Background & Introduction

Growing up horse racing was a special part of my family life. As a young adult it became my focus, my friend and nearly my career.  During my working life it has become my main hobby, a positive distraction in a crazy world. I would sample the joys and frustration of racehorse ownership, enjoy race sponsorship and corporate hospitality which I would share with my growing family. This is the story of my journey to the sixty (or so) racecourses of Great Britain starting at Haydock Park at the age of ten and concluding in a few years from now at Sandown. That's the plan anyway.

My Dad had always loved a bet on "the nags" and in my early years I was exposed to the wonder of horse racing; the highs, the lows the excitement of it all, but only through the medium of television. I loved watching racing on the telly with him on a Saturday. Forget the Scoop Six the old ITV seven will be forever etched in my memory. The thrill of a win, the prospect of big returns, watching for results coming through from other meetings and seeing your favourite horses and jockeys battling for success week by week. There was the occasional big win too  where me, Mum and my sister Linda would get a "treat". For me that usually meant toy soldiers. 

The Grand National was a big event in our family. One of my earliest horse racing memories is of Red Rum. Not the usual ones though of his first dramatic victory over Crisp in 1973 or his thrilling third victory carrying top weight in 1977. No, mine was simply one of overwhelming confusion. It was 1978 approaching my seventh birthday and Red Rum was not running in the Grand National this year. Why was Red Rum not running? What do I choose without him running?  

Along with big wins was the big occasional disappointment too. One dramatic twist I remember clearly was when my Dad's Yankee had hit all four winners only for Cyrill's Choice to be demoted to last place following a stewards enquiry. The updated result came through as we were discussing what to spend our money on. Racing can be cruel like that sometimes but I was hooked even before I stepped foot on a racecourse. When I did it would shape my life.

Over the years I have witnessed some great races and seen some great racing moments. Being able to say I was there is something wonderful about my journey around the racecourses. I was there when Arazi ran at Royal Ascot, when Lester Piggott came out of retirement at Leicester, when Dunwoody and Maguire clashed at Nottingham, when Master Oats won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, when Desert Orchid won left handed at Aintree, when Oh So Sharp was beaten at York, when they first tried all-weather chasing at Southwell, when Kauto Star won his third Betfair Chase at Haydock  and when there was betting on a Sunday for the first time at Uttoxeter.

At the age of eighteen in 1989 Leicester would be my final choice of Universities from a short list comprising Exeter, Leicester, Warwick and Newcastle. Only Leicester had halls of residence 500 yards from the racecourse!