DIARY – HUNTINGDON – WEDNESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2008
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At the beginning of October I’d
provisionally booked a number of midweek days as leave, in the hope that I’d
be able to attend a race fixture or two.
I had around 10 days holiday to use before the end of the year, and it
seemed a waste to take a day off without having anything specific to do –
especially when there was the possibility of going to see Choc at the races.
This was my third mid-week fixture in October, the others being Towcester on 08 October, and Huntingdon on 14
October. Today was my fourth visit to Huntingdon
racecourse. I’d left work on Tuesday looking forward to my
day off, despite getting thoroughly soaked in the rain on my walk home. During the evening I noticed the window
panes were looking a little ‘wintery’ and, upon further investigation, was
dismayed to see that snow was settling outside. It was only late October and snow
already? Evidently it hadn’t snowed so
early in the season in the London area since the 1930’s! Anyway, I was fully expecting racing to be
abandoned, so got up and prepared to go to work as usual on Wednesday. However, I thought I would check teletext and the internet before I set off, and was
surprised to see that Huntingdon’s going was described as good, and good to
firm in places, with absolutely no suggestion that there had been any snowfall
in the Huntingdon area. It didn’t take
me long to decide that, as long as I wrapped up warm, it would be worth
attending the races – besides Choc was booked for 4 rides. As it was icy underfoot at home, and no doubt
cold at Huntingdon, I decided that I should leave as late as possible, so set
out from home at 11:35, the first race being scheduled for 13:20. My route took me up the A1 from Hatfield,
and there was lying snow until just north of Stevenage. I had a near miss when a woodpigeon flew
across the motorway just in front of me a little north of Hatfield – which
brought back memories of a pigeon colliding with and damaging my wing mirror
as I drove down the road alongside Ascot racecourse many years ago. My journey took slightly longer than usual, as I
arrived at the racecourse to park at 12:40.
I bought my ticket and race-card, and proceeded to the paddock where
some of the horses were already parading.
I took up my favoured spot to the right of the Winners’ Enclosure to
view the horses, which included Tuanku, a flashy
bay. I’ve noticed that a lot of Alan King’s horses seem to be flashy bays,
which happens to be my favourite colouring for horses too. Whilst I was stood by the ring, someone commented
about Choc having had his hair cut for charity – really? I also overheard someone speaking about Tuanku’s chances and saying Choc was a good jockey – you
don’t say! However, later in the
afternoon, another spectator described Choc as having ginger hair – I don’t
think so! Whilst waiting for Tuanku
to come into the saddling stalls, Anita Cusack (Alan’s Travelling Head Ladl) helped Brendan Powell saddle up his horse in next
box. Once Alan had arrived with Choc’s saddle, they saddled Tuanku,
who was being a little fractious in the stall. The first race was a hurdle contest, and Choc,
along with the other competitors cantered down past the stands to the start
in the far corner of the track. And
soon they were off. Joshua lead off, with
Tuanku positioned on the inside in second or third,
he was quite keen and always prominent.
He took the lead 3 hurdles out and was a length up over the last
flight. However Tuanki
hung a little left on the run-in as he was ridden out, and they were headed as
they approached the finish, being beaten a neck by Starluck
ridden by Timmy Murphy. As Choc returned to the runners-up position in
the Winners’ Enclosure a spectator spoke to him – something along the lines
of ‘How are you doing Robert?’ to which Choc replied that he was fine thank
you. In the second race, the 2nd division of the
earlier hurdle race, two iron greys fought out the finish. The third race was a steeplechase, in which AP’s
mount, Abutilon, fell at a fence down the back straight. He was joint favourite. Et Maintenant won the race, in the familiar colours of Axom (Syndicate II) – as worn by Ouzbeck. The horse is trained by Emma Lavelle and was
ridden by Jack Doyle (the Crack Away Jack team). Red Acres did the splits at
the 2nd last, but although it looked nasty and jockey didn’t wish to dismount,
Racing UK said the horse had been okay. It was now time for the 4th race, in which Choc
was to ride Levera.
