An old, fat fool starts a log. Hope no-one minds

Any thoughts on Bertiewhittle in the 15.15 at Newmarket Pete? Ive had a ''tip''

Excellent Guest beat him over 7f at Ascot three runs ago at level weights (two runs ago for excellent guest) today they re-oppose with bertie 1 lb better off. So on that form they should more or less dead heat today. As bertie is 10-1 and Excellent guest 18-1, excellent guest is therefore much better value and is my choice in that race.

However

Manchester United were without doubt the best team in the league last year yet they still lost a few and drew others. This is a one off, 90 seconds during which anything can happen and probably will.

It is a good pick and I cannot say it won't win and I wouldn't discourage you from backing it. It is co-favourite of five according to the Hills advert in my racing post, and I couldn't say that one of the others won't win either.

Good luck to you. But I hope it comes second to mine

Ive put money on it so it'll more than likely pull up lame haha

Good luck then.

The only thing you need to remember about gambling is never put petrol money on a horse intending to fill up out of the winnings. That will lead to a lot of walking. Fill up first and bet with the change.

Great unequipped training recently mate.

I always enjoy reading your escapades too.

I would always like to add that you, sir, have inspired me to ditch the knee wraps and suits for now and lift unequipped. Like your good self, I am a fan of the knee wrapped squat but I can't see myself ever competing equipped again. I've even put the knee sleeves away for now. It's all very refreshing. I have my squat boots, belt, wrist wraps and box of chalk and that's all I take with me. It feels, literally, like a weight off my back.

Thank you and thank you

I will happily take the credit for that. It really is a breath of fresh air, a gymbag half the size of the previous one and so much more comfortable. I wish you the best of luck with it.

Wise words Sir

I believe it has finished just about now. Just ahead of mine. Bloody horses, I'm sure most of them don't even read the script.

Managed to sneak in one winner at 25-1 so a takeaway has been ordered for nine o' clock.

A take away that gives pleasure and is slimming? You are truly a man of discernment.

Indeed I am. The takeaway has been and gone and very nice she was too. Half way through the weekend and so far it's been a very good one, sunshine, horses that run faster than the others, winnings, women in suspenders and finally we finish the day with Lock,stock and two smoking barrels on channel 24.

Tomorrow I go to a car dealers of repute to negotiate the changing of the car. If it costs less than "X" I will be happy as Larry, more than "Y" and I will take the hammer out murdering, between "X" and "Y" and neither of the two will happen.

Let us hope my good fortune continues.

Well what a day it has been. Arrived at the dealers at 11 in the a.m. and commenced in the usual manner. I tell him the car I want and he tells me the price, he looks at my car and offers me a price, dependent on that price I accept or we negotiate. Over the years I have got to be quite good at guessing what the cost of the change will be and I am not usually too far out. I have also have several long talks with Dan who is very well versed in these matters and as stressed the need to be realistic rather than optimistic.

As I say above, more than "Y" and I am very unhappy, his opening price-to-change was "Y"+2.2K
"WWWWWHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I roared
"Not a f**kin' chance" I added and that is f**kin' with an "F"

He promised to see what he could do and wandered off and returned with "Y"+£1500

I rose to leave but was urged to resume my seat, he wandered off again

I will spare you all the thrust and parry of this nonsense and get to the bottom line. After two hours of this the figure was down to "X"-£200

Now bear in mind that the difference between "X" and "Y" is £1000 and we have gone to £2,200 over the most I would pay to £200 less than the figure I would happily pay. That's over three grand difference.

The world has grown far more complicated that I like. The old way I understood and liked a lot, this is complicated and involves of fiscal jigger-pokery, but it's legal and it's saving me three grand.

I'm happy

But confused.

Pete, this baffles me too.

As a doctor, when I do 'business' with people I tell them the truth. If I didn't, I'd get dragged in front of the GMC and get my license to practise removed. Simple as.

My natural reaction when doing fiscal transactions with others is to automatically assume that they are telling me the truth. It's naive but doctors generally are a naive bunch when dealing with money. I really have to force myself to question, haggle and the like.

They clearly wanted the sale, and were prepared to do almost anything to get the price down to something I would agree to. Basically they kept making me offers that I kept refusing, until one of them had a brainwave which bought the figure to something so realistic that I think we all were surprised. I literally could not say no to it

I take a friend of mine with me when I go to these places as two heads are better than one and he is a memory-check for me. We went through the figures four times and confirmed they were correct.