midnight_son

A promising 2nd on his first run, should be winning soon, a bit unlucky today as the favourite carried him across the width of the track. Not a grey either.

For all the pigeon fanciers that like a gamble (and I know there are plenty) there is a horse running in the 2.00 Newmarket by the name of Grizzle. Everyone likes a grizzle in their team. Unraced before today so who knows how good it will be but from a top stable. I wonder how it got the name of Grizzle ?

2/3 home, just waiting on my old hen going for her silver award. She would have lapped the 2 that are home at her best so hope she is ok - worried !

Yeah heard it wasn't a weather issue, that was all i thought of when i saw they were up late

Good to know

Arras birds didn't go until 10.30 ? Was that bad weather

Sending 3 or 4. Best hope is an old hen going for silver award, previously 5th open and 40th open from channel plus 179th open Eastbourne. Only time she has failed in a national she came home 4th day hawked to bits ! This is her last race win, lose or draw so hoping she has saved her best until last. Also sending her daughter for the first time and a mealy hen who scraped on Ypres result last year. Debating whether to send my 2nd bird from Tours back. I forgot the SNFC showed all birds timed on the result so i never bothered timing him in but he was home about 1400 2nd day and has bounced back very well.

Looks a bit dodgy this weekend. Bad weather coming in from the west on Friday. They might get a start on Friday morning but could start hitting rain from 1300, maybe 200 miles from home. Showers would be ok but if it is solid rain they might get shut out. Trouble is that Saturday looks a write off and Sunday not much better. Maybe a 5.30 liberation with a South West wind on Friday and cross fingers they squeeze through before the rain hits. Not a good weekend to be a race controller !

Well done all who timed in especially the winners Crombie and Mechan. Spare a thought for my dad (Richard Combe)however, in the longest race he has now been 3 x 2nd open and 4th open once in the last 8 times the long race has been flown (the race was cancelled in 2007 due to bird flu). Not to mention plenty other high positions. I'm going back into partnership with him next year so hopefully he's waiting til I'm back to get that elusive 1st open ! Can someone PM me John Mechan's telephone number please

Last count my dad 4/6 and me 2/3, a good weekend's racing just what was needed after last weekend !

Well done IB, glad you sent and glad you got one

Excellent performance, well done

My dad got another 2 just either side of 9am and i'm in at 9.30

Well done, that Pea Soup must be very localised, its been beautiful and clear here all morning, just a bit low lying mist. 3.53 is incredibly early after a full 17 hour first day. Must have been right on the doorstep !

Aye, they are hard as nails, incredible resilience

My dad's bird at 2048 was 13th open Bourges last year, his full brother was 4th open Bourges the same day and their dam was 2nd open Tours behind Scott Gibson in 2006

My old man is in 2048 !

You've done enough already Andy ! 1905 Crombie and Mechan Annan 2007 D. Nordon Langholm

Well done, good to hear they're gettin closer

Well, that is Ypres out the way. It seemed to go alright for most folk. What time do we expect Tours arrivals ? I think by 2030 to win the national in central belt

Me 1650 J Combe Elphinstone

Are SNRPC in joint convoy today or going solo ?

Just been on the MNFC site, first time I've looked at it and its very impressive. Clearly they are a very modern, forward thinking club, online race entry and verification, maps showing the racepoints and sections etc, 17 birds to the basket. Very good. I see they have a yearling classic race from a distance of around 500 miles to central belt on our Clermont weekend - perhaps we should keep this in mind as a possible joint convoy opportunity in future ? Hope they post up some early times on the site so we can see what speed they're doing. Got to be a good chance of Tours birds in Scotland tonight ? Early liberation gives them 17 hours of daylight if they're fit enough, keen enough and good enough.

Section B entry up 32% on last year for Tours and up 33% on last year for Ypres. Not bad considering the disaster of last week and the tough Marlborough. Maybe channel racing has a future after all - a couple of good races this weekend would help !

I sent 3, main hope a 2YO hen sitting 2 day baby who won from Harlow midweek race, flew SNFC Bovingdon and won from SNFC Ypres as a yearling. Those were 3 tough races for her and I was always just getting her ready in the nick of time to go back. I was impressed with how she kept bouncing back from hard races and I feel she has more to give having been kept fresh for this race all year. Hopefully she will produce a personal best this week and we'll see if that is good enough. My dad sent 6, including 4th open Bourges cock, 10th open Andrezel cock and 13th open Bourges cock so plenty experience away. Think he fancies a 2YO first timer hen more than them though. Good luck to all and hopefully we have happier things to discuss in the aftermath of this one.