DIARY – SANDOWN PARK – SATURDAY 06 DECEMBER 2008
|
I went by train to Sandown Park today. This being the case, I left home to drive
to the station at 8:30. I parked my
car at my place of work, which is only a five minute walk from the station,
bought my ticket and caught the 8:48 to St Pancras, as the Thameslink tunnel was closed due to engineering
works. Once at St Pancras I took the
Victoria Line to Warren Street, changing onto the Northern Line to Waterloo,
arriving at 09:40. My train to Woking,
which called at Esher (Sandown Park), left at 09:50 arriving at my chosen
station at 10:20. Once at Esher station I followed my fellow
passengers out onto the road, heading left to the main Portsmouth Road,
turned right to the main Grandstand building and turnstiles, entry being £22
today. I would, however, be interested
to find out if the alternative route across the racecourse is a much quicker
route although, of course, muddier!
Although I often have muddy shoes after a day at the races as I
usually walk down to the rails to watch the action! It was a bright, sunny morning, although the
breeze was cold. I decided to sit
beside the Parade Ring with the Grandstand behind me acting as a
windbreak. The sun being low in the
sky meant that I needed to wear my sunglasses. Sandown Park was providing Christmas themed
entertainment, with carol singing, and attractions for children – these
included two Raymond Briggs characters, Father Christmas and the Snowman. Eventually I decided to change my seating position
beside the Parade Ring, heading for the Winners’ Enclosure side, although
this was much colder as I no longer had the Grandstand to provide
shelter. Whilst I was waiting there, I
was approached by a reporter from the Racing Post, who was asking race-goers
for their opinion of the Cross Country races at Cheltenham. Yes, I would describe myself as a keen
racing fan, although I’d only visited Cheltenham racecourse once. I did think the Cross Country races were
quite a good idea as it gave horses the opportunity to race under different
conditions, as perhaps they might have lost interest in competing in standard
races. I mentioned the corner-cutting
incident from the Open Meeting, although I gathered they had remedied that
problem for the next event (taking place on the Friday of the Boylesports meeting).
I did think, though, that it favoured the Irish, who have a number of
similar events at home. He did ask my name and where I came from ... so
perhaps I made it into print in the Racing Post! There was also a punters panel held in the Parade
Ring before the first race, when Mick Fitzgerald, Claude Duval, and Barry
Hurley from Seasons Holidays went through the card offering their views on
the possible winners of the day. The first race was at 12:50, a 2 mile NH Novices’
Hurdle in which Choc’s ride was Blazing Desert, a
large bay gelding, which had not shown much on its only previous run this
season. Once Choc had mounted and was heading down the walkway, I went
through the Surrey Hall, and out onto the tarmac area in front of the stands
to watch the race, which at 2 miles, started at the beginning of the
straight. Because of the crowds, it
was difficult today to arrive at my chosen viewing position before Choc had
cantered past. Once the race had started, Blazing Desert was
held up towards the rear, making headway under pressure approaching 2 out,
then kept on from the last, and took 3rd place towards the finish. The race
was won by Clay Hollister, trained by Nicky Henderson, ridden by Tony McCoy.
Choc having been placed, I headed for the Winners’ Enclosure as quickly as
was possible, due to the shear volume of punters
heading towards and through the Grandstand area. However, I arrived in time to see Choc
come back to the 3rd place position within the Winners’ Enclosure, unsaddle
and disappear into the Weighing Room. Choc’s
second mount of the day was At The Money, for trainer J Eustace, in a 2 mile
6 furlong Handicap Hurdle. The race
commenced in the back straight, so the horses cantered down past the stands
then turned across through the golf course to reach the start. For this race I positioned myself by the
rails. Once they were off, Choc’s mount was prominent for most of the race,
sometimes leading. He was in the lead
3 out, but hit 2 out, was then headed between the last 2 flights, and
weakened before the last, eventually finishing 5th. The winner was Mister
Gloss, trained by Philip Hobbs, ridden by Tom O’Brien. I had returned to the Winners’ Enclosure so
did see Choc walk back with his saddle to the Weighing Room. Choc’s
third mount of the day was Araldur in the 2 mile
Henry VIII Novices’ Steeplechase. Araldur is a big
chestnut ... a big baby really, being just a 4-year old. Today he had 4
rivals. I think the jockeys were
running a little late, as the bell went almost as soon as they arrived in the
Paddock. So Alan and Choc started to
walk across to find Choc’s mount but they were told
to ‘stand-down’ for a couple of minutes, then the bell rang again. Once he
was aboard and walking down the horse-walk, I set off to the rails beside the
