Weekend musings

Earlier today Blue Bunting made amends for her Epsom disappointment by taking the Irish Oaks while Workforce delighted connections in a Newmarket gallop and looks on course for a clash with St Nicholas Abbey and Rewilding in Saturday's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. This evening Betfred bets 11/10 St Nicholas Abbey, 2/1 Rewilding, 11/4 Workforce; William Hill offers 11/10 St Nicholas Abbey, 5/2 Workforce, 11/4 Rewilding.

They went hard up front in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen, with the result several were struggling on the second circuit. Much as it pains me, I am obliged to report the mother-in-law took one look at the TV two minutes before the off and selected Qulinton; the wretched beast landed the spoils in what can only be described as a very convincing manner. Gutted. With gloating still ringing in my ears, I can report this evening that Stan James offers a miserly-looking 8/1 about David Pipe's charge for the Galway Plate on 27th July while Boylesports quotes 16/1. I wonder if connections are intending to make the trip over the Irish Sea...

Bookshelf notes - The Story of Your Life: A History of "The Sporting Life" Newspaper (1859-1988) looks a must for serious sports fans (currently £17.04 with free P&P from Amazon). Having enjoyed Nicholas Foulkes' Gentlemen and Blackguards: Gambling Mania and the Plot to Steal the Derby of 1844, I was tempted by D J Taylor's Derby Day, marketed as 'a Victorian mystery'; two contrasting reader reviews have made me think again. One tome I will purchase in the near future is The Form Book Jumps Annual 2010-2011 (£21.99).

Finally, if you follow football, Monday night's Dispatches on Channel 4 may be of interest; it's entitled  'How To Buy a Football Club'.