DIARY – HUNTINGDON – TUESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2008
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I had planned to attend this Huntingdon fixture
for a week or two but I was dithering the day before, especially as I needed
to leave work early on Monday as I had arranged to get my satellite TV
reception fixed (a squirrel or fox having almost chewed right through the
outside cable) and I would then need to leave work late morning on Tuesday
too to reach the races in good time (especially after experiencing severe
queues for a mid-week fixture at Towcester). However, by the time I went to bed that
night, my trip to the races was again a certainty! I just needed to remind
myself that National Hunt racing is a dangerous game, so it is imperative
that I take every possible opportunity to see Choc. He had just two rides on
Tuesday, but I’ve been to Stratford when he’s ridden twice during the card
and have had some of my best racing experiences there. So, on Tuesday, I got up, washed my hair, had
breakfast, decided on my last minute wardrobe, and set off to my workplace by
car. Being superstitious with regard
to seeing a single one magpie I was a little concerned when I saw just one on
the way to work. I worked from 08:15 to 11:45, but was fortunate to see two
more magpies as I walked back to my car, then I drove
directly to Huntingdon racecourse. The journey went well, and I arrived at the
course at 13:00. The gates had opened at 12:30 but there were fewer than 50
cars in the public section of the car park when I arrived. I decided to eat the remainder of my lunch,
which I had taken to work with me, before I left the car to walk to the
entrance to pay my £15 entry fee and purchase a race-card for £2.50. Although cloudy, it was dry. There was still an hour to go to the first race,
so I decided to wait near the Parade Ring, on the leeward side of the Tote
building, as it was quite breezy (obviously a fixture at Huntingdon). Whilst I was standing and reading my
race-card I glanced in the direction of the Weighing Room and noticed Noel
Williams (Alan King’s Assistant Trainer) was sitting on the bench to my
right. The horses finally started to arrive in the Parade
Ring, so I walked across to the rails alongside the Winners’ Enclosure area
to take a closer look. Choc was going to ride Cee Cee Rider for Alan King in the first, a 3 mile 2 furlongs
hurdle race. The mare has been a
little unlucky for Choc this season, having fallen when in contention at
Aintree, and unseated him when attempting to run out at Southwell. However, he had also won on her at Uttoxeter. I was
just wondering what colours Choc would be wearing (although I did have a
race-card of course) when I realised I knew by heart the colours carried by Cee Cee Rider – red with a
yellow Cross of Lorraine. Choc was one of the first to arrive in the Parade
Ring, and walked over to speak to Noel and the large group of people
connected with the horse. He mounted away to my right and did almost a full
circuit of the paddock before exiting down the driveway to the course. I walked through between the stands and
over to the rail to get a good view of him as he cantered down to the start,
which was at the beginning of the home straight. Cee
Cee ran okay, but faded in the home straight to
finish in 5th place. The race was won
by Terramarique, trained by Nicky Henderson. It was
30 years to the day since Nicky had gained his ever first winner, also at
Huntingdon. I went around to the
Winners’ Enclosure to see the victor unsaddled, and stayed by the Parade Ring
until the horses were mounted in preparation for the next race, a Novices’ Handicap
Chase. I didn’t catch sight of Choc as he returned to the Weighing Room after
unsaddling Cee Cee Rider,
but I did see Noel. Domenico, who Choc has ridden in the past, finished 4th
in this race. Choc wasn’t riding in the second race. Again I stood alongside the rails, so that
I could take a photo of the horses jumping the open-ditch in front of the
stands. The race was won by Tempsford, ridden by AP
McCoy, and trained by Jonjo O’Neill. She’s Humble, a regular on the summer
racing circuit, finished 2nd. I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure/Paddock area
to see the winner unsaddled and to wait for Choc to appear for his second and
final ride of the day. He was riding a
familiar mount in Answer Me, trained by Norma Twomey.
He mounted the horse over the far side of the ring, but not before he’d
walked alongside it for a number of yards, whilst Norma undid the surcingle and removed the sheet from the horse. Choc didn’t exit immediately, but went did
another circuit of the Ring. I arrived at the course-side rails to see Choc
canter past. Then after inspecting an
obstacle, all the horses turned around and cantered back towards the start
away to my left. There were only six
runners and Answer Me spent most of the race close behind the leader, but as
they turned into the straight he faded and finished in 4th position. The race was won by Irish Import, Sea
Cliff, owned by JP McManus, ridden by AP McCoy, again trained by Jonjo O’Neill. As Choc had finished 4th, he came into the
Winners’ Enclosure area to unsaddle.
It had been spitting with rain during the race and, by this time, the
rain was becoming heavier. Having spoken to connections, Choc walked through
the enclosure to exit to my right and disappeared into the Weighing Room. I stayed to watch the fourth race, but this time viewed
it from the Grandstand. It was won by
Border Tale, who had travelled all the way down from Cumbria. Again I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure
and, whilst I was awaiting the runners to appear for race 5, I caught a
glimpse of Choc dressed in his civvies (jeans and jacket), with a holdall over his shoulder and what looked like a
polystyrene cup in hand, exit via the gates to the car park, heading for
home. Choc’s
‘walk’ is so distinctive. It was 16:15. As Choc had departed, I decided to stay for just one
more race (the 5th on the card), a Novices’ Steeplechase, which was won by a grey
named Scots Dragoon, another winner for Nicky Henderson. I had watched the race from the Grandstand
so instead of returning to the Winners’ Enclosure I decided to return to my
car and set off for home. It was 16:45.
The 6th race on the card was a National Hunt Flat race, and was won by Moscow
Catch. The trip home was uneventful, although I did
notice a couple of traction engines causing a traffic hold-up on the
northbound carriageway of the A1 just north of Stevenage. I arrived home at 17:45, ate dinner, uploaded
the day’s photos onto my laptop, then did some preparation work for my
planned ‘Choccie’ website, had a bath, and finally
wrote this diary, bedtime was at 23:35. I’m beginning to appreciate the distances jockeys
have to travel as part of their job.
It must be similar to being a long-distance lorry driver, but with the
additional (and dangerous) task of riding a number of horses over an
‘obstacle’ course once you’ve arrived at your destination. And after their rides have been completed,
they have to drive all the way home again.
Then, added to that, many of their return journeys will happen during
the hours of darkness – following afternoon fixtures in the winter, and
evening fixtures in the summer. No wonder they frequently car-share. |
