I recorded Channel 4's Saturday afternoon racing program on my Sky+ box and sat down to watch it once I was home from watching my beloved football team Ipswich beat Wolves 3 - 0. Ibn Khaldun was a three length winner of the Racing Post Trophy for Godolphin and looks a nice prospect for next year. He is already being quoted at 10/1 for next years 2000 Guineas. Later in the evening I switched over to ATR to watch the remaining four races in the Breeders Cup Races. I could not believe the state of the ground on the dirt track, nor could I understand the connections of George Washington running him under such conditions. I was looking forward to seeing him run at Newmarket in the Champion Stakes and was naturally disappointed when he was re-routed to go to America. It is such a shame that we will not see him anymore. As for Dylan Thomas, he has never performed on yielding ground and I could not understand how they came to make him such a hot favourite. A very disappointing end to his racing season and to his racing career. He followed in the footsteps of a lot of winners of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in failing miserably in the Breeders Cup Turf. On Sunday it was over to the BBC2 to watch Steeple Chasing from Aintree. How good to see the classy Chasers and Hurdlers out again for another season. Kauto Star nearly gave 14lb to Monet's Garden but tasted defeat for the first time since falling in 2006 Queen Mother Champion Chase. Katchit won the handicap hurdle race for four year olds and looks in line for a another good season. For me the first big race of the new National Hunt season is the Charlie Hall Steeple Chase to be run at Wetherby on Saturday 3rd November. A lot will depend on the going as to who is going to run. Rain is needed in Yorkshire for quite a few of the runners. However we could see State of Play, Aces Four, Ollie Magern, Our Vic, Kingscliff and Monkerhostin. The race is worth £90,000 and is for 5yo's+ run over 3 miles 1 furlong. The excellent Channel 4 racing team will be covering the race. I will be writing another blog regarding the race once I have researched and collated the past winners of the race, and once we have a better idea of who is going to run. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The Racing Post Trophy will be run at Doncaster on Saturday 27th October. This race was the brainchild of the late Phil Bull and his righthand man, Reg Griffin, and was originally known as the Timeform Gold Cup when it was first run in 1961. The purpose of the race was and still is to provide a worthwhile opportunity for high class two year olds bred to stay to race for a valuable stake over a distance commensurate with their stamina. The race is run over a round mile in preference to a straight mile. The race was not designed with the aim of providing a good guide to the following year's classics. Indeed since its inception in 1961 not many winners have gone on to win a classic or a Group 1 in the following season as will be seen from my collation of previous winners. The Timeform organisation sponsored the race for four years and then in 1965 the race became known as the Observer Gold Cup. In 1976 it became known as the William Hill Futurity Stakes and then in 1989 the Racing Post took over sponsorship and have maintained it ever since. This years race looks as though it could go to Curtain Call from Ireland. He looks a worthy favourite on what has been seen so far. For your racecard with the runners and riders go to the sporting life. Now here are those previous winners :- 1961 Miralgo 1962 Noblesse ( won the Oaks in 1963 ) 1963 Pushful ( on the disqualification of Scissors ) 1964 Hardicanute 1965 Pretendre 1966 Ribocco ( won Irish Derby and St Leger in 1967 ) 1967 Vaguely Noble ( won Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1968 ) 1968 The Elk 1969 Approval 1970 Linden Tree 1971 High Top ( won 2000 Guineas in 1972 ) 1972 Noble Decree 1973 Apalachee 1974 Green Dancer 1975 Take Your Place 1976 Sporting Yankee 1977 Dactylographer 1978 Sandy Creek 1979 Hello Gorgeous 1980 Beldale Flutter ( won Benson and Hedges Gold Cup,York in 1981 ) 1981 Count Pahlen 1982 Dunbeath 1983 Alphabatim 1984 Lanfranco 1985 Bakharoff 1986 Reference Point ( won Derby, King George VI Queen Elizabeth and St Leger in 1987 ) 1987 Emmson 1988 Al Hareb 1989 Be My Chief (race run at Newcastle) 1990 Peter Davies 1991 Seattle Rhyme 1992 Armiger 1993 Kings Theatre ( won King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1994 ) 1994 Celtic Swing ( won Prix Du Jockey Club Chantilly in 1995 ) 1995 Beauchamp King 1996 Medaaly 1997 Sartoga Springs 1998 Commander Collins 1999 Aristotle 2000 Dilshaan 2001 High Chaparral ( won Derby, Irish Derby and Breeders Cup Turf in 2002 ) 2002 Brian Bora ( won St Leger in 2003 ) 2003 American Post 2004 Motivator ( won Derby in 2005 ) 2005 Palace Episode ( Dylan Thomas finished 6th ! Look what he has done ) 2006 Authorized ( won Derby in 2007 ) It will be interesting to see if this year's winner is able to progress next season. As you will observe not many winners of this race have gone on to a Group 1 success in the following season, although the trend has started to alter since 2001. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