Once the event was underway, the field was taken along by the grey, Okoum, with Levera on the inside
held up mid-division, he made headway at the 5th flight, and was in third
place as they turned into the final straight.
He challenged approaching the last, then led all the way to the post,
winning by a length from his nearest pursuer – 25-1 shot Westeross,
with Trachonotis third at 33-1. Harvey Smith was much in evidence in the paddock
throughout the day, as Sue Smith had a number of runners. Choc’s
third ride of the day was on Porters War, in the 5th race, a Steeplechase
event. Choc seemed very happy as he shared
joke in paddock with the horse’s connections and Alan. I recall the animal fell at the last hurdle
at Wincanton back in April, so I was hoping it would improve over
fences. Porters War went off as the 3rd
favourite. He was not too fluent at the 1st fence, and was
in 2nd last place as they jumped the open-ditch in front of the stands. Racing keenly throughout, he made headway
approaching the 9th fence, by which time he had moved up to 5th place. He raced mainly on the outside of the
field, was not fluent at the 13th, but had moved up to 2nd place by end of the
back straight on the final circuit and was chasing the eventual winner as
they turned for home. Unfortunately he weakened on the flat having jumped the
final fence and finished in 4th place.
Despite making a mistake at the second last, the race was won by Can’t
Buy Time ridden by AP and trained by Jonjo O’Neill.
I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure to watch Choc unsaddle his mount. In the penultimate race, Cresswell
Ruby ridden by Richard Johnson took the lead at the start and won the race. The Buck had a nasty fall at the last and
seemed stunned as, despite rising to his feet, he wouldn’t budge from the
spot. The jockey started to lead the
horse back, but it looked a little lame.
He then removed the saddle, but after the horse had been walked around
for a few moments it seemed okay again. It was finally time for the 7th (and last) race
of the day. Choc’s
mount was the mare, Festive Chimes, which Choc had ridden at Uttoxeter on 29 June 2008. Unfortunately she was a total madam,
refusing to canter down past the stands to view a hurdle despite his fellow-jockeys
trying to assist by giving him a lead and even grabbing hold of his bridle.
Then she refused to follow them to the start as they cantered back past
him. He had no option but to jump off
the mare and jog to the start leading the horse. He drove her up to the front of the runners
as they approached the tape, but it was not a surprise when she then refused
to race. He rode her back, at the walk, along the inside of the track. And she
spun around when they galloped around the turn past her, heading out onto the
second circuit. The race was won by
Colophony ridden by Seamus Durack. My last view was of Choc jogging into the
Weighing Room having unsaddled his recalcitrant mount. There had been a good crowd, including a number
of children as it was half term, and the weather had been kind, although
cold. I left the course at 16:35. There was a queue of traffic heading west
on the A14, but I soon left them behind as few vehicles turned south onto the
A1 with me. My research has revealed
that the A14 starts at the M6/ M1 junction and ends at Felixstowe – hence the
numerous container lorries which travel along the short stretch of road from
the A1 to the racecourse entrance. As it was rush hour by the time I reached Stevenage,
I was held up for a short while as traffic came onto the A1(M) and, in an
error of judgement, I decided to go through the Hatfield Tunnel, which
resulted in my being held up for around 20 minutes in a traffic jam. I shall
make a point of leaving at the Welwyn South/Hatfield North Junction in
future. I eventually arrived home at 18:20. That’s a very
long time, as it usually takes me less than an hour to get to or from
Huntingdon. I can’t account for this,
except that there were queues of traffic at the roundabouts along the A1, the
Black Cat roundabout being the worst, plus at Stevenage and the Hatfield Tunnel. And I probably didn’t drive as fast as
usual as it was dark. The journey took
much longer than for the weekday meeting on Tuesday 14 October 2008. Maybe a return visit to Huntingdon on Sunday 02
November is in the offing. I’m not
sure about Wednesday 05 November, as there is also a Chepstow meeting that
day which Choc may attend. |
