Yesterday was Grand National Day, a day which became even more special because it was the first day this year which I deemed warm enough to dispense with longs and replace
them with shorts. I had long trousers on for the first couple of lots, but I'd been dropped several hints during those exercises, the final hint coming from Chris Wall as I rode back in on second lot. The glorious weather had tempted Chris into the saddle, somewhere one does not see him very often, from whence he remarked that "your shorts can't be far off now?". I replied that I thought that they were about 20 minutes off, and duly donned them on my return to the stable. So that was a lovely milestone to reach in the march towards summer - and let's just hope that this weekend's lovely conditions are the sign of things to come, rather than a temporary aberration.
We've actually had a few glorious days in a row now, which is nice for Aisling as they have coincided with her return to the saddle after her winter in Dubai. She's pleased about this and so am I, but Gemma seems the most pleased: she and Aisling are best friends and, to mark the reunion, the two Angels have been observed riding around together holding hands (see above). At least they haven't been doing so on the canter, as thankfully is demonstrated in this second photograph which I would imagine that James Fanshawe, were he asked to provide a caption, would name, borrowing the title from the famous 'Snaffles' picture, 'The finest view in Europe'.
Someone else who would probably enjoy this view would be Andrew Hickman (or 'Knickers', as Jamie Trotter would address him). Andrew (pictured riding in Neil King's string the other morning behind the trainer and former Aintree 'People's Race' winner Clare Twemlow) had starred in one of a pair of memorable brahmas at Doncaster Sale on Wednesday. I hope that that Doncaster Sale will be most memorable for us as the one from which our exciting new inmate Alpen Glen arrived. But, whatever she does or does not go on to achieve, it will always be remembered for being the one at which my Racing Post was stolen. (Well, it wasn't really my Racing Post because Emma had bought it, but - fortunately - she had already read it prior to the theft. I hadn't but, and had been carrying it around the sales complex in case I would have a chance to skim through it at a quiet moment). Anyway, I put it down alongside a line of boxes while I inspected a filly, which inspection could have taken not much more than a minute - and when I turned around to pick up the paper again, it was gone! Amazing. And the area was virtually deserted. Whoever had picked it up must have seen me put it down, sprinted up behind us and sprinted of with it. Disgraceful - and such a thing would never happen in Tattersalls!
Anyway, that was one brahma - and one in which Andrew didn't feature (apart from in my mind, which wasted a bit of time in running through the theoretical likelihood of such a crime being committed in Brightwells, the auction house of which Andrew is an employee). Anyway, Andrew was the star of the second brahma. Not content with marching around the DBS complex like a walking sandwich board resplendent in his 'Brightwells' jacket (and matching voluminous 'Jack Cruise' tweed cap), he came up with the great wheeze of plonking himself down in the auditorium right in front of, and with his back towards, the camera which was showing the sale-ring action for the close-circuit TV and for the web, so that effectively the world was being shown the horses being sold in Doncaster sale-ring with a view dominated by a Brightwells' advertising hoarding. Very clever! I'd give you an illustration of what it looked like, except that I didn't take any photographs while at the sale, and when I snapped him the next morning walking onto the Heath at daybreak, he was wearing a different (and logo-less, as you can see) jacket.
I did actually photograph one horse from the sale, but I didn't photograph him there. Seeing in Darley's pre-sale ad in the Racing Post that there was an UNBROKEN two-year-old colt, Australian-conceived but American-bred, by Redoute's Choice from a UAE 1,000 Guineas- and UAE Oaks-winning full-sister to Lujain, I could not fail to prick up my ears. Anyway, Marie Sullivan, who organises the equine comings and goings in Darley, was kind enough to allow us to go up to Woodditton Stud a couple of days before the sale to have a look at this horse - who, as you can see, is rather handsome. Paradoxically, his good looks played a significant part in dissuading me from sticking my neck out and my hand up when he came to be sold: common sense said that, with his pedigree and looks, there was no way that Darley would have given up on him without breaking him in unless the Darley veterinary team had unearthed a strong reason to believe that he was not a racing prospect. So, tempting though it was, I didn't try to become his new owner. Whether my decision to sit on my hands was or wasn't wise will become clear in the fullness of time - and if he pops up somewhere winning good races at some point in the next couple of years, I'll be kicking myself. But it was interesting to see him, and particularly interesting for me to revisit Woodditton Stud, where I worked in the early '90s in the property's pre-Darley days when it was owned by Mr Yong and when the stallions Sayf El Arab, Superlative and Damister stood there. The stud has changed quite a bit since then (for the better really, as it is in immaculate condition) but it retains its wonderfully rural atmosphere, and it duly provided us with sights of half a dozen fallow deer, a muntjak and an owl, which were lovely.
them with shorts. I had long trousers on for the first couple of lots, but I'd been dropped several hints during those exercises, the final hint coming from Chris Wall as I rode back in on second lot. The glorious weather had tempted Chris into the saddle, somewhere one does not see him very often, from whence he remarked that "your shorts can't be far off now?". I replied that I thought that they were about 20 minutes off, and duly donned them on my return to the stable. So that was a lovely milestone to reach in the march towards summer - and let's just hope that this weekend's lovely conditions are the sign of things to come, rather than a temporary aberration.
