RELENTLESS….
Hanging damp that seeps into the bones…. Wet, wet, wet. Streams where there have never been streams. Going sticks plunging deeper than ever into sodden racecourse turf. And more rain on the [...]
WITH NO DISRESPECT….
To today’s sponsors William Hill…. But it is hard to think of this afternoon’s “William Hill Hurdle (Premier Handicap)” as anything other than the Schweppes. The [...]
I WAS ABOUT….
To launch…. Into a “bugbear” moment…. About the ridiculous overspend on Racing Digital. Which was heralded as an upgrade on the present racing administration system, but [...]
TABLES….
Groaning…. Under vast hams. Haunches of venison and wild boar. Smoked fish of several varieties. Oysters and clams and mussels and langoustine. Pots of Caviar the size of Top Hats. [...]
THE HILL…
The famous Hill where hundreds of thousands used to congregate on Derby Day… February midwinter dark as I drove across it just now. Shadows in the gloom. Riders of the dawn, or ghosts from [...]
CHELTENHAM….
“Aintree, Imperial Cup at Sandown, The County Hurdle, Punchestown, Iroquois….” When we headed around the M25 to Kempton in Sophie’s “car” yesterday morning [...]
FROM RATTLING FAST….
To “Good to Soft, Soft in places”…. From Sakhir to Kempton… Any similarities ?? Floodlights. A lake in the infield in Bahrain. A “lake” of sorts at Kempton. [...]
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF….
To a pig in the proverbial…. Rock hard ground at Sakhir Racecourse yesterday afternoon. To play to the strengths of some… Not for Nesthorn who won here in December after a week of [...]
NOT A BREATH….
Of wind. On millpond sea…. The Crown Prince’s Cup. Group 3. $200,000 in the pot… Eight runners, and Nesthorn flying our flag. Brilliant on his Bahraini debut, and bounced up to [...]
CALM…
Dead calm out in this particular bit of The Gulf… No white horses. A gentle breeze… Race day… Racing at an hour that is past my bedtime. MAX MAYHEM at 8.40pm, DESERT COP at [...]
