Well it should have been another weekend of high class racing. Once again it all goes wrong.
First of all the lovely grey Detroit City dies in a race at Ascot, the second weekend racing has been overshadowed by a star paying the ultimate price. The post mortem seems to suggest it was a ruptured valve in his heart that killed him. Not being a vet I don’t know if that was caused by the fall or if it caused him to fall. Either way it is going to add more ammunition to the guns of the anti-racing brigade.
The other problem is entirely internal to racing. Owners and trainers always seem to be complaining about the lack of prize money, yet Huntingdon stage a £70,000 chase and only four horses are declared to run at the overnight stage and, following late injuries, only two actually raced, turning the whole event into a virtual farce. Come on owners and trainers what is your problem?
For Saturday's review visit http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/SuperSaturday.html
Saturday, 24 November 2007
Thursday, 22 November 2007
Racing on a wing and a prayer
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Oops, sorry, going off on a tangent there.
Yesterday was a days racing at Hexham, for those of you saying where? Hexham is a market town 20 miles west of Newcastle.
Living, as I do, in Milton Keynes a day trip to Hexham turns into a major logistical exercise. At the end of the day you are faced with three options all pretty similar in terms of cost.
Option one was to drive, a 516 mile round trip which my sat-nav says would be 4½ hours each way, total cost about £70 for petrol.
Option two was to catch the train. Unfortunately Milton Keynes is on the West Coast mainline and Hexham is near the East Coast. The options would then be to either get the train via London or a 1¼ drive to get the train from Peterborough, still a 3½ hour journey. Total cost about £65. (£45 train fare, £10 parking and about a tenner for petrol)
Option three was to fly. A 45 minute flight from Stansted to Newcastle then a couple of trains to get to the course. Total cost £74.50 (£47 flight, £17.50 parking and £10 petrol)
In the end I opted to fly and so I was at Stansted, after setting off from home at 06:30, having gone through security and trying to find a Racing Post in Smith’s when I get a text. “Hexham holding an inspection following overnight rain.”
Bugger what do I do, I could wait for the result of the inspection but then possibly miss the flight or I could continue to Newcastle and hope the course passes an inspection. The alternative didn’t bear thinking about – just how does one kill a spare, midweek day in Newcastle?
In the end I decided to chance it and caught the flight.
Have you noticed, when they make the safety announcements, they say do not use your mobile phone until you are well inside the terminal building. Well, I’ll tell you, my mobile was on as soon as they opened the door of the plane and I was sure as hell relieved to pick up a message saying racing was on – it wasn’t to be a wasted journey after all.
Or was it?
Once outside Newcastle itself the view from the train window was becoming quite attractive, however one thing was worrying me, it looked quite misty outside and I remembered that Hexham was perched on top of a hill.
My foreboding increased as the free bus crawled, and I mean crawled, its way up the hill. All of a sudden it was looking very misty, no make that foggy.
I was thinking I had come all this way and I was going to be thwarted by a Brighton like fog. Luckily as the coach broached the top of the hill the fog did thin out, certainly enough for racing to go ahead.
Hexham is what can best be described as a Spartan course. ( http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/Hexham.html ) and that is also a description that can be applied to its culinary offerings as well. By mid afternoon having not had anything decent to eat all day I made the choice to cut my losses with the racing and head back to Newcastle for a bite to eat.
Now Hexham kindly provide a free bus service between the station and the course, however the only bus back is after the last race. Therefore if I wanted to escape early it was to be a case of walking – yes me actually walking – at least it was all downhill. I was knackered by the time I reached Hexham station and dying for a cup of tea or something. There was a very nice café on the station, of course it was closed.
I eventually did manage to get a meal and very nice it was too. The flight home was on time, actually I lie, it arrived at Stansted 20 minutes early – well done Easyjet, credit where credit is due.
It was lashing with rain and of course I was parked in the open, about as far away from the terminal as it is possible to get. Why is it a 75 minute drive seems to take twice as long when you are soaked through?
I eventually go home just after ten, 15½ hours after setting out.
Was it worth such a long day just to watch five mediocre races – yes it was!!!
Yesterday was a days racing at Hexham, for those of you saying where? Hexham is a market town 20 miles west of Newcastle.