We've actually had a few glorious days in a row now, which is nice for Aisling as they have coincided with her return to the saddle after her winter in Dubai. She's pleased about this and so am I, but Gemma seems the most pleased: she and Aisling are best friends and, to mark the reunion, the two Angels have been observed riding around together holding hands (see above). At least they haven't been doing so on the canter, as thankfully is demonstrated in this second photograph which I would imagine that James Fanshawe, were he asked to provide a caption, would name, borrowing the title from the famous 'Snaffles' picture, 'The finest view in Europe'.
Someone else who would probably enjoy this view would be Andrew Hickman (or 'Knickers', as Jamie Trotter would address him). Andrew (pictured riding in Neil King's string the other morning behind the trainer and former Aintree 'People's Race' winner Clare Twemlow) had starred in one of a pair of memorable brahmas at Doncaster Sale on Wednesday. I hope that that Doncaster Sale will be most memorable for us as the one from which our exciting new inmate Alpen Glen arrived. But, whatever she does or does not go on to achieve, it will always be remembered for being the one at which my Racing Post was stolen. (Well, it wasn't really my Racing Post because Emma had bought it, but - fortunately - she had already read it prior to the theft. I hadn't but, and had been carrying it around the sales complex in case I would have a chance to skim through it at a quiet moment). Anyway, I put it down alongside a line of boxes while I inspected a filly, which inspection could have taken not much more than a minute - and when I turned around to pick up the paper again, it was gone! Amazing. And the area was virtually deserted. Whoever had picked it up must have seen me put it down, sprinted up behind us and sprinted of with it. Disgraceful - and such a thing would never happen in Tattersalls!
Anyway, that was one brahma - and one in which Andrew didn't feature (apart from in my mind, which wasted a bit of time in running through the theoretical likelihood of such a crime being committed in Brightwells, the auction house of which Andrew is an employee). Anyway, Andrew was the star of the second brahma. Not content with marching around the DBS complex like a walking sandwich board resplendent in his 'Brightwells' jacket (and matching voluminous 'Jack Cruise' tweed cap), he came up with the great wheeze of plonking himself down in the auditorium right in front of, and with his back towards, the camera which was showing the sale-ring action for the close-circuit TV and for the web, so that effectively the world was being shown the horses being sold in Doncaster sale-ring with a view dominated by a Brightwells' advertising hoarding. Very clever! I'd give you an illustration of what it looked like, except that I didn't take any photographs while at the sale, and when I snapped him the next morning walking onto the Heath at daybreak, he was wearing a different (and logo-less, as you can see) jacket.
I did actually photograph one horse from the sale, but I didn't photograph him there. Seeing in Darley's pre-sale ad in the Racing Post that there was an UNBROKEN two-year-old colt, Australian-conceived but American-bred, by Redoute's Choice from a UAE 1,000 Guineas- and UAE Oaks-winning full-sister to Lujain, I could not fail to prick up my ears. Anyway, Marie Sullivan, who organises the equine comings and goings in Darley, was kind enough to allow us to go up to Woodditton Stud a couple of days before the sale to have a look at this horse - who, as you can see, is rather handsome. Paradoxically, his good looks played a significant part in dissuading me from sticking my neck out and my hand up when he came to be sold: common sense said that, with his pedigree and looks, there was no way that Darley would have given up on him without breaking him in unless the Darley veterinary team had unearthed a strong reason to believe that he was not a racing prospect. So, tempting though it was, I didn't try to become his new owner. Whether my decision to sit on my hands was or wasn't wise will become clear in the fullness of time - and if he pops up somewhere winning good races at some point in the next couple of years, I'll be kicking myself. But it was interesting to see him, and particularly interesting for me to revisit Woodditton Stud, where I worked in the early '90s in the property's pre-Darley days when it was owned by Mr Yong and when the stallions Sayf El Arab, Superlative and Damister stood there. The stud has changed quite a bit since then (for the better really, as it is in immaculate condition) but it retains its wonderfully rural atmosphere, and it duly provided us with sights of half a dozen fallow deer, a muntjak and an owl, which were lovely.
2 comments:
Who wears short shorts!! I seem to recall this was a title of a record by Freddie and the Dreamers. This information makes me old on two counts. One, I remember vinyl records and two,I remember Freddie and the Dreamers.
I am sure as you are a relatively young man you will not recall the above but maybe your mother mentioned them to you in passing.
In conclusion these thoughts make me realise I should get out more!!
So quickly after the National meeting and the stars of the flat are out along with the shorts. Elusive Pimpernel looked very impressive at Newmarket today - I think he'll take a lot of catching in the Guineas and at Epsom.
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