DIARY – NEWBURY – SATURDAY 21 MARCH 2009
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New
Shoes? Choc was scheduled to have 4 rides at Newbury
today, so I decided to make my 4th visit to the Berkshire course. I filled up my car with petrol at 07:30, returning
to watch Channel 4’s The Morning Line.
I took a shower, encountering a problem because the cold water stopped
running, but luckily I didn’t get burnt.
However, I couldn’t rinse the conditioner out of my hair. So I got dressed and went downstairs where,
strangely, the cold water supply was okay, so I washed it out in the kitchen
sink! The first race at Newbury was to take place at
13:45, with gates opening at 11:30 I gathered. So I decided to set off at 10:35. However, I popped into my local M & S
superstore, as I’d seen a pair of shoes in the town centre branch the
previous day but they didn’t have my size (8) in stock. And not satisfied with finding the pair I
wanted (above), I also purchased a pair of the same design in a second
colour, and a pair of very girlie pink espadrilles with bows on! I left M & S at 11:15, joining the nearby M25
to drive around to the M40. However,
I’d travelled no more than 2 or 3 miles along the motorway before I got
caught up in a traffic jam, and it then took me around 30 minutes to travel
the next few miles. It transpired that
the queue had been caused by a minor accident near the King’s Langley
junction. Once the jam had cleared, I
travelled around to the M40 (where another accident had just been cleared
from that motorway), and then headed for High Wycombe, before taking the A404
to reach the M4. There had been
warnings of possible hold-ups at the Reading South junction (where they are
replacing a bridge) but that was fine, although there were warning signs
further along regarding queues between Junctions 13 to 15 of the M4. As always I left motorway at Junction 12,
and drove along the A4 through Thatcham, where there were no serious hold-ups
despite the numerous traffic light controlled junctions. The signs directed traffic to the main entrance
of Newbury racecourse and, having driven around to the free car park, I
parked up at 13:00. I changed into my
gold mule sandals, and carrying my coat, I walked to the grandstand entrance,
where I purchased a ticket for £15 and a race-card. As it was only around 35 minutes until the
first race, I decided to sit by the side of the Parade Ring rails, with my
back the grandstand. It was pleasantly
warm today, very appropriate as it was the first day of Spring. Whilst I sat by the paddock, I could hear Luke
Harvey auctioning items in aid of the Greatwood racehorse welfare charity. A
number of items were being snapped up for thousands of pounds! A number of non-runners were announced, and
these included all of Venetia Williams’ runners, presumably due to the going
change. It was soon time for the first
race, in which Choc didn’t have a ride.
Once the horses had left the Parade Ring I headed for the course-side
rails.
The grey filly, Kijivu, dumped her jockey (Robert
L Butler) on the way to the start (which was at the beginning of the home
straight) but fortunately the horse, after galloping across the centre course
golf course, didn’t have a problem locating the other runners and was caught
without a problem. As she’d done
herself no harm, and hadn’t travelled very far whilst loose, she still came under
starter’s orders. Then they were off. Initially the field was led off by Dantari and
Kijivu, but Zen Factor soon pulled himself to the front. However, the latter wasn’t too keen to go
around the top bend and lost a number of lengths. The favourite, Psi, was at the back of the
field, with Capeleira soon struggling.
Kijivu didn’t jump very well throughout the race, knocking the orange
plastic protective covering from the middle flight in the back straight. As they turned into the final straight there were
3 horses in the front line, Dantari, Rory Boy and Zen Factor, the latter
being the first to drop out. Despite
pecking at the 2nd last flight, and jumping the last less well than his
rival, Dantari galloped on to win, with Rory Boy in second. A victory for trainer Evan Williams and
jockey Paul Moloney.
I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure to watch the
horses return, and to see the presentation ceremony. It was then time for the next race, in which
Choc was riding the old stager, Kandjar D’Allier. Noel Williams was in charge of the horses
today, so they came across to the nearside of the paddock and Choc was
legged-up onto his mount before exiting onto the horse-walk.
The horses cantered from the horse-walk straight
to the start which was in the back straight.