Living, as I do, in Milton Keynes a day trip to Hexham turns into a major logistical exercise. At the end of the day you are faced with three options all pretty similar in terms of cost.
Option one was to drive, a 516 mile round trip which my sat-nav says would be 4½ hours each way, total cost about £70 for petrol.
Option two was to catch the train. Unfortunately Milton Keynes is on the West Coast mainline and Hexham is near the East Coast. The options would then be to either get the train via London or a 1¼ drive to get the train from Peterborough, still a 3½ hour journey. Total cost about £65. (£45 train fare, £10 parking and about a tenner for petrol)
Option three was to fly. A 45 minute flight from Stansted to Newcastle then a couple of trains to get to the course. Total cost £74.50 (£47 flight, £17.50 parking and £10 petrol)
In the end I opted to fly and so I was at Stansted, after setting off from home at 06:30, having gone through security and trying to find a Racing Post in Smith’s when I get a text. “Hexham holding an inspection following overnight rain.”
Bugger what do I do, I could wait for the result of the inspection but then possibly miss the flight or I could continue to Newcastle and hope the course passes an inspection. The alternative didn’t bear thinking about – just how does one kill a spare, midweek day in Newcastle?
In the end I decided to chance it and caught the flight.
Have you noticed, when they make the safety announcements, they say do not use your mobile phone until you are well inside the terminal building. Well, I’ll tell you, my mobile was on as soon as they opened the door of the plane and I was sure as hell relieved to pick up a message saying racing was on – it wasn’t to be a wasted journey after all.
Or was it?
Once outside Newcastle itself the view from the train window was becoming quite attractive, however one thing was worrying me, it looked quite misty outside and I remembered that Hexham was perched on top of a hill.
My foreboding increased as the free bus crawled, and I mean crawled, its way up the hill. All of a sudden it was looking very misty, no make that foggy.
I was thinking I had come all this way and I was going to be thwarted by a Brighton like fog. Luckily as the coach broached the top of the hill the fog did thin out, certainly enough for racing to go ahead.
Hexham is what can best be described as a Spartan course. ( http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/Hexham.html ) and that is also a description that can be applied to its culinary offerings as well. By mid afternoon having not had anything decent to eat all day I made the choice to cut my losses with the racing and head back to Newcastle for a bite to eat.
Now Hexham kindly provide a free bus service between the station and the course, however the only bus back is after the last race. Therefore if I wanted to escape early it was to be a case of walking – yes me actually walking – at least it was all downhill. I was knackered by the time I reached Hexham station and dying for a cup of tea or something. There was a very nice café on the station, of course it was closed.
I eventually did manage to get a meal and very nice it was too. The flight home was on time, actually I lie, it arrived at Stansted 20 minutes early – well done Easyjet, credit where credit is due.
It was lashing with rain and of course I was parked in the open, about as far away from the terminal as it is possible to get. Why is it a 75 minute drive seems to take twice as long when you are soaked through?
I eventually go home just after ten, 15½ hours after setting out.
Was it worth such a long day just to watch five mediocre races – yes it was!!!
Monday, 19 November 2007
Grumpy Old Mobile
How did we all survive before the mobile phone was invented?
I ask because everywhere one looks nowadays there are people going around with mobile phones either clamped to their ears or in their hands being used for text messaging.
Even more worrying is the number of drivers who, despite current legislation, still drive whilst using the phone. Frighteningly this also includes drivers of HGV’s and delivery vans who seem to ignore the restrictions with impunity.
With the billions of pounds being spent on pointless wars, surely it cannot be beyond the wit of man to produce a device which will disable mobile phones in a vehicle whilst the engine is running?
I admit I do have a mobile phone, I don’t like having one but it is a necessity, especially when a large proportion of my working life is spent on the racecourse. However I do turn my phone off when I am driving and I also turn it off as soon as I am home – and what a stir that causes.
I have lost count of the number of messages left on my phone complaining that people have tried to contact me but my phone has been turned off. Invariably these have been left when I have been at home. My response is invariably the same, the clue is in the title - “mobile” phone – I use it when I am mobile. When I am at home I can be contacted on my home phone it is that simple. Of course I only give my home phone number to those who I really want to contact me in my own time.
