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Hi, Rusty!
Hopefully , the weather in Newmarket will be as nice as it is here, and the race will go well.
The 2000 Guineas is for three year olds, isn't it?
My (limited) knowledge of horse racing comes from my reading books by Dick Francis!
I quite thought you has discounted the tea towels idea?
Yes, they do come in handy occasionally!
I am sure your grandson will be very grateful for a couple.
Yes, I have been to the National Portrait Gallery.......although not as often as I have been to the other London Art galleries, as portraiture is not of particular interest to me.
I have been to special Exhibitions held there, though.
And I regularly receive a monthly Newsletter from the NPG - I got this month's yesterday.
Why do you ask?
Is there something on there, in which you are interested?

Hello, Elle!
Hopefully a dry day at Newmarket.
Yes, the 2000 Guineas is for three year old colts and fillies, though it is not often that a filly runs in it.
The fillies have their own race, the 1000 Guineas, tomorrow.
I had a chat with my ASDA friends and they all agreed that tea towels were unhygenic things to be using, but they used them anyway!
So, I am going down the aisle with one of the girls on Monday to see what we discover!
I discovered that one of my favourite sportswomen had a portrait in the National Portrait Gallery.
Here is a clip of it, and it is introduced by another of my favourites, Clare Balding!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-8M29SNHGc

Update, Elle!
Read the loch blog.
Quite a lot going on!

Hi, Rusty!
Hey! Well done, Katie!
That is a great honour to have one's portrait in the National Portrait Gallery.
I shall take a look the next time I am around there.
I do often go to the National Gallery, which is just next-door to the Portrait Gallery.
I wonder when the new Osprey blog was put up?
I looked in much earlier this morning ...and there was no update then?
What a to- do!
I wonder why Laddie did not come to Lassie's rescue and protect her and the eggs from the alien intruders?
But for their son to turn up?!
Goodness me!
So what will happen now?
I guess it's "watch this space...."!

Hello, Elle!
I am pleased for Katie.
I think that was a year or two ago.
I have not seen Clare on TV for some time, come to think of it?
It is unusual for a loch blog to be posted at the weekend.
Lots going on, and then her 2017 chick turned up?
I thought that was a bit young for a chick to return and attempt to breed?
There is an empty nest at Loch Garten for some birds if they fly a bit further North!
I'll keep an eye on happenings at the loch, now!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, the date shown on the clip about Katie's portrait was in February 2014......so a while back now.
And she was obviously still racing at the time, from her conversation with Clare.
I shall go to see the portrait when next I go to Trafalgar Square.
I have just been watching the first Diamond League of the season.
You will have seen it all yesterday?
The coverage on the BBC began with remarking on the recent (latest) court case about Caster Semenya
It really is a moral dilemma , isn't it?
The recent decision has gone with backing the welfare of the majority over that of one individual...,...
I found this article in The Guardian, which I thought put the pros and cons well.
I am not very good at links... I hope this works.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/03/caster-semenya-fair-play-running-athletics-south-african-ethics-sport-science

Do read it through and see what you think?

Hello, Elle!
Katie said she was 29 in the interview and I knew she was in her early thirties, now.
I feel very sympathetic towards Caster.
She is doing her very best with the body she was given.
It is a dilemma for athletics, though, and I can't see how to resolve it.
I don't think she should have to take drugs to reduce the hormones in her body, though.
Have you read about Stella Walsh?
Another very controversial athlete.

https://longreads.com/2016/08/18/the-life-and-murder-of-stella-walsh-intersex-olympic-champion/

Update, Rusty!
We have been having showers ...it has just stopped and the sun is shining.... so I am taking the dog for a walk, whilst it is fine.
I will read your article when I get home and report back then.......

Hi, Rusty!
I am home again, without getting wet.....although it has started raining again now!
April showers continuing into May?
I feel very sorry for Caster Semenya.....
I can understand the decision.......indeed the necessity.......to make Athletics a level playing field.
But, as you so rightly said, Caster should not have to subject her body to drugs.
From her interview, she sounded as though she intends to carry on competing.......but surely monitoring her testosterone levels with drugs is a rather risky procedure?
I do not know what should be the right course of action here....
But the IAAF has ruled for now......
That is one very long article about Stella Walsh...and various other possibly contentious personages.
They were unfamiliar names to me?
How is your horse racing going?
Did you place any bets?

Hello, Elle!
Been a fine day here, but quite windy.
I feel sorry for Caster, too.
But I do not know how to resolve the problem.
Not the first time this has happened.
I remember the Soviet athletes, Irina and Tamara Press.
They had umpteen world records between them, but retired as soon as gender testing was mooted for athletics.
I did not realise the article about Stella was so long.
Basically they only found out she had male characteristics when she was shot dead during a robbery and was autopsied.
Yes, I had a wee bet but my horse did not trouble the judge, unfortunately.
Will maybe try again tomorrow!