Then they were off. King Harald led them off, with Strawberry prominent,
as too was Tom Sayers (that’s a horse not a jockey!). Choc was in 4th position, on the inside,
although his mount showed a tendency to jump to the left. As they headed up the straight for the
first time, King Harald received a reminder, as did Alderburn. Half way up, Kandjar D’Allier took the
lead. The other grey, Lyes Green, was
travelling in 4th position. King Harald had dropped back by the time they
jumped the water in front of the stands, and the field had closed up in
running. Choc’s mount again went into
a clear lead as they ran down the back.
Lyes Green was still in 4th.
King Harald made a mistake and began to tail off. Kandjar D’Allier was running down his
fences, towards his left. By the end
of the back straight, Strawberry and Tom Sayers had overtaken Choc, although
Choc drove his horse up the inside to take 2nd as they headed for the cross
fence. Kandjar D’Allier dived over the 4th last and soon
began to lose ground on his rivals.
Lyes Green pecked at the 3rd last but was going well, and Strawberry
didn’t jump the last very well. Lyes
Green galloped on to win, with My Immortal coming with a late run to take
2nd, and Strawberry finishing in 3rd.
Kandjar D’Allier faded to finish 8th.
I headed back to the Winners’
Enclosure to see the horses return and the entries to arrive in the Parade
Ring in preparation for the next race.
Choc’s mount in this race was Katess.
The start was over in the far corner of the
track, so the horses left the horse-walk and cantered straight there. When the race began, Aimigayle led them off, Ruby
Dante was in 2nd, and Katess on the inside in third. Aimigayle made an error at the first
open-ditch, with Colin Bolger almost exiting via the side door, after which
she got close to the next few obstacles. Ruby Dante started to drop back as they reached
the cross-fence on the 2nd circuit.
Shatabdi moved up into 2nd position.
On the run in, Rate of Knots became the main threat to the very game
Aimigayle, but the latter went on to win.
Katess, having blundered at the last, with Choc taking a pull on the
reins as he lost his balance, battled on to beat Shatabdi for 3rd.
Lamanver Homerun ran on late, having blundered at the 5th last. I discovered the owner of the winner is Pete
Mercer, the eccentric Wellington boot man!
I’d seen him in the Winners’ Enclosure at a number of courses but
didn’t know his name.
I
returned to the steps beside the Winners’ Enclosure to see Choc return in 3rd
place, unsaddle, speak with connections and proceed to the Weighing
Room. He also signed autographs as he
walked back. It
was then time for the 4th race of the day, in which Alan King had 3 horses
entered - Ellen Tilley (Charlie Huxley), Charmaine Wood (Gerard Tumulty), and
Dancingwithbubbles (Choc). Before the
3rd race of the day, Noel was interviewed by Racing UK, explaining that the choice
of Dancingwithbubbles wasn’t necessarily a choice as such, it was partially
because the other jockeys were already familiar with their mounts.
The start of the race was at far end of the
racecourse, so the horses cantered past the stands to reach it. Although at the back of the field, Argento Luna
set off okay today, as sometimes she has the tendency to misbehave at the
start. In the lead was Double Hit,
followed by Pure Genius. Choc took an
inside line, midfield. As they turned
away from the stands, stable-mates Charmaine Wood and Dancingwithbubbles had
a coming together. Ellen Tilley was in
4th place, with Dancingwithbubbles and Charmaine Wood close behind. Choc’s mount jumped slightly askew in the back
straight, at the 6th flight. Choc was
in 5th as they exited the back straight.
As they came up the home straight, Choc’s mount was in with a chance
as he came up the inside. Easter
Legend made a mistake 2 out. At the
last flight Argento Luna, Ravello Bay
and Dancingwithbubbles jumped it almost in unison, but although Ravello Bay
took the lead, Argento Luna got up to beat her on the line,
Dancingwithbubbles swished her tail as Choc encouraged her to the finish to
take 3rd. Taking 4th was Carole’s
Legacy. Argento Luna is a half sibling to Lyes Green
which had won the 2nd race, having the same dam, the latter being 8, the
former 6. Same owner, breeder, trainer
and jockey!