The trouble with mobile phones is people now expect you to be available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Have you also noticed the number of web sites that now insist on you entering a telephone number if you want to purchase anything from the site. I have a simple answer to that one, I just make a number up.
So if you get a call for someone you have never heard of asking, about an order about which you know nothing, then I apologise it could have been me who gave your number. Just don’t take the call when you are driving!!!
I ask because everywhere one looks nowadays there are people going around with mobile phones either clamped to their ears or in their hands being used for text messaging.
Even more worrying is the number of drivers who, despite current legislation, still drive whilst using the phone. Frighteningly this also includes drivers of HGV’s and delivery vans who seem to ignore the restrictions with impunity.
With the billions of pounds being spent on pointless wars, surely it cannot be beyond the wit of man to produce a device which will disable mobile phones in a vehicle whilst the engine is running?
I admit I do have a mobile phone, I don’t like having one but it is a necessity, especially when a large proportion of my working life is spent on the racecourse. However I do turn my phone off when I am driving and I also turn it off as soon as I am home – and what a stir that causes.
I have lost count of the number of messages left on my phone complaining that people have tried to contact me but my phone has been turned off. Invariably these have been left when I have been at home. My response is invariably the same, the clue is in the title - “mobile” phone – I use it when I am mobile. When I am at home I can be contacted on my home phone it is that simple. Of course I only give my home phone number to those who I really want to contact me in my own time.
The trouble with mobile phones is people now expect you to be available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Have you also noticed the number of web sites that now insist on you entering a telephone number if you want to purchase anything from the site. I have a simple answer to that one, I just make a number up.
So if you get a call for someone you have never heard of asking, about an order about which you know nothing, then I apologise it could have been me who gave your number. Just don’t take the call when you are driving!!!
Mixed Open
Well winter is here - I must be a soft southerner but I am not used to snow in November - Yuk.
Well the Open Meeting at Cheltenham was nothing if not controversial.
On Friday 14 year old Spot Thedifference, once again, won the cross country, then stumbled and fell after the line. Luckily he was OK and the cheer from the crowd when he was seek to be OK was the loudest of the afternoon. I must be honest though, I do not like seeing these older horses competing, I would like to see a rule whereby all horses should retire after their twelve year old season. Yes 13 and 14 year olds do win, but far too many also collapse and die either during or after their races.
Saturdays racing was marred by the deaths of two very promising young horses. Willyanwoody suffered his fall in the novice chase and his rider Ruby Walsh was also injured.
Granite Jack met his end in the big race of the afternoon, the Paddy Power Chase. More significantly he fell at the notorious second last fence.
I say notorious because, of the fifteen fences on the course, this particular fence accounts for 30% of all fallers. This is far too high a proportion and something needs to be done to make this fence safer.
The meeting turned into a farce on Sunday when the weather took a dramatic turn and it was only the really hardy racegoers who braved the elements.
In a way it was a fitting end to the meeting that the last race was abandoned.
Well the Open Meeting at Cheltenham was nothing if not controversial.
On Friday 14 year old Spot Thedifference, once again, won the cross country, then stumbled and fell after the line. Luckily he was OK and the cheer from the crowd when he was seek to be OK was the loudest of the afternoon. I must be honest though, I do not like seeing these older horses competing, I would like to see a rule whereby all horses should retire after their twelve year old season. Yes 13 and 14 year olds do win, but far too many also collapse and die either during or after their races.
Saturdays racing was marred by the deaths of two very promising young horses. Willyanwoody suffered his fall in the novice chase and his rider Ruby Walsh was also injured.
Granite Jack met his end in the big race of the afternoon, the Paddy Power Chase. More significantly he fell at the notorious second last fence.
I say notorious because, of the fifteen fences on the course, this particular fence accounts for 30% of all fallers. This is far too high a proportion and something needs to be done to make this fence safer.
The meeting turned into a farce on Sunday when the weather took a dramatic turn and it was only the really hardy racegoers who braved the elements.
In a way it was a fitting end to the meeting that the last race was abandoned.
Monday, 12 November 2007
Time speeds by
As my great hero and role model Victor Meldrew would say, “I don’t believe it.”
Yet another Monday morning has snuk up on me and the sidebar on my laptop is telling me it is already November 12th …. good heavens to Betsy, it only seems like yesterday that we were welcoming in 2007.
