Ivy Creek

Atlanta - MARTA, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

Nothing too much to say today, a quiet day at home, up late, listening to music, chatting with the family on the phone. Fred is still working hard despite there being only two weeks left of the school term. It was nice to see Bram and Mar, back from their holiday in France, Eric comes round soon for dinner and then we go to Mariette and Arnoud's joint 40th birthday party later in the evening, where hopefully there will be enough room INSIDE as it looks very much as if it might rain soon.

Diana told me about all the flooding in and around Sheffield, where although it did not seem to have rained all that hard, teh rain which did come was on top of a lot of rain which they had before. The reservoirs were alreay full and houses had been built where they should not have been built, namely on the flood plains and sure enough, it was these houses which suffered the most damage. Sheffield itself has five rivers and the valleys are quite step, so in this respect it was easy for the rivers to burst thir banks. Meadowhall, the very big shopping centre outside of town is still closed apparently... what a disaster for shoppers!

At least Diana did not suffer any damage, although James was due to play a concert in the local park today, but that has ben cancelled due to the weather.

The weather is affecting the going for the racing and it will not help either Take The Stand nor Ballycassidy in tomorrow's Summer National at Market Rasen. Kock de Vesvre looks to have a better chance at about 5-1, not sure if I'll have a punt. In the meantime, after I was blocked from the Racing Post site last week, I managed to read about Ivy Creek's listed race win at Pontefract last Sunday. He was the horse who did me such a favour on the first of the month down at Goodwood. It turns out that he has won all his races on going softer than good and lost all those firmer than good. They also reckon he could be a Group 1 or Group 2 horse, so connections will be hoping that the rain sticks around for a bit longer. His next assignment is the Group 2 Princess of Wales Stakes at Newmarket on July 12 and the forecasters here in Holland do not expect much of a let up in the rain much before the 10th!