Slack Jawed Babbling

This season's picks for the 40 to follow project: 1. AS I AM – Don Cantillon Bred and owned by the trainer, showed great attitude to win a decent Cheltenham mares hurdle in the Spring and now goes chasing. Good ground is important. 2. BLUE HERON – Dan Skelton Maiden win over hurdles was stylish and is still learning  - only 5 runs – so more to come from a horse at an up and coming yard. 3. CAPOTE – Jonjo O’Neill Point winner and picked up two good novice hurdles en-route to a 4th at Aintree behind the very good Beat That. Staying novice chases likely to be the aim. 4. CAROLE’S DESTRIER – Neil Mulholland Overall form is a little patchy but the best is good and under right conditions (needs give, and about 2½  miles) should be an interesting novice over fences. 5. CHAMPAGNE WEST – Philip Hobbs Upwardly progressive profile last year culminating with a good 4th to Very Wood in the Albert Bartlett. Graduate from the 13-14 list and good things expected. 6. CHE...

Quick update, mainly because the last few weeks have been reasonably profitable. August update here for reference. G Force was mightily impressive in the Sprint Cup, the extra furlong was the making of him. A big run was on the cards after his hampered effort trying to follow Soul Power’s weave through in the Nunthorpe made his apparently poor finishing position look deceptive. Euro Charline also did the business in France, though I was far too spawny with my staking. And Nafaqa won well today in a curious betting heat that saw my fiver at 4-1 this morning turn into 8-1 this afternoon. The money came in shovel loads for White Lake. This was the first bet on Nafaqa, who has been on the list since Royal Ascot, but only ran once since at an unbackable price in July. Tiggy Wiggy also continued his wonderful Summer. At the other end of the success continuum, Madeed has been dumped after a couple lacklustre runs. Telescope was outclassed in the International, but is retained here ...

Never was a holiday so indulgently welcomed. Tenerife, an island that has revealed its layered charms to Family Atkinson time after time, again restored spirits (and topped up sangria and suntan levels).     Granny’s deep resistance to the insidious cancer that had wracked her body finally overwhelmed it at the end of July. The end to her tungsten struggle came with dignity and respect, and with grief and loss. We had already planned a holiday with Auntie Sue in the Canaries, before Granny took a final turn for the worse. In the circumstances, we considered simply binning the trip. But given that Sue had come over for her Mum's funeral, we felt returning with her for a week of family-focused relaxation might just be the boost our collective serotonin levels would need. The funeral was an epic of its kind. As befits a life full of love, friendship, selflessness and good humour, Granny’s final appearance at the Church she adored was played out before a packed hous...

Summertime rolls, as Jane’s Addiction sharply observed back in 1988. I don’t think they were talking about picnic provisions. The season always seems to kick on with haste, leaving moments, events and experiences struggling for attention in its dusty trail. Already the glittering World Cup in Brazil seems like a distant memory as the papers revert to transfer gossip and manager mind-game-mongering. In football terms, the tournament will be remembered as a success. We enjoyed more goals scored than in any of the previous Finals; witnessed some electrifying skill (Van Persie’s arched back header will live long in the memory); confirmed a new generation of talent (Rodriguez looks sublime) and marvelled at vibrant, emotional, spine tingling support from the home nation. And the best team won. RVP makes his mark Brazil’s problems won’t go away because of this success. The controversial investment in this World Cup and 2016’s Olympic Games at the perceived expense of local job...