I once read a very good theory as to why time seems to fly as you get older and the more I think about it the more I believe it is right. It goes something like this.
When you are ten years old a single year is 10% of your life, which is quite a significant proportion of it. That is why school holidays seemed to last forever.
When you are 50 though, the same year only represents 2% of your life, a much smaller proportion. So relatively speaking, a year for a 50 year old seems to pass by five times quicker than a year for the ten year old.
Think about it!!
OK that is enough philosophy, my brain is starting to hurt.
Time flying has been relevant this last week because doing my paperwork I realise I drove over 1,100 miles last week, just going racing, yet the week just flew by. I have worked out I spent around 24 hours last week just driving. That's a whole bloody day!!!! Am I mad, or what?
This week is going to be a great deal less driving. Tomorrow Kempton stages a rare “real” race meeting – by real I mean a jump meeting and not the usual silly sand stuff. I am just going to check the cards and if they are any good I will be there tomorrow.
On Thursday it is off to Taunton – I need to do a review of the course for the web site. My memories from previous visits is of a rather basic, compact course.
The real racing this week, however, starts on Thursday, with the three day Cheltenham meeting, what I call the mini festival – guess where I will be later this week?
Oh well enough blogging – I need to write to make some money!!
Yet another Monday morning has snuk up on me and the sidebar on my laptop is telling me it is already November 12th …. good heavens to Betsy, it only seems like yesterday that we were welcoming in 2007.
I once read a very good theory as to why time seems to fly as you get older and the more I think about it the more I believe it is right. It goes something like this.
When you are ten years old a single year is 10% of your life, which is quite a significant proportion of it. That is why school holidays seemed to last forever.
When you are 50 though, the same year only represents 2% of your life, a much smaller proportion. So relatively speaking, a year for a 50 year old seems to pass by five times quicker than a year for the ten year old.
Think about it!!
OK that is enough philosophy, my brain is starting to hurt.
Time flying has been relevant this last week because doing my paperwork I realise I drove over 1,100 miles last week, just going racing, yet the week just flew by. I have worked out I spent around 24 hours last week just driving. That's a whole bloody day!!!! Am I mad, or what?
This week is going to be a great deal less driving. Tomorrow Kempton stages a rare “real” race meeting – by real I mean a jump meeting and not the usual silly sand stuff. I am just going to check the cards and if they are any good I will be there tomorrow.
On Thursday it is off to Taunton – I need to do a review of the course for the web site. My memories from previous visits is of a rather basic, compact course.
The real racing this week, however, starts on Thursday, with the three day Cheltenham meeting, what I call the mini festival – guess where I will be later this week?
Oh well enough blogging – I need to write to make some money!!
Saturday, 10 November 2007
Horns of a Dilema
I had long planned to revisit one of my favourite racecourses, Wincanton, today. It is a long trek but invariably worth it.
Suddenly, last night, I became torn – Saturday was also the climax of the flat season at Donny, Doncaster if you didn’t know.
Normally it is a no brainer decision when it comes to choosing between a decent jump meeting and any flat meeting. However this decision was different, the climax of the flat season was unusually exciting with two jockeys, Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders both in with a real chance of winning the title. At the end of racing on Friday Sanders was one ahead and both had plenty of rides at Doncaster.
In the end Wincanton won in terms of being graced by my presence and it was a great day out, despite the 276 mile round trip. As an added bonus it turned out to be a profitable day, backing five winners and having a juicy forecast as well.
Meanwhile at Donny it was getting really exciting. For a blow by blow account take a look at http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/Jockey_Title.html .
It is not very often that jockeys championships go to the last day, yet alone the last race of the season. With all the recent bad publicity it is really nice to have racing appearing in news bulletins for all the right reasons.
Most of the racing coverage outside (and indeed inside) the racing press at the moment concerns the “Fallon trial” – once it is over I will have a lot to say on that topic. However I will keep quiet for now, lest I end up before the Justice on a contempt of court charge.
Originally I had hoped that Seb Sanders would win the title, however now it is over I think the tie is the best possible result and it was good to see both of them being so sporting and gracious to each other at the end.
