DIARY – ASCOT – FRIDAY 19 DECEMBER 2008
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I broke up for my Christmas and New Year holidays
yesterday, so I couldn’t think of anything nicer than spending the first day
of my leave at Ascot watching Choc ride.
It is too expensive to travel through London on a
weekday so, as I did once before, I drove to Ascot. My route took me via the M25, but this time
I had intended to leave the orbital motorway at its junction with the M4 and
head west to Windsor but, in the event, heavy traffic had built up prior to
the M4 junction so I decided to take the M40 west instead. At Junction 2,
Beaconsfield, I left the motorway and took the road to Slough, travelling
through Farnham Royal and Farnham Common.
I was held up at numerous traffic light junctions as I travelled
through Slough, then drove under the M4 and across the River Thames towards
Windsor. My route took me past Legoland to the ‘Longabout’ where traffic heading for Ascot is diverted
via Cheapside to approach Ascot High Street from the east. This time I decided to park in the free car park
and walk up the High Street to purchase a General Admission ticket for £10,
race-card £3. The guy who parked next
to me was wrapped up warm and commented that it was always cold at Ascot –
yes, I know. Colder in fact than any other racecourse I’ve visited! The usual turnstiles weren’t open today, so
punters were being let through the doorway at the back of the Eastern Ticket
Office. As it was around 12:15 I went
straight over to the paddock to wait for the horses engaged in the first race
to arrive. Unusually the wind was
blowing from the other direction today, making the paddock side of the
grandstand colder than the racecourse side. Choc had 4 rides today, all for Alan King. His first ride was Midnight Sail in the
Maiden Hurdle. Choc held the horse up
in mid-division, made headway after 3 out, was a close 3rd when he made a
mistake at the next, but responded well to pressure, and led soon after the
last, staying on strongly to win. The
first winner I’d seen him ride live at Ascot, and therefore he returned to
the Winner’s position in the enclosure. The runner-up was Fistral
Beach ridden by Ruby Walsh, trained by Paul Nicholls. I noticed Fran again,
as she was looking after Dover’s Hill for trainer Mary Hambro. Fran is an ardent tennis fan and presumably
still camps out at the Wimbledon tennis every June/July. The second race was a Novices’ Handicap
Steeplechase, which was won by Baseball Ted, ridden by Richard Johnson, who
made all and was ridden clear after 2 out, running on well at the line. There
were a number of fallers in this race, but luckily all the horses and jockeys
were okay. Choc’s
2nd ride was on grey, Medermit, in the 3rd race of
the day, a Novices’ Hurdle race. Choc held up the horse in last place but
just behind leaders, made a mistake 3 out, but then made headway at the next,
challenged at the last flight, and led on the flat, was all out but beat Dee Ee Williams by a short-head. The horse was returned at 14-1, and Alan
King seemed surprised by the win, as he’d not rated the horse that highly,
thinking it might have to go down the handicap route. As this was the big hurdle race of the day, there
was a memento for the winning jockey, so Choc came out of the Weighing Room, Medermit’s colours over his following ride’s colours, and
climbed onto the podium to collect a bottle of Champagne. Alan wasn’t available as he’d gone to
saddle Choc’s third ride of the day. Choc’s
third ride was Turkish Surprise in the Novices’ Steeplechase. The horse was held up behind the leaders,
disputed 2nd place from 3 out, was soon ridden, but kept on for a clear 2nd
place approaching the last, however he was always held by winner, Deep
Purple. Another return to the Winners’
Enclosure but in second spot. No ride for Choc in the 5th race of the day,
which was won by Master Medic ridden by Robert Walford
and trained by the Alners. Choc’s
final ride was Nikos Extra in the 6th and final race of the day, a Handicap
Hurdle. He was held up towards the
rear, then made headway but didn’t have much room on the final bend, he was
then ridden to chase the leaders after the next flight, but weakened after
the last. As Choc was unsaddling in
the Unplaced Horses area, I went across to take a quick look, but soon came
away as it was very windy and, as I was wearing a skirt, my modesty was at
risk! I went back to the Parade Ring
and watched as Choc returned for the final time to the Weighing Room and,
once he had disappeared inside, I set off for the car park located at the
bottom of the High Street. Once I’d reached my car and changed out of my
grey long boots, putting on my trainers, I left the car park by the Winkfield Road entrance, turned left and drove through
the underpass below the New Mile course to reach the double mini-roundabouts,
turning right to return to Windsor, and this time went via Slough High
Street, Stoke Poges, Denham, Rickmansworth, and
Watford, arriving home at around 17:45. |
