Tuesday 3rd July 2018

The World Cup that keeps on giving. I’m not sure the standard is the best we’ve ever seen but for excitement levels, it’s been nothing short of spectacular. I was very glad Belgium turned it around against Japan last night. It seemed my bet on the Croatia vs Belgium final, had gone out of the window. The problem with Belgium, their manager isn’t good enough for the team.

We’ll see how England go tonight. I think we’ve got rather carried away but hope I’m wrong. Struggled against Tunisia, beat a non-league side in Panama and lost to Belgium in a game nobody tried to win. Columbia aren’t great, but this is England, managed by a guy that ticks all the right boxes for the FA and that’s about it.

Let’s not forget Southgate was sacked at Middlesbrough, losing more games than he won but somehow then got the under 21 job. In 2015 Southgate guided the team to finish bottom of the group stages. He’s now the best thing since sliced bread it seems. I can’t quite work it out but very happy to be proved wrong. Once things for sure, we’ll never have a better chance of getting to another World Cup final for a very long time.

Cotton Club ran a cracker for his owners at Uttoxeter on Sunday. It was a boiling hot day and quite uncomfortable. The parade ring floor was melting! Cotton Club finished second, beaten by a horse that cost £135,000. That’s a rather expensive Summer recruit. We finished 13 lengths clear of the 3^rd place horse. Cotton Club is a bonny lad and will get further than 2m4, we might go up in trip next time.

Stratford bound tonight with Henry Smith in the first race. Henry Smith ran well on his hurdles debut finishing second. He’s a nice horse but wouldn’t be proven on this quick ground. Hatcher will take plenty of beating whilst Carntop was 100 rated on the flat. It’s another good maiden as all of them have been this summer. The strength of racing in the warmer months has gone up ten-fold this year.