Now I am knackered, it has been a long week, with a lot of racing and plenty of miles on the clock. Tomorrow will be a rare lie in and I am looking forward to it.
Every racecourse this week has been freezing cold – I really am going to have to invest in some thermals. But now I am off to bed, nite nite.
Friday, 9 November 2007
Day Off?
Well today is meant to be a day off, even racing addicts have to do the old domestic stuff every now and then ... food has to be bought and the ironing pile is getting embarrassingly high. I must admit that is my fault, in the good old days I was able to make a shirt last all week, now it is usually two a day - there is a price to pay for sartorial elegance.
One trait I have fortunately dropped is the silly habit of having a "lucky racing outfit". I think it began after a rather lean betting spell. One of those horrible spells we all have, where even if there was a walkover the horse would still contrive to fall over before crossing the line. When the drought ended it ended in style with four decent priced winners in an afternoon. By a quirk of fate I happened to be wearing a new racing tie that day - you know the sort of tie I mean, a plain tie with a neat horse motif printed on it.
Well I thought the tie has bought me luck and the stupid thought was further engrained when I wore it again next day and, again, has a successful punting afternoon. Well that was it I could not go racing without my lucky tie, if I did forget to wear it I would invariably lose. Of course it was all twaddle, it was just in the mind but it was incredibly hard to shake off the notion once it was stuck in my head.
Racegoers are often superstitious people, they have to stand in the right spot in the stands, or go to a certain Tote window. If they do not the racing Gods will condemn them to months, even years, in the betting wilderness
Even on my ‘day off’ I am sitting here writing about racing, hoping the ironing will go and iron itself.
I have already been online and booked flights for a trip to Hexham the week after next and hotels for a foray “up north” later in the month. Even harder to resist is the siren call of my favourite course, Fontwell Park, which is racing this afternoon. If I can stay at my laptop for another half hour I will have left it too late to go there – it is going to be a tough half hour!!!
One trait I have fortunately dropped is the silly habit of having a "lucky racing outfit". I think it began after a rather lean betting spell. One of those horrible spells we all have, where even if there was a walkover the horse would still contrive to fall over before crossing the line. When the drought ended it ended in style with four decent priced winners in an afternoon. By a quirk of fate I happened to be wearing a new racing tie that day - you know the sort of tie I mean, a plain tie with a neat horse motif printed on it.
Well I thought the tie has bought me luck and the stupid thought was further engrained when I wore it again next day and, again, has a successful punting afternoon. Well that was it I could not go racing without my lucky tie, if I did forget to wear it I would invariably lose. Of course it was all twaddle, it was just in the mind but it was incredibly hard to shake off the notion once it was stuck in my head.
Racegoers are often superstitious people, they have to stand in the right spot in the stands, or go to a certain Tote window. If they do not the racing Gods will condemn them to months, even years, in the betting wilderness
Even on my ‘day off’ I am sitting here writing about racing, hoping the ironing will go and iron itself.
I have already been online and booked flights for a trip to Hexham the week after next and hotels for a foray “up north” later in the month. Even harder to resist is the siren call of my favourite course, Fontwell Park, which is racing this afternoon. If I can stay at my laptop for another half hour I will have left it too late to go there – it is going to be a tough half hour!!!
Thursday, 8 November 2007
A pretty ray of sunshine.
Today was the second days racing at Huntingdon this week and having been spoilt for the past few weeks the first real autumnal weather reared its ugly head.
Indeed at one point a squally shower literally raised the roof, and sides, of some of the marquees - almost the greatest excitement of the afternoon. Although there was one for the notebook in the bumper, newcomer Sunnyhillboy who looked most impressive for the McManus / O'Neill combo. More of him later!!
The weather was so dreak it is amazing headlights were not fitted to the horses in the last. However despite the depressing weather I found my own ray of sunshine.
Those who follow my web site will know I am not the greatest fan of the racecourse kow towing to corporates. However events at Huntingdon today give me a glimmer of hope. The Peterborough Restaurant had been given over to a corporate function. As often happens there were plenty of first time racegoers.
For my race reading I had watched the hurdle races from the roof of the stand but I had taken a pitch in the stand itself to view the chase races. My vantage point was just in front of the Peterborough balcony, which just before the race filled with some of the corporate guests.
