For a funny and insightful view in Raceclubs.com you need to read Graham Clifford's View from The Stands!

Biography: Graham is a reporter for the Irish Independent newspaper and is based in London. He presented on the Raceclubs/Getminted horse racing TV show in Britain a number of years back and is the former sports editor of the Irish Post newspaper. Also he has been a broadcast and print journalist for the last decade working in the U.K., Australia and in his native Ireland. He presents a show on local BBC radio in the South East of England and claims to have Psychic powers. He once worked as a body double for Johnny Vegas and represented Slovakia in last year’s Eurovision song contest with the song “random factor blues”!

Some knee-jerk reactions can be lucrative!

If Chelsea captain John Terry ever decides to fire his legal team than he could do worse than recruiting replacements from this website. I asked you to come up with a defence for the 31-year old to the charge than he intentionally kneed a Barcelona player in the back in the recent second-leg of the Champions’ League semi-final. You see after poor old misunderstood John was red-carded he said in TV interviews that he didn’t mean to do it, that it looked worse on the screen than it actually was and in his defence he said that those who knew him would know he’d never do something like this – not the best coming from you Mr. Terry! Instead the Bootle Redsox stable suggested he use this line “It was just a knee-jerk reaction, he’s a jerk so I kneed him” – clear, simple and concise enough for even John to remember! For your efforts Bootle Redsox you win this week’s £10 in bonus credits.

There were some other classic answers too like this one from Dollars Hill – “I was just having a celebratory ' knees up mother brown' as I knew we were gonna win...I was just putting 'the left foot in' and as he obviously doesn’t know the song, he done the Hokey Kokey and he turned around ........., but while lying on the floor''.

Baytown fined for causing light aircraft crash in Australia

The Baytown stable has incurred considerable costs after an injured pilot successfully sued the yard claiming their outrageously dazzling silks caused a minor air accident earlier this year. Tucker McKenzie told a court in Tittybong, Victoria (this town does actually exist by the way!) that on February 30th he was flying his small craft over a virtual track in the area when he looked down only to see a jockey wearing a pink, yellow, white and red top. “I thought I was seeing things” said the 54-year-old father of 15, adding “at first I thought it was all the grog I’d had before taking off that was playing with my eyes but even after I’d refocused those colours were looking back at me.” The aircraft nosedived and crashed into a Victoria Bitter bottling plant but no one was injured and the pilot was treated with six bottles of the local brew for shock.

Mappenors has joy on all fours!

‘Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day. I’ve got a wonderful feeling…everything’s going my way!’ Oh yes, since early morning there’s been joy unconfined at the Mappenors stable. At 8.49am just as many of you were getting up and more were finally getting to bed a big horse called ‘Little Josh’ did his bosses proud over in Canada. The experienced 6-year-old colt held off the stern challenge of ‘Who R Ya’ from the Atlantic Racing stable to capture a fine win which was the 200th of the Mappenors’ stable. Yard owner Andrew was modest in victory posting “I think I am getting the hang of things now” though in reality he’s making a name for himself as one of the best up and coming owners in the game. The stable opened in June of last year and already it’s making strides in the challenge series. On April 26th Mappenor Loophole captured a Ladbrokes Monthly Challenge qualifier for 2-year-old fillies – onwards and upwards!

First Paul Scholes now Siggiewi Lodge

Comeback kings are all over the place these days. In the world of sport Paul Scholes of Manchester United has shown that 37 is the new 21! In our own game a man who took a lengthy breather has decided to try his luck again and it’s wonderful to see Daniel of the Siggiewi Lodge back in the game. It’s over five years since this famous old stable first took horses in and he went down in history by telling a reporter about his routine when a big race is on. He said “I visit the toilet frequently. I must say I don't actually enjoy them. The anxiety kills me.” Well our friend from down under is alive and well and we’re delighted to have you back sir….even if it’s just in ‘a small way’ as you say.

One man’s misfortune leads to another’s sheer joy

Twenty one minutes after the Pdr stable posted “There are still a load of donkeys in the sales ring! Well I guess there's a few less now - I've shot the ones I just bought” on May 1st the Green Farm Racing stable wrote “Not gloating (honestly!) But having just read your post here I decided to buy a horse from the sales ring with a few credits I'd won last night. It was rubbish as well! But then I realised I'd bought it with cash rather than the bonus credits so decided to buy another with the credits and pulled a challenge class colt. So thanks bud as I wouldn't have bought at all if you hadn't put your post up.” Oh well Pdr, your reward will be great someday in the virtual horse racing game in the sky!

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