcock, who is leaning towards a crack at the Group 3 Strensall Stakes on the Friday of York with Bushman.

The son of Maria's Mon gave Simcock his first victory at Group level earlier this year and holds an entry in both races. Simcock said: "I would like to go for the Strensall but the owners are very sporting and would like to go for the International."

Racing Post

Equiano backed to turn tables on Starspangled

SPRINT star Equiano was on Tuesday backed to gain revenge over Starspangledbanner as the speedy pair prepare to meet again in next Friday's Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

King's Stand winner Equiano was narrowly defeated by Starspangledbanner when they met for the first time in the Darley July Cup, but is just 11-4 (from 3) to defeat his Ballydoyle rival with Paddy Power and Stan James.


Starspangledbanner, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Australian import who also won the Golden Jubilee, looks set to drop back to 5f for the first time in his short British career and is a top-priced 11-4 with Ladbrokes, who make Equiano joint favourite, and Coral.

Byword, backed for the Juddmonte International on Monday, was again trimmed on Tuesday as Victor Chandler went 2-1 (from 9-4) about the Andre Fabre-trained Royal Ascot winner.

Henry Cecil's Twice Over, like Byword owned by Khalid Abdullah, was cut into 11-4 (from 100-30) for the same race, providing further evidence of the continuing weakness of ante-post favourite Rip Van Winkle.

Italian raider Jakkalberry was pushed into 16-1 by Paddy Power (from 25) for the International, making them shortest price - with Totesport and Coral - about the Gran Premio Di Milano winner.

On a busy day, there were also Totesport Ebor moves for Harris Tweed - 5-1 (from 6) with the sponsors and 11-2 (from 6) with Victor Chandler - and the Highclere-owned Martyr, into 6-1 (from with Coral.

Racing Post

Harris Tweed team skip Ebor for Great Voltigeur

HARRIS TWEED, long-term ante-post favourite for the Totesport Ebor, will instead run in Tuesday's Sportingbet.com Great Voltigeur Stakes after connections conceded that the progressive stayer no longer has any realistic hope of getting into the showpiece handicap's field.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old, who receives a 12lb allowance from older rivals, needs 27 horses to defect in order to gain a place in the field despite being joint-11th highest on ratings for the race.

His plight is a result of admission for the race being based on racecard weight not the horses official rating.

Haggas said: "He's not going to get into the Ebor. He's going to have two more runs this season and so he'll go for the Voltigeur."

Racing Post

Surprise as Dick Turpin is added to International

THE Juddmonte International received a significant and unexpected boost on Wednesday when star three-year-old Dick Turpin was added to the race by connections at a cost of £50,000.

Trainer Richard Hannon announced earlier this week that supplementing the John Manley-owned colt for Tuesday's York contest had been ruled out in favour of a crack at the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville on Saturday.


However, that plan now seems to have changed after Dick Turpin's name appeared among a potential 12-runner field for the Group 1 contest at the six-day confirmation stage.

Paddy Power quote the Prix Jean Prat winner at 13-2 having initially gone 8-1. Stan James are as short as 4-1.

Writing on his website about the change of plans, Hannon said: "John weighed up the options, and, with Dick Turpin having won him more than £470,000 in prize-money this season, he has opted to stump up the supplementary for York.

"John takes the view that Dick Turpin owes him nothing, and he is keen to have a go. Full marks to John forbeing sporting enough to have a crack, but Richard Hughes said after the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly that the colt would get a mile and a quarter, and he feels that York is the perfect track to try out his stamina."

He added: "Dick Turpin is staying in training next year, so if he does stay it will increase our options as a four-year-old. He is in great form at home and we'll give it our best shot at York, but if he finishes in the first three John will show a profit, and he'll get almost £35,500 if he is fourth."

As expected, Rip Van Winkle, Byword and Twice Over all remain in the £693,500 event, while other confirmations include Godolphin pair Cutlass Bay and Cavalryman.

Racing Post

O'Brien leaning towards Winkle for Juddmonte

RIP VAN WINKLE looks set to be Aidan O'Brien's representative in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Tuesday.

Last year's Sussex Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner, who finished second to Canford Cliffs when bidding for a repeat victory in the Sussex Stakes on his last run, is a top-priced 2-1 favourite with Boylesports for the Juddmonte.

Stablemate Cape Blanco, winner of the Irish Derby could wait for the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 4.

O'Brien will be seeking a third win in the Group 1 event which he landed with Giant's Causeway ten years ago and with Duke Of Marmalade in 2008.

He said: "Nothing is set in stone just yet but it looks as if Rip Van Winkle will be heading for York and that he will be our only runner in the Juddmonte International.

"We also have Cape Blanco in the race but it is possible that he will wait instead for the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Stakes."

There were four millimetres of rain at York on Thursday with more rain forecast over the next couple of days.

Clerk of thecourse William Derby was reluctant to speculate on what the official going will be come the start of the meeting on Tuesday.

"It's hard to say at the moment with showers predicted for Friday and part of the weekend. It's good, good to soft in places at the moment, and is 6.9 on the GoingStick," he said.

Hi Scotia, I was racing at Turffontein on Sunday in a friends box. I decided to come introduce myself, but it seems the ABC box is no more?

Box still in play

there was no abc or african betting clan box,not at turfontein anyway... Maybe it moved to Flamingo Park?

Sorry it's box 15 we are still there just a name change on door