Behind me I happend to overhear a conversation between two ladies clearly at the races for the first time and they weren't sure what colours their selections were wearing. I was happy to tell them. As the race reached the climax the cheering behind me became more frantic as, yes you guessed it, the newcomer had backed the winner. That normally would have been it and I would have thought nothing more of it.
Next race I took my same pitch and the same ladies appeared again, again asking what colour the horses were. The race started and thoroughout one of the ladies, who I have to say was very attractive (but that is just a sexist aside and not at all relevant), was asking how "our horse" was doing. "Our horse" happened to be Megaton and I didn't have the heart to tell he I thought it didn't stand a chance of winning. Most of the race I had to report it was sitting fourth of five, all the way until the final bend when it was third, then second ..... I'm sure you are guessing what happened next - yes the beast won, to even more frantic cheering behind me. It was her fourth winner of the afternoon. Someone was really enjoying their first day at the races.
Come the bumper, the same scenario happened again, this time she was on the unraced Sunnyhillboy. I suppose I don't have to say what happened, it hacked around in last place, final bend he was given his head as as the stark facts say 'won with plenty in hand'.
So there you have it, one very happy racegoer, five winners and a great day out.
What really made it so worthwhile for me though was to see the sheer happiness and fun she was having at her first day at the races. I handed her a card with my web site details so she can find out more about racing. I hope she becomes a regular and if she has even half the enjoyment I have had from the sport then it will all be worthwhile.
If by chance the lady is reading this - well done on your first day. However a word of caution as well, getting five winners in an afternoon doesn't happen every time, but enjoy spending your winnings nonetheless.
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
I'm Getting Old
All this driving is getting too much sometimes. I can recall the days when I would drive hundreds of miles a day, most days, with no ill effects.
Now though - it is a wholly different story.
Yesterday was a race meeting at Exeter, 198 miles each way from the concrete paradise that is Milton Keynes.
My beloved Tom Tom was set - yes beloved and this from someone who swore he would never, ever, have one!! The voice of the lovely Jane was, in the nicest possible way, telling me where to go. Everything started off OK, well until Oxford and the A34, where the traffic ground to a halt.
No problems, press her buttons and the delightful Jane obliges - if only everything in life were that simple - by finding me an alternate route - via Gloucester!!! In her defence it was only 12 miles longer and the arrival time was only 15 minutes later than the orginal estimate.
In truth the arrival time was too good and I reached the course two hours before the first race. At the larger courses it is quite easy to fill the time when you arrive that early, at Exeter it takes a maximum of ten minutes to explore everything, so it was a long two hours.
I was only at Exeter to see one race, the Haldon Gold Cup. Everyone was talking about the hot favourite Fair Along, however I wanted to take him on and I had already tipped up David Pipe's, Pablo Du Charmil to take the spoils. Once I saw Fair Along in the parade ring I was even more convinced he wouldn't win.
Exeter saw the biggest crowds of the season, there were so many journalists a second press room had to be opened.
Modesty prevents me from going into too much detail about the race, suffice to say Fair Along was not even placed, the Pipe stable were celebrating a good victory and your correspondent was even seen to be smiling. I even treated myself to a Devon Cream Tea in the restaurant - I know how to live.
One note to Exeter racecourse for future reference - please provide fruit scones in future, not boring plain ones.
Having travelled so far I decided to stay until all six races had been run.
Big mistake. The car park is in the centre of the course, which results in the following mathematical equation.
Biggest crowd of season + only one exit from car park + only one narrow access road = a long wait to get away (45 minutes to be precise, although not as bad as Aintree)
So the long trek home eventually began. Jane said I would be home by nine, a four hour journey.
Fed up with motorwars I decided to take the A303 route and not being the height of summer there were no caravans to delay the journey. I made such good time that by half seven I had reached Newbury and decided to have a food stop, as the benefits of the Devon tea had worn off.
The stop itself was nothing to write home about and within half an hour I was back on the road again. Even with the stop I would still be home by just after nine. Oh yes?
The dreaded A34 had one nasty trick left, initially clear, making good time to Oxford then flashing hazzard lights and stationary traffic!! Eventually a stream of blue flashing lights and the road completely closed.
Dear Jane, once again, found me an alternate route - through the centre of Oxford and driving through looking at all the young students I was wishing I was 30 years younger.
