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1308: Mick Fitzgerald on BBC1: “It’s not too soft, it’s not too firm. It’s perfect jumping ground and for me today it’s The Package.” The weather really is stunning by the way. This from the Met Office for the Merseyside area: "A fine dry and sunny day. Winds should be light and it will feel pleasantly warm. Maximum Temperature: 18C (64F).
1306: On top of Hello Bud is a17-year-old jockey with half en eye on his A-levels,](http://www.paklinks.com/sport2/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/8607966.stm)we will also see thebest lady rider for many a year](http://www.paklinks.com/sport2/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/8603557.stm)with a genuine chance of winning (on Character Building), and then there’s my personal favourite -the horse born on a disused allotment on top of an old slagheap](http://www.paklinks.com/sport2/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/8606072.stm)who flirted with death before being saved by pioneering surgery. Dream Alliance returned from all that to win the 2009 Welsh National.
1304: Anyway, that’s enough nonsense from me for the time being. It’s not as if we are short of potential fairytales this year, by the way.
1302: So, have you checked out the State of Play to find the Dream Alliance of horse and jockey that will land you The Package of cash you need to brighten up your day further? It’s not easy to pick a winner in such a Niche Market but it’s always a Character Building exercise.
1258: Did I, perhaps, forget something? The 163rd running of the most famous horse race in the world, that’s what, and today Aintree is lit up by the sort of spring sunshine that might even rustle a smile from Victor Meldrew.
1255: Don’t you love this time of year? In a sporting context alone, we can bask in untold excitement - the start of the cricket season, the climax of the football season and the beauty of Augusta.
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