What a fantastic days racing at Newmarket on Saturday the 20th October. I met up with my old school chums Colin and Peter for the weekend. The weather matched the racing so all in all it was a great weekend break. In the Dewhurst Stakes New Approach showed that he is the best two year old colt around at the moment with a gutsy win. He was given a hard ride by Kevin Manning but responded in true championship fashion. Fast Company ran him very close and like Raven's Pass lost his unbeaten record. In the Champion Stakes Eagle Mountain very nearly proved an able deputy for George Washington but failed by a short head to Literato, from France, who was always holding him cosily. The favourite, Notnowcato, looked as though his hard races this season had caught up with him. The first four home in the Cesarewitch were horses trained by predominantly National Hunt trainers. There were quite a few well backed horses in the race and I am sure if the winner Leg Spinner had not run so poorly at Listowel in Ireland he would have been much shorter than the finishing odds of 14/1. His trainer Tony Martin is a shrewd cookie. Johnny Murtagh gave him a great ride. Johnny Murtagh had a quick fire double by booting home Kitty Matcham in the fillies Rockfel Stakes. She looks a nice prospect for next season together with the second and third, Missit and Royal Confidence. The Jockey Club Cup was won comfortably by Royal and Regal, another from France, trained by that man Andre Fabre for Peter Savill. This race has always been a favourite of mine. I can recall taking my dear friend Dieter to see this race back in 1987. It was his first experience of a race meeting. To him I was the guy who sat in a big office cooking the books, while for me he was a great chef who cooked the food in the kitchens of the leisure group that we were both working for. I went to Newmarket with a strong fancy for Buckley whom I had seen win the Doncaster Cup in the September. Buckley was best on good ground as it was that day. Dieter and I both backed him at 9/1. I could see Ray Cochrane ready to make his move on Buckley as the horses ran into the final furlong. I let out an almighty roar of "come on Buckley" which very nearly knocked Dieter off his feet. Buckley responded impressively and won by two lengths. Dieter was convinced he had heard me and dared not lose. Happy memories. I could have done with a Buckley on Saturday ! However it did not stop us looking up a favourite old watering hole, The White Hart at Great Yeldham, for a very enjoyable dinner after drinks in front of the log fire. Absolute bliss. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

On Saturday the 20th October Newmarket hosts its Champions Day. This is probably the highest class raceday in the British Flat racing calendar. There are two Group 1's, two Group 2's, two Group 3's and the Cesarewitch Handicap making it a seven race card. The £350,000 Group 1 Champion Stakes is for 3 yo's+ run over 10 furlongs. At this early stage George Washington is an intended runner. The other Group 1 is the £250,000 Dewhurst Stakes for 2 yo colts run over 7 furlongs. This is usually a good guide to next years colts classic races. The Group 2 Rockfel Stakes is for 2 yo fillies run over 7 furlongs. This race was won by Finsceal Beo last year, so is a good guide to the fillies classic races next year. The £90,000 Group 2 VC Bet Challenge Stakes is for 3 yo's+ run over 7 furlongs. The two Group 3's are the Jockey Club Stakes for 3 yo's + run over 2 miles and the Igloos Bentwick Stakes for 3 yo's+ run over 6 furlongs. The card is completed with the £160,000 Cesarewitch Handicap for 3 yo's+ run over 2 miles 2 furlongs. At the time of writing this blog Samurai Way is well fancied after humping 10 stone to victory at Ascot at the end of September. Others that I will be looking out for are Enjoy The Moment, Full House and Som Tala. For the runners and riders go to racecards at the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Pipedreamer was an easy winner of the Cambridgeshire on Saturday at Newmarket. He was always travelling well and landed a major public gamble on him. A bit different at Longchamp on Sunday where Authorized was a big disappointment in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He never seemed completely relaxed travelling in last place and when required to move closer there seemed no petrol left in the tank. Dylan Thomas was just the best horse on the day and was given a superb ride by Keiron Fallon. Dylan Thomas has never lost when ridden by Keiron Fallon. Johnny Murtagh rode him to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July. That day Youmzain was four lengths behind him on ground that suited Dylan Thomas much better. The softer ground at Longchamp brought them closer together and very nearly caused an upset. The race was won when Dylan Thomas changed gear and accelerated away from the field, albeit not in a particularly straight line. He has been very consistent all season. The only time he has been beaten this season was over 10 furlongs at Ascot in the Prince of Wales's Stakes where Manduro made him look one paced and then again over 10 furlongs at York in the Juddmonte International where Authorized beat him decisively. Perhaps Authorized had a harder race here than he could stand. After all he did not contest the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes after a hard race in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown. It looks as though both horses are now off to stud. As for Youmzain, he has been runner-up in the two most prestigious one and half mile races for 3yo's + in the season and will apparantly be kept in training for next season. He is a credit to the Mick Channon team. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was inaugurated on 3rd October 1920 and for me it is the greatest flat horse race for horses of all ages run over one and half miles. It is run at Longchamp on the first Sunday in October every year. There have been some truly great winners of this race over the years none more so than Sea Bird II who won in 1965 and Dancing Brave who won in 1986. This year Authorized is, rightly so, a warm favourite to win. On all known form he has the beating of the rest of the field. Only if the going became very heavy things might swing Soldier of Fortune's way. For the race card with the runners and riders go to the sporting life. I have collated the winners since 1959 at the end of the blog for those who want to go down memory lane. It brought back happy memories for me none more so than the 1972 winner San San. Not that I backed her, it was just a great day out organised by the Racegoers' Club. I went with my dear friends Steve and Pete. We saw Allez France (whose Dad was Sea Bird II ) make her racecourse debut over 1 mile. She won easily ridden by Yves Saint-Martin. Also that afternoon Sallust ridden by Joe Mercer won the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp over 1 mile and gave those of us who had travelled over from England something to shout about. Now here are those previous winners since 1959. 1959 Saint Crespin III, 1960 Puissant Chef, 1961 Molvedo, 1962 Soltikoff, 1963 Exbury, 1964 Prince Royal II, 1965 Sea Bird II, 1966 Bon Mot, 1967 Topyo, 1968 Vaguely Noble, 1969 Levmoss, 1970 Sassafras (who beat Nijinsky), 1971 Mill Reef, 1972 San San, 1973 Rheingold (who beat Allez France), 1974 Allez France, 1975 Star Appeal (at 119/1), 1976 Ivanjica, 1977 Alleged, 1978 Alleged, 1979 Three Troikas, 1980 Detroit, 1981 Gold River, 1982 (became sponsored by Trusthouse Forte) Akiyda, 1983 All Along, 1984 Sagace, 1985 Rainbow Quest, 1986 Dancing Brave, 1987 Trempolino, 1988 (became sponsored by Ciga) Tony Bin, 1989 Carroll House, 1990 Saumarez, 1991 Sauve Dancer, 1992 Subotica, 1993 Urban Sea, 1994 (became sponsored by Forte) Carnegie, 1995 Lammtarra, 1996 (now known as the Forte Meridien Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe) Helissio, 1997 Peintre Celebre, 1998 Sagamix, 1999 (now known as it is today as Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Lucian Barriere) Montjeu, 2000 Sinndar, 2001 Sakhee, 2002 Marienbard, 2003 Dalakhani, 2004 Bago, 2005 Hurricane Run, 2006 Rail Link. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

The Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting gets underway on Thursday 4th October for three days. The showpiece of the meeting is the £160,000 Cambridgeshire Handicap for 3yo's+ run over 9 furlongs on the Saturday. It is the first leg of the Autumn double and is one of the big betting races of the season. After his impressive win at Goodwood, Pipedreamer is all the rage and is the current antepost favourite at 5/1. The in form Luca Cumani stable runs Monte Alto, who was impressive when winning over 10 furlongs at Newbury and River Tiber who was a fast finishing second over 8 furlongs at Ascot last Sunday. Al Khaleej from the Ed Dunlop stable looks an interesting runner and at 20/1 could be worth an eachway bet provided he gets a run. Saturday racing starts with a couple of Group 3 races. First we have the £40,000 Oh So Sharp Stakes for 2yo fillies over 7 furlongs and then the Countrywide Steel and Tubes Joel Stakes for 3yo's+ over 1 mile. These will be followed by the £160,000 Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes for 3yo+ fillies over 1 mile. If the going is right for her (good to firm) we could see Nannina storming up the hill in front. Finsceal Beo would be an interesting runner if sent over from Ireland. Friday at Newmarket sees two Group 1 races with the £170,000 Middle Park Stakes for 2yo colts and the £170,000 Cheveley Park Stakes for 2yo fillies. The winners of these races are always worth looking out for next season when they start their three year old campains. These two races are backed up by the £250,000 Tattesalls October Auction Stakes for 2yo's over 6 furlongs. These are just three races from a nine race card which commences at 13.05 and finishes with the last race at 17.30. A good stamina test for everyone. For your racecards with all the runners and riders go to the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".