I eventually reached home just after ten o'clock, fourteen hours after setting off. I should have written up the report of the day for the web site - instead I had a cup of tea and was straight to bed, sleeping like a log.
Do I regret the long day? What a silly question - I loved it.
Saturday I'm back to the west country to do it all again. At least today and tomorrow is Huntingdon races, only a mere 40 minute drive.
Sunday, 4 November 2007
Unfair Racing
There have been some strange stewarding decisions at the races this weekend.
Nothing new in that I suppose, but it has rattled my cage.
How is it, in the 21st century, that major decisions in racing, which is a multi-million pound business, are left in the hands of unpaid amateurs?
Is it not time that professional stewards were appointed to ensure the rules are applied consistently?
For the full background to what happened please take a look at the following page on my web site.
http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/Stewards.html
The stewarding issues above could have a bearing on the destination of the flat jockeys championship, which culminates this coming Saturday at Doncaster. As I write this Jamie Spencer is one winner ahead of rival Seb Sanders. If the first stewarding decision had not been made the scores would have been reversed. It is exciting seeing such a finish to the season, I just hope the final outcome is not decided in the stewards room.
With the end of the flat season comes the start of the jumping season. I must admit I do prefer jumping over the sticks. We have a fantastic variety of courses in this country and the most enjoyable days out are to be had at our diverse jumps courses. This week I will be racing at Plumpton (what a lovely name) just north of Brighton, then off to Exeter to watch the seasonal debut of my current favourite horse Voy Por Ustedes, Wednesday and Thursday will be a couple of days at Huntingdon, with a “day off” Friday and a trip back to the west country and the delightful Wincanton on Saturday.
I make that 1,100 miles driving – better get some Red Bull!!!
Nothing new in that I suppose, but it has rattled my cage.
How is it, in the 21st century, that major decisions in racing, which is a multi-million pound business, are left in the hands of unpaid amateurs?
Is it not time that professional stewards were appointed to ensure the rules are applied consistently?
For the full background to what happened please take a look at the following page on my web site.
http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/Stewards.html
The stewarding issues above could have a bearing on the destination of the flat jockeys championship, which culminates this coming Saturday at Doncaster. As I write this Jamie Spencer is one winner ahead of rival Seb Sanders. If the first stewarding decision had not been made the scores would have been reversed. It is exciting seeing such a finish to the season, I just hope the final outcome is not decided in the stewards room.
With the end of the flat season comes the start of the jumping season. I must admit I do prefer jumping over the sticks. We have a fantastic variety of courses in this country and the most enjoyable days out are to be had at our diverse jumps courses. This week I will be racing at Plumpton (what a lovely name) just north of Brighton, then off to Exeter to watch the seasonal debut of my current favourite horse Voy Por Ustedes, Wednesday and Thursday will be a couple of days at Huntingdon, with a “day off” Friday and a trip back to the west country and the delightful Wincanton on Saturday.
I make that 1,100 miles driving – better get some Red Bull!!!
Saturday, 3 November 2007
Where Do I Begin?
I suppose something about me!!
Well I am male, early 50's. I have spent 30 years working in IT. Earlier this year I was made redundant - no tears please - it is what I wanted. Take the money and run and with a pension chucked in as well it was a no brainer.
I worked for a bank - and can I tell some stories - who knows I may even spill some beans.
I have decided to make a big career change and have just completed a journalism course. My ambition is to be a sports journalist, specialising in Horse Racing.
As we mention horse racing - that is my passion - I love it and have lots of views, which I will share.
I also have my own web site - http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/ please visit it and let me know what you think of it.
Brain dumping to start soon.
Well I am male, early 50's. I have spent 30 years working in IT. Earlier this year I was made redundant - no tears please - it is what I wanted. Take the money and run and with a pension chucked in as well it was a no brainer.
I worked for a bank - and can I tell some stories - who knows I may even spill some beans.
I have decided to make a big career change and have just completed a journalism course. My ambition is to be a sports journalist, specialising in Horse Racing.
As we mention horse racing - that is my passion - I love it and have lots of views, which I will share.
I also have my own web site - http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/ please visit it and let me know what you think of it.
Brain dumping to start soon.
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