Monday 9 August

As mentioned on Saturday, Robo and Omaruru are both being very well received and the Partnership that owns Robo, and the club that own Omaruru are filling up fast. Omaruru will be ridden this week, but his exercise will be kept to the minimum, so that he can hopefully get some flesh on his not inconsiderable frame. Racing did its best to pull inj the crowds this weekend - The Shergar Cup at Ascot got a reputed crowd of over 30,000 (and some of them were there for the racing)! The Team principle is a racing concept that I have never warmed to - and quite a few of the crowd were probably there for the post racing concert, but if only a handful of them come back for the racing, and are converts then it is a success. Windsor yesterday, using a football tie-in with jockeys wearing Premiership team strips, and earning points for their 'teams'. I am all for innovation but this idea did seem a little shambolic. Talking of football - a mixed weekend for two of the members of The Oakley Partnership - Ben Turner reportedly had a fantastic game for Coventry City who ran out easy 2-0 winners over troubled Portsmouth, but Jay Tabb was a second half sub in his side, Readings, 2-1 home loss to Scunthorpe, who are many peoples idea of relegation candidates.I still fancy Reading to be promoted, and are great value at 5/1.