Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hi, Rusty!
Somerset is more or less in a straight line to the west of us, minimally south perhaps.
The Mendips are a range of limestone hills south of Bristol.
I wouldn't know all about hills, but for the fact that when I was at school (in the Dark Ages) we had school "Houses", and they were all named after hills in the UK. I was in Wrekin!
If you find any info about Victoria, do tell me - my interest is stimulated now.
Young and fit! um.......but of course!
Hopefully, your cold will be improved by tomorrow.

Good morning, Elle!
We have a storm coming from the West.
Trains and ferries cancelled.
My cold is not improved.
Yes, I remember now the Mendips are hills and I have heard of Wrekin. I think there was a cycling club there.
This is the latest I could find on Queen Vic.
Shs came second yesterday, beaten only "a head".
Paul Nicholls, the trainer, said she was " brilliant".
He was very pleased with Pacha du Polder, and said there is "tonnes" of improvement in him before Cheltenham.
So, all is going well with Victoria but she needs as much time in the saddle as possible..
Her view is, if she can get to the starting post for the Foxhunters, it would be like winning an Olympic bronze medal.
If she can complete the course it will be like winning Olympic gold.
All the top amateurs should be there, like Nina Carberry, JJ Codd, and Katie Walsh.
And she is very, very, inexperienced, over fences, and cannot possibly win....can she?

For anyone at a loose end

Syzygy's post WSJ has an excellent puzzle- some found it easy, Not me, needless to say, but I did get there. Good fun and unusual

Good morning, Rusty!
I am sorry that your cold has not improved. Are you taking any medication for it? Lemsip? though sometimes, I think its best to let it have its head.
Just be careful that it doesn't develop into a bad cough.
Lovely morning here - I enjoyed being able to go out walking early again. It is the best part of the day!
When is Storm Henry meant to reach you? - I hear that there are expected winds of over 90 mph? Let's hope no more roofs blow off!
The Wrekin is in Telford in East Shropshire.
Speaking of "Telford"....although this was a surname , not a place name........do you remember a programme called "Telford's Change"?
Hannah Gordon (I liked her) and Peter Barkworth - he played a banker, name of Mark Telford.
Excellent series, but only about a dozen (?) episodes. It would have been about 1980?
Victoria might be inexperienced, but the horse certainly isn't - I don't know much about horse-racing, but won't Pacha du Polder's experience help Victoria?

Hi everyone,

Hello Elle and Rusty,

I lived in Telford for a couple of years, and worked for a firm of Solicitors in Market Drayton. Telford at that time was really an Army place, attached to the nearest real town of Donington. (that was in the early 70s)

Elle and Rusty
It appears that you both have four legs each, and not two, as we thought.
Scroll down to race 9 (stewards report)

https://fasttrack.grv.org.au/RaceField/DownloadStewardsReport/-97306

Hello, Pigale!
I know nothing at all about Telford! I was simply in Wrekin House! Each house had a colour - ours was orange! Strange what inconsequentialities our minds retain over the years!

Eirlys, however did you come across greyhounds with those names? Did you already know them?

Hello, Elle!
No improvement. The bug must run it's course!
Storm Henry has caused power cuts in Donegal already.
The wind is rising here although it is a beautiful day...so far.
No, I do not watch these kind of television shows.
Pacha was chosen very carefully for Victoria, and it was very generous of the Stewart family (the owners) to allow Victoria the chance to possibly ride him at Cheltenham.
If you consider that last years winning jockey, Nina Carberry, grew up in a racing family and was riding since she was in nappies almost, that shows the difference in experience that Vic lacks. But, that aside, it will be a great achievement for her to even get to Cheltenham. Do not look for her to win!

Eirlys, I did not know I was running at Geelong!
Leggy Elle, eh?
That may please her!

Hi, Rusty!
Power cuts in Donegal?.......you are still in touch with a lot of family and friends then in Donegal? as well as in Norn Iron?
Down here we have been very fortunate indeed so far, evading the floods and also the snow, and extremely heavy winds.
We have had it very blustery at various stages over the Winter - and a few trees have been blown down in the parks and on the Commons - but fortunately nothing major has happened, and few people have been injured.
Today is still holding out as a lovely day....we are going out again for a second walk very shortly.
So it appears we are 'famous' greyhounds! I wonder how Eirlys discovered "our" names?

Hello, Elle,
Yes, I am in touch with family and friends in Ireland most days.