DIARY – SANDOWN PARK – SATURDAY 31 JANUARY 2009
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Saturday dawned bright and sunny, with a brisk
breeze but luckily no frost. Choc had
3 rides scheduled for Sandown Park – the talented Araldur for Alan King;
According to John for Nicky Richards; and Almaydan for Richard Lee. Having braved the train on my trip to Sandown
Park on Tingle Creek day, I decided it was just too expensive and time
consuming to travel by that mode of transport to the venue. It isn’t as though I haven’t tried to be
‘green’; but fares have also increased by above inflation from my local train
station – so I’m hardly receiving any encouragement! And there is the ‘sardines’ situation on
the trains on the way home to consider too ... So, as I hate queuing when filling up my car at
the local supermarket; I set out to the petrol station just after 07:30; then
returned home to prepare for my day’s racing at Sandown Park. As the gates opened at 11:30 (2 hours
before the first race), I didn’t need to leave home until 10:30 at the
earliest. I was able to catch most of
The Morning Line too, with special guest Richard Johnson. I set out at 10:35, although there was a traffic
holdup on the far side of my home City, but once I’d joined the M25 the
journey was very good with no further traffic problems. As I was early, the road into Esher was
clear and I took advantage of the free car parking available in the centre of
the racecourse. Having put on my fleece, gillet and coat, making 9
layers in total (I probably resemble ‘Michelin man’ or should that be woman
when I go to the races), I set out to purchase my general admission ticket,
costing £18, before crossing the course to arrive at the vast tarmac area in
front of the stands, where I also purchased the obligatory race-card from the
kiosk. As I now know Sandown Park fairly well, and
having walked through the grandstand concourse, I decided to climb up the
stairs situated beside the Television Studio, and walk around to the balcony
area to sit on a bench overlooking the Parade Ring. The sun was shining brightly and although
there was a stiff breeze, the grandstand was protecting me from the worst of
the latter. At 13:00 the ‘In the
Spotlight’ presentation took place, and I remained seated on the bench until
the horses started to arrive in the paddock in preparation for the first
race. My preferred position by the Parade Ring is with
my back to the Winners’ Enclosure/Weighing Room area, so this is where I sat
myself. Choc’s first ride of the day,
Araldur, was entered in the third race, so I had plenty of time to just enjoy
the non-stressful build-ups and running of the first two races. The odds-on favourite in the first race (a Juvenile
Novices’ Hurdle) was Optimus Maximus, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden
by Barry Geraghty. When the race began, Amore Mio under Tom Siddall took up
the running, with Barry’s mount racing keenly in 2nd spot. In fact Amore Mio led all the way and won well, a
victory for trainer Emma Lavelle.
Optimus Maximus finished 2nd, with Forget It in 3rd. I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure to see
the horses come back. The horse’s
owner and Emma were not at Sandown Park today so the race trophy was accepted
by the guy in charge of transporting the horse to the course! This win paid a compliment to Zaynar, Amore
Mio having chased him home at Ascot recently.
Zaynar is currently at the head of the Triumph Hurdle betting list
ahead of Alan King’s Walkon. The second race, the Contenders’ Hurdle, was
aimed at horses with Champion Hurdle aspirations. The favourite was Celestial Halo, trained
by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh.
I thought the horse was definitely the pick of the paddock. Osana, runner-up to Katchit in the 2008
Champion Hurdle, was making his first appearance of the current
campaign. Also in the field was last
year’s winner Afsoun, who had completed the course at Haydock Park last time
out, having taken a fall in his previous 2 racecourse appearances, one over
fences and one over hurdles (Choc was onboard in the latter race at Kempton
Park on Boxing Day). Once the race had started, Osana (Paddy Brennan)
took up his customary position at the head of the field. He was tracked by Celestial Halo (Ruby
Walsh) and Afsoun (Barry Geraghty).
Osana held the lead until overtaken 2 flights from home by Ruby’s
mount, which went on to win. Osana
stayed on the finish 2nd, with Afsoun 3rd. I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure to see the
horses return, before walking over to the side of the Parade Ring in
preparation for the next race. This
was Choc’s first ride of the day, and he was aboard the talented novice,
Araldur. He had five rivals, Will Be
Done having been withdrawn as he held an entry at Wetherby, where he finished
2nd. Araldur was trying the distance
of 2 miles 4½ furlongs for the first time. When the jockeys entered the Parade Ring
very few of their owners/trainers had arrived, so it was ‘little boy lost’ for
a number of them! Once Choc was mounted, I headed through the
grandstand concourse to reach the course-side rails beside the
open-ditch. The race start was
situated just before the ‘railway fences’ so Choc cantered down the course in
front of me to reach it. When the race began, it was led off by the Paul
Nicholls’ runner Herecomesthetruth, ridden by Ruby Walsh, with Choc travelling
at the back of the field. Araldur made
a slight mistake at the 3rd fence. As
they turned the corner to travel away from the stands, Herecomesthetruth
cocked his jaw, but Ruby drove him on, not getting caught out like he had
been at Cheltenham 3 runs ago when the horse ran out. Unfortunately Pressgang, with Dominic
Elsworth aboard, fell at the fence on the downhill stretch of the course, and
despite getting to its feet, the horse was fatally injured. Down the back straight, Buck the Legend made a
mistake, as did Massini’s Maguire (Richard Johnson) who relinquished his lead
having headed Ruby’s mount. Choc sent
Araldur into second place but weakened after 3 fences out (the pond
fence). As they approached the last,
Massini’s Maguire still had ground to make up on Herecomesthetruth, but they
both battled to the line, with the latter holding on to win by a nose. Araldur and Buck the Legend fought out
third place, with the latter prevailing, despite a mistake at the last. As Choc had finished 4th he returned to the
Winners’ Enclosure to unsaddle. So I
returned through the concourse to stand on the shallow steppings around the
small amphitheatre area to see him return. Once Choc had spoken to Alan and
the owners of his mount, and had disappeared inside the Weighing Room, I
walked back over to the Parade Ring in preparation for the next event. The 4th race of the day was a Handicap Hurdle
over a distance of 2 miles 6 furlongs, with 14 runners competing. AP McCoy’s intended mount, Afrad, was a
non-runner, which was a slight set-back in his quest to attain 3,000 jump
race winners, currently being 2 short of that target. Having been held up in rear for much of the race,
Chief Yeoman, ridden by Aiden Coleman and trained by Venetia Williams, won
handily. I had noticed the horse in
the Parade Ring prior to the race, noticeable by the fact that the animal was
‘unremarkable’ – dark brown, trace clipped and very plain looking. But it was a typical Venetia Williams type
of horse. Handsome is, as handsome
does, I suppose. It was now time for the 5th race of the day. Choc’s ride in this event, a 3 mile chase,
was According to John. The horse is
trained by Nicky Richards, and owned by Sir Robert Ogden, and had been off
the racecourse for 446 days. As the
owner wasn’t at the races today, and presumably the trainer was at either
Wetherby or Doncaster, Choc was left to speak with one sole representative from
the yard when he entered the Parade Ring. A camera crew and photographers were following AP
around in the Parade Ring, as there was the possibility he would reach his
3,000th National Hunt winner today. Once
Choc was legged up, he took a full circuit of the paddock before exiting along
the walkway to reach the course. I set
off in the direction of the grandstand, and once again headed to the area
close to the open-ditch ready to take a photograph as the field jumped the
fence near the end of their first circuit.
When the race began, Eric’s Charm led them
off. Choc dropped his horse in at the
back of the field. Gungadu was a
casualty, unshipping Harry Skelton at the 13th fence, and New Little Bric
blundered 5 fences from home. As they
jumped the pond fence, Monkerhostin was challenging Eric’s Charm for the lead
(Eric’s Charm and Monkerhostin being half brothers, having the same
dam). Can’t Buy Time was cruising just
in behind them. According to John had
jumped well and had made progress through the field too by the 17th
fence. Can’t Buy Time jumped the last
in front and galloped up the hill to win from Eric’s Charm (AP McCoy’s
mount), with the grey Lacdoudal in 3rd and Choc mount in 4th. Again, as Choc had finished placed, he returned
to the Winners’ Enclosure so I returned to see him unsaddle and disappear
inside the Weighing Room before returning to the Parade Ring ready to view
the horses entered in the next race. Choc’s 3rd and final ride of the day was aboard
Almaydan, trained by Richard Lee, in the 2 mile chase. Choc had won aboard this horse at Doncaster
8 days previously. Richard’s son, Tom,
who often appears as a presenter on Channel 4’s The Morning Line, was
assisting his father today. Once Choc was legged up, he did a circuit of the
paddock before setting off down the walkway to reach the course. Again I decided to position myself near the
open-ditch so that I could take a photograph, although the light was fading
by this time. Being a 2 mile event, the race started at the
bottom of the home straight, so Choc and his mount cantered down past me to
reach it. Once they were off, the
Venetia Williams trained Lorient Express led the field, with Almaydan racing
on the outside in 3rd or 4th position.
They jumped the open-ditch (2nd fence) and I heard Choc shouting to
his colleagues as they passed me and galloped away up the straight. I Hear a Symphony, ridden by Richard
Johnson, fell at the 4th fence, hampering Sou’wester. Sadly Killaghy Castle fell at the 9th and
was fatally injured. Choc was in 5th place as they entered the
straight, Lorient Express was still in the lead, and was being chased by
Nikola. Having led all the way,
Venetia’s charge went on to win, Nikola finished 2nd, Choc attained 3rd
place, with Sou’wester 4th. A double
on the day for jockey and trainer, the latter having hit a rich vein of form
recently. I returned to the Winners’ Enclosure for the final
time today to watch Choc dismount, unsaddle his horse and speak with Richard
Lee and the owners. He then headed for
the Weighing Room, saddle over his left arm and holding Almaydan’s blue blinkers
in his right hand. Having seen him for
the last time today, I set off through the concourse, down across the tarmac
and over the home straight (which I noted was still in very good condition
having not been badly damaged by galloping hooves) to reach my car, which was
parked in the area close to the golf range.
I find it difficult to decide whether it is
better to just join the queue of traffic exiting the course or to wait for
the queue to clear slightly. As I’d
done last Saturday, I waited, and not having eaten since just before I left
home, I decided to take some time out to drink a cup of black coffee and eat
half a bag of pretzels. Some youngsters, who appeared to be associated with
the golf range, got their car stuck on the grass to the side of the car park
area and had to be rescued by a member of the Sandown Park maintenance
team. At 17:15 I finally decided it was time to
leave. The queue had cleared just
slightly, no longer reaching back to my section of the car park, but it was
still within the confines of the racecourse.
It took me until 17:55 to travel through Esher and to reach the
M25. Being a Saturday, the M25 was
clear and I reached home at 18:45. I
watched the recording of Sandown races on Racing UK, uploaded my photos and
updated my blog before turning in for the night. I recall tuning in to the movie ‘Troy’ too,
although I wasn’t giving it much attention – as Brad Pitt does nothing for me
– although I have a vague recollection that he reminded me of Choc when I
watched Legends of the Fall recently! |