As Choc had finished 3rd, he returned to the
Winners’ Enclosure to dismount and speak with connections before returning to
the Weighing Room. It was then time
for the 5th race of the day, in which Choc had no ride. It was beginning to
get chilly, so I put my coat on.
The start of this race was in the home straight,
so the horses passed the stands to reach it.
Then they were off. First to show was Wandering Minstral, followed by
Roscrea. Riverside Theatre was on the
inside at the back of the field.
Roscrea seemed to have difficulty in cornering, losing lengths in the
process. Astrodome then went on as
they turned down the back straight.
Wandering Minstral was the first to lose touch. Astrodome led into the final straight, Riverside
Theatre coming up the far side, and despite wandering around as he approached
the 2nd last flight, went on to win, with Marc Aurele battling against him
for much of the run-in.
There appeared to be no connections
in the Winners’ Enclosure for Ruby’s mount, so he unsaddled very quickly and
jogged to the Weighing Room – he obviously had an appointment to keep! There was no ride for Choc in the 6th race.
The start of this race was part way up the home straight,
so the horses galloped past the stands to reach it. Its Crucial led off but made a bad mistake at the
first, with birch flying. This allowed
Arumun to take up the running, with Russian Flag in 3rd and High Oscar
4th. Gershwin was in last place,
pulling hard. Raysrock and Gershwin
had a slight collision at the final fence in the back straight. High Oscar was jumping slowly and struggling to
keep up by the end of the back straight, tailing off as he came up the
straight. Russian Flag blundered at
the 2nd last, but despite Gershwin hanging in towards the runner-up, he ran
on to win. Victory for Timmy Murphy
and Philip Hobbs.
As always, I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure
to see the horses come back in. It was
then time for Choc’s final ride of the day, aboard Dormouse. Noel was assisting the connections of Golbelini,
Martin Keighley having gone to Stratford with his other runner today. When Choc arrived at the Parade Ring, he
and a couple of other jockeys had to stop quickly in their tracks as one of
the horses was fast approaching.
Warren Marston went to join Noel and owners, as the jockey of
Golbelini. As Choc’s mount wasn’t Alan King trained, he
walked across to the far side of the Parade Ring to mount the horse. Only very occasionally will Alan leg up
Choc in an area other than close to the exit, and Noel likewise.
Being a ‘Junior’ bumper race, it was run over a
shorter distance, so started at the beginning of the back straight, the
horses cantering straight out of the horse-walk to reach it. Taffys Diamond was a little reluctant to start,
so was led in. Sophies Trophy led them
off. Dormouse raced wide in a
prominent position, upsides Respective Way, Oscar Whisky, and Doctor
Foxtrot. As they turned into the final straight, Choc was
in 4th position but faded a little to finish 6th. Oscar Whisky, ridden by Barry Geraghty and
trained by Nicky Henderson ‘bolted up’!
Sophies Trophy stayed on to finish 2nd. Martin Keighley’s Golbelini ran promisingly
to finish 5th.
I returned to the Parade Ring to see Choc return to
unsaddle, and as he walked to the Weighing Room, I presented him with a card
congratulating him for reaching 100 winners this season. Having returned to my car, I exited via the road
through the golf course and industrial estate and set off to visit my friend
Denise. My route took me back along
the A4 to join the M4 at the Reading West junction. I left the motorway at Reading East, and
drove down the A329 to join the A4.
Heading eastwards along the A4, I then took the lane to reach Sonning
village, with its numerous road humps, and then down over the single-track
bridge across the River Thames, before turning along the Henley Road into
Caversham. Denise kindly invited me to stay for dinner and,
having enjoyed her hospitality and a welcome chat, I left for home at
10:15. My route took me back via
Sonning to reach the A4, then eastwards to join the A404 just west of
Maidenhead. I was in two minds as to
whether I should travel via Beaconsfield, Amersham and Chesham, or take the
quick route via the M40 and M25, but in the end I choose the latter to reach
my home county of Hertfordshire, arriving home at 11:15. |
