Nottingham Racecourse

Racecourse number: 19

First visited: 1990
Number of visits: 12

Nottingham is one of my favourite racecourses, despite not always being the luckiest of places for me. I attended ten times in the early 1990s whilst a student at nearby Leicester University. The train journey between the two cities was pretty short but the racecourse, unlike Uttoxeter and Southwell was a good walk from the station. Not that I minded. I always really enjoyed this walk which takes you past the Notts County football ground. Walking to Colwick Park, as Nottingham racecourse is known, I always had a great sense of anticipation of the day ahead. I often went on my own though sometimes with my racing friend Andy. On one occasion after racing we stayed on for the evening greyhound meeting which is adjacent to the racecourse. I had many special days out at Nottingham. At the time it had very modern stands with good facilities. Being a standard oval track, viewing was also good. Writing this account of my visits to Nottingham evoked an emotional reaction in me, more significant than many other courses. Perhaps a strange thing to write, especially to a non-racing fan, but my memories of Nottingham are special.

My betting exploits at Nottingham produced mixed results at best but I remember them so fondly. In June 1991 I backed a 25-1 winner there, Red Rosein. I had to mention this one as I don’t back many winners at that sort of price! Gary Carter did the steering and she would end up winning five more handicap sprints that season and the Wokingham at Royal Ascot the following season. In October I placed what is still my lifetime largest bet on a horse called Grand Master, trained by Paul Cole and ridden by Alan Munro. Having previously run well in a Group race the horse was dropped into a lowly Nottingham maiden and looked sure to gain a confidence boosting win before going on to much bigger and better things. The opposition looked mediocre at best. Ready with my wad of cash I swooped in when the already short price looked like collapsing. I was on at 4-7. However, quite quickly 8-13 and 4-6 was readily available. In the end the best price I saw was 8-11. I remember being very frustrated at my inefficient betting but the key was still very much the outcome of the race. The price didn’t matter if he got beat but I was sure he would win. Tucked in behind the leaders three out Munro was motionless, his mount travelling sweetly. However just as he was about to make his move he found himself closed in by runners around him. The second favourite Castillet had contributed to this crowding of Grand Master. Ridden by the canny Steve Cauthen he suddenly kicked for home with an unexpectedly impressive burst of speed. Munro was in trouble and by the time he had manoeuvred out into the open Cauthen had gone four lengths clear. This all happened right in front of me just before the furlong pole, in what was always a great vantage point for this kind of action. As he passed me Grand Master then showed why I had backed him with such confidence with his own burst of exciting acceleration. Watching the finish from behind, in what seemed like slow motion, it was all about whether he would catch Castillet in time. It was clear he was closing fast. The roar of the crowd indicated it was going to be close but Grand Master did not make it. Watching the replay Grand Master would have won for sure in another fifty yards or if he had avoided getting boxed in. I was not the only frustrated punter that day as it was reported in the following day’s newspapers that Allan was jeered and spat at by the crowd following this flawed riding performance. Ironically in researching this writing I found it was Steve Cauthen’s wonder kid fame that had inspired teenage Alan Munro to become a jockey in the first place. Cheers Steve! The race certainly taught me the pitfalls of backing odds on shots.

The following June I attended another Nottingham flat meeting. Alan Munro was there too, this time riding in a two horse race on another of Paul Cole’s, Dilum. As the jockeys mounted in the parade ring and got ready to go to the start I shouted “don’t get boxed in Alan!” It was meant as banter and Alan saw the funny side turning to me with a smile. I backed him at 6-4 and this time he and Dilum, following a much easier passage in the race, quickened clear for victory approaching the final furlong. Another winner for me that day was Just Bob who won the apprentice claiming race. Looking back at the race it seems strange to see that TV presenter Claire Balding rode in it, in her days as an aspiring apprentice jockey. During this wonderful period at Nottingham I even backed a 5-1 winner after a photo finish. I was level with the line right up in the stands waiting for such a close photo to occur. The camera angle there is quite tricky and to me it was very very close and I thought my 5-1 shot may just have put his head down when it mattered. I was rewarded with a rare, after the race was won, winner. For days I honestly felt like I