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World Cup final one of best games I've ever seen
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Plenty of runners and options over next few days
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Bryony Frost looks 100% fit to me
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Captain Teague my best chance of a winner
It's a busy time of the season for National Hunt racing and few trainers will be busier than Paul this Christmas.
We'll look ahead to his Boxing Day runners and beyond in Friday's Ditcheat Diary, but in today's diary Paul outlines his plans for the coming days.
Paul on the World Cup final
It was one of the best games of football I've ever seen. France were so bad early on but then they woke up and looked like they were going to win it, but what a brilliant game and I suppose it was the right result in the end.
If I had to name any horse that I've trained that I could compare to the great Lionel Messi I'd have to say Kauto Star, he was invincible.
Paul on this week's runners
Plumpton has had 44mm of rain in recent days so the ground has turned soft, good to soft in places, and that will suit Captain Teague (15:35 Plumpton, Tuesday) who won his point-to-point on heavy. We've been waiting for soft ground so hopefully he'll run very tidy.
Holetown Hero (12:25 Plumpton, Tuesday) wouldn't want it too soft so I might declare him for Taunton later in the week. They're inspecting at Plumpton as well so it's a bit of a nightmare at the moment, one day you can be frozen the next day waterlogged.
It's a big day on Wednesday with Lingfield if it's on, where we'll run Frodon's sister Country Lady in the bumper.
At Hereford we'll have Kruger Park in the bumper and Cap Du Mathan in the Novices' Chase who will like soft ground, and then at Taunton I'll declare Lallygag in the Novices' Hurdle. But it's a bit up in the air at the moment (with the weather), but we have plenty of options.
Paul on Bryony Frost and his ones to watch this week
Bryony rode four lots out on Saturday and worked Frodon. She's going off for tests today but for me she's 100% fit. Sometimes you see a jockey and you know they're not ready but for me there's no doubt with her whatsoever.
As for my best chance of a winner this week, Captain Teague will be no price but will run well tomorrow.
If there's a big field then Dancingontheedge in the Mares' Handicap Novices' Hurdle might run well each-way on Wednesday. She seems to be coming right, is on a realistic mark and might run tidy.
Liten to Paul's latest Ditcheat Diary below...