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I know what a pitta is and will buy a pack for the right kind of meal but PITA is definitely new to me. A proper Indian restaurant made naan is incredibly moreish. I could eat a whole one.

Seriously?

What is a PITA? As for breads, give me a good old Scottish Plain loaf, preferably thick sliced, every time (although I do like lots of foreign breads). Reminds me, my older (#2) and his wife who live in London will happily pay upwards of £5 for a loaf from a 'boutique' baker's. A couple of...

Sandown is scheduled to go ahead with the original card, by the way, following this morning's inspection, with the caveat that further heavy rain may lead to a further inspection. I haven't looked at - and have no intention to do so - today's Wincanton card but they've apparently moved the...

In what sense?

Turftrax going map for Sandown on Saturday:

TV pictures / changes of camera angle don't always make it easy to gauge, which is why empirical evidence is always helpful. My appreciation of this kind of evidence goes back to when Kelly Homes won one of her golds at the Olympics. She appeared to put in a strong finishing burst to hit the...

Phil W was another stirrer-upper in the 'does weight matter?' debate. I miss Honest Tom's masonic index as it relates to Scottish football. He'd be having a field day since VAR came in. Not too long ago I read an analysis of refereeing decisions up here, written by a data analyst. He crunched...

The sectionals say he was just slowing down less than the others (whose stamina was probably ebbing faster).

Yes, despite not running entirely efficiently. ATR's 'efficiency' grades (where A is best): MN5 'D' (the others the same or worse) TA 'D' (runner-up Saint Segal was 'C', presumably for trying (or not being able) to go with the winner from the sixth.) I was wrong about the closing...

I replayed that race and Thistle Ask's race half an hour later simultaneously from the first fence and the novices were faster almost throughout, yet Thistle Ask took seasoned horses out of their comfort zone before next time running Jonbon to three lengths in a G1. The finishing speeds in...

Yes. Try holding a can of beans or a bag of sugar at arm's length. You'll be fine for a wee while but before too long that can or bag will feel incredibly heavy. There must be an element of that in play as horses reach the end of their stamina reserves. This is not unlike the British Cycling's...

Wasn't there an element of pace collapse in that race, Slim?

I don't know the first thing about training horses but I've heard of loads of different training methods in human athletes. Some wear weighted socks in training, I imagine high/long jumpers will do likewise. I remember a documentary showing Linford Christie running with a car or van tyre...

Our Oscar (2020-2016), a pup when we got him from the local rescue centre, was the dog I always wanted and he was as unique to me as anyone else's pet is to them. And he was very much a daddy's boy. I keep getting asked if I'll ever get another dog and so far the answer has always been 'no'...

To the best of my knowledge the authorities have serious computer power constantly generating and analysing data relative to these issues and as the computer power and information quality has improved over the generations so they have tweaked the handicapping processes. I imagine outfits like...

Just to reinforce the point you imply - GA's male opponents will need to run to 159 to dead-heat with or beat her. I would be very wary of taking a chaser's rating as manageable over hurdles. I'd take 10lbs off. Below is a screenshot of the field ordered by RPR and allowing for the mares'...

Reminds me - Rule The World was a G1 placed, G2 winning hurdler, rated 158 in that sphere and still a maiden over fences when it won the National. Class horse.

11-7 it would have been. As I said a week or so back, Mullins has worked out that it takes a Gold Cup contender to win a National these days, especially when he can manage his string in such a way as to get one into the race off what will end up looking like a good mark, even if it seems high...

Yes, same with Myretown last week and something else that ran recently and was well beaten.