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 the past…??
Across this wide expanse of open ground, much Hogarthian fun and frolicking took part. The pickpockets darting hither and thither, and dubious offers from card sharks and pimps. Carriages pulled up in all corners having transported folk from every background to this bacchanalian (quite hard to spell…??) playground….
Prince Monolulu. “I have a horse”. Bookmakers aplenty, not all of them entirely scrupulous. The beautiful and the naughty and the downright wicked…
As I drive across this storied landscape each and every day, the history of the place, and the iconic races that have been run here, hits me slap bang and hard…
So many tales. Plenty good, some less so. Inevitably. The ghosts of brave horses and brave jockeys. The uphill climb from the start, and the bonkers fairground ride that is the run into and around Tattenham Corner….
Iconic. Historic. But in recent times, on the wane…
A changing of the guard has brought with it some much needed positive intent. Fresh faces. A call to arms. Belief in the product, and a desire to drag the Epsom Derby and Oaks meeting out of the mire. Last year saw rising attendances across the country – apart from in this part of the country…
The vicissitudes (wow, that was cool to spell too…) and the vagaries of the weather were not kind – and a similar unhappy forecast will see The Hill struggle again. But here’s hoping…
To London later. For Epsom chat with wiser heads than me. We need this to work. We need Epsom to come alive for The Derby. Maybe a “Hogarthian Enclosure” would work – or maybe not….????
London for a fabulous lunch at Oswalds in Albemarle Street yesterday. The running regime being regularly sabotaged by lunch – but hey ho….
This video was released yesterday by World Horse Racing. Whose Laura King came to see us last Summer. All about me !! Because this is obviously all about me….
NOT…..!!!!!!!!