open-ditch so as to take a photo as the horses came over the fence. The start, again, was at the beginning of
the home straight. Once they were off, Araldur
took a keen hold, tracking the leading pair, and he went into 2nd place
before the 3rd fence. He bumped into
his main rival, Free World, at the 8th, and was being ridden approaching 3
out, but then hit 2 out. However, despite being driven he stayed on gamely on
the flat, taking the lead in the last few strides. Victory for Choc, his 67th of the season,
beating Tony McCoy on Free World in the driving finish. I hurried through to the Winners’ Enclosure to
get a good vantage point to take photos as Choc returned. Once he’d unsaddled and spoken to the
connections, he went to weigh in and change into his next ride’s colours but,
as it was one of the feature events on the card, he came back out dressed in
the Araldur colours over these silks to receive his
race memento. With photos taken,
though unfortunately not by me as there were too many photographers obscuring
him on the podium, he went over to the rail to be interviewed by Alistair
Down from Channel 4 Racing. I did get
an opportunity to take photos now – as I love to take pictures when he’s not
got his helmet on! Interview
completed, he returned to the Weighing Room prior to the next race. With Sam Thomas having been despatched to
Chepstow, Tony McCoy took the ride on Master Minded. Choc’s mount was
Twist Magic, with Christian Williams taking the ride on Paul Nicholls’ third
runner, Takeroc.
There were 4 other rivals, including Tidal Bay, who had won this
year’s Arkle Chase at Cheltenham. In the paddock, with the jockeys standing
with their respective owners, Paul briefed them separately. Once they had mounted, I again went to
position myself by the open-ditch hoping for a photo opportunity. The horses galloped down past the stands to
the 2 mile start. Then they were off. The German entry Fiepes
Shuffle, under Jamie Moore, set off at break-neck speed, but fell at the
first fence. The horse got to his feet, as did his jockey, but the loose
animal was a persistent nuisance to Master Minded who led the race. Unfortunately my hoped-for photo turned out
to be blurred! Choc’s
mount was held up in 4th place, made headway 3 out, and was travelling well 2
lengths down when he fell 2 fences out.
It was a nasty fall for the horse, which had got too close to the
fence and didn’t get his landing gear out in time, skidding along on landing,
but both he and Choc were okay. Choc sat on the ground before getting up and
starting to jog back – his foot must be feeling better now. They had missed out the pond fence because
of the low sun shining in the horses’/jockeys’ eyes, and had debated missing
out the next as well – in hindsight a pity they didn’t! I had moved further up the rail towards the
finish during the race so that I could watch proceedings on the screen. I took my eye off the jogging Choc, and
when I looked again he had gone ... although I saw Jamie Moore jog back up
the course past me. Master Minded had
won, with Tidal Bay second. A double
for Tony McCoy. I returned to the
Winners’ Enclosure anyway, but didn’t see Choc until he came out for the next
race. It was now time for the 5th race of the day – a
Handicap Hurdle, in which Choc was riding King’s Revenge for Alan King. When
Choc came into the Parade Ring he shook hands with the owner, and a young lad
who was accompanying him. The start of
this 2 mile race was at the beginning of the home straight, so they cantered
down past the stands, and I positioned myself by the rails. Once they were off, King’s Revenge travelled
mid-division, but was ridden and beaten when he hit the last 2 flights. Choc finished 8th, the winner was Sunnyhillboy, another winner for Tony McCoy. I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure and
saw Choc walk in the Anita Cusack, Travelling Head Lad, who collected his kit
before returning to the stables. My
last glimpse of Choc for the day. The final race of the day was the ‘London
National’, a 3 mile 5 furlong Steeplechase.
No ride in this event for Choc.
I again positioned myself by the open-ditch. The race was won by Kilbeggan
Blade, ridden by Tony McCoy – 4 winners on the day. I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure for one
last time before exiting via the Grandstand entrance to walk back to the
station. The platform at the station was very
crowded. I had to wait for around 15
minutes for a train to arrive, and we were packed like sardines for the first
couple of stations – standing room only. It wasn’t much of an improvement
until we arrived at Vauxhall, where I believe you can change onto the
Victoria Line. However, I stayed on
until Waterloo, and caught a crowded underground train (although I did get a
seat) to Euston, changing for Kings Cross. Once at St Pancras International I
walked along to one of the upper platforms, where the Bedford train was
waiting, and I caught it with just 2 minutes to spare. I arrived at my home station, then
drove home, arriving at around 18:10. |
