The ultimate red-letter day

Our four-outings-in-five-days spree didn't end very well, I'm afraid, with Batgirl running poorly at Yarmouth yesterday. However, I'm happy to report that she seems unharmed by the outing, so whatever caused this lack-lustre run (and there's always a reason) isn't anything too drastic. And I'm even happier to report that the penultimate outing in the sequence was one of the most enjoyable trips to the races I've ever had.

I genuinely was apprehensive in advance of the Newmarket Town Plate that I would end up doing either Kadouchski or myself less than justice. The most obvious reason for this was that it is a well-known fact that one does not get fully fit merely by riding out - and riding out comprises the vast majority of the exercise I take. Despite the fact that he generally looks very settled in a race, Kadouchski can be quite strong at home, as I have been able to confirm on umpteen mornings, and I really felt that, if he tugged at me for the first couple of miles and then I was required to push him from a fair way out, by the end of the race I'd just end up a hindrance to the horse, rather than a help. However, miraculously, I needn't have worried. I discovered that Kadouchski really is far more settled in a race than he can be at home. He gave me an armchair ride: he didn't pull in the first half of the race, and in the final mile he raced so genuinely and so superiorly that I wasn't really required to push him anyway. So he passed the post the 25-length winner, still a fresh horse and with his rider still fresh too. It was a huge relief and an even greater thrill. I'd approached the race on the basis that, like with a marathon, I would enjoy neither the preparation nor the race, but that I'd enjoy the subsequent satisfation of having taken part. As it was, I was able to enjoy the race hugely, while the happy memories I now carry of the day are immense.

There's always a brahma or two, and the tactics have to come into this category. I'm always preaching patience to jockeys, the importance of not doing too much or hitting the front too soon, of remembering that the winning post is at the end of the straight, not halfway along it (or at its entrance). So what did I do? I hit the front and then started to draw clear a mile from home! If anyone else had done that, I'd have gone mad, and in future pre-race briefings my suggestion will have to be to do as I say, not as I do! However, in my defence I can say that I didn't actively take up the running: I settled on the inside in sixth position in a 10-horse field, about five lengths off the leaders, and only made up ground on the two bends (firstly moving up just about to join the leader, and secondly to take the lead) by doing nothing more positive than staying on the inside while the others ran a bit wide. And, although I was clear from the final bend (ie a mile from home) I made a conscious effort not to ask Kadouchski for any effort until I was past the two-furlong pole, because all the way up the straight I was aware that I mustn't do too much too soon, but must save something for the end, because I'd never live it down if I went clear a mile from home in a race and failed to win it. So the upshot was that Kadouchski went at pretty much the same speed throughout, did finish the race strongly, and was probably twice as far clear of the runner-up at the line than at the 400m. None of which, of course, alters the fact that I hit the front far, far sooner than I should have done!

Just a few further observations from the day. The extra dimension of pleasure which I got from the occasion comes from how many people were pleased to share the joy. My fellow competitors were a tremendous bunch of corinthians, and it was great to be one of the group. In particular, two fellow Newmarket entrants were William Gittus and Brian Abbott, both of whom (in contrast to me, who had only started to think about the race the previous week and who then had done absolutely nothing as regards preparing for it) had been working towards the race for months. They both did really well, particularly as Brian's mount Judgethemoment hated the rain-softened ground (which Kadouchski relished) and as William's mount Red Anthem, although talented, looked quite a livewire and clearly took a lot more riding than Kadouchski did. As befits someone who had done nothing to prepare for the race, I was not well equipped (although I did buy myself a new crash helmet, because my existing one would have satisfied no safety requirements) but fortunately that was not a problem as Jamie Insole (pictured schooling Alcalde a couple of weeks ago) lent me a pair of his uncle William Kennedy's hand-me-down breeches, Harry Fowler lent me a pair of boots (after I had decided that there was no point in my even trying to don the old pair which Andy Turnell had given me way-back-when, as they were a tight enough fit even when I was a stone and a half lighter than I am now). And, when I found pre-race that my whip was not permitted, David Probert lent me one. All in all, it was just such a very special day - and all thanks to the great Kadouchski, and all thanks to all the many kind people whose help and/or goodwill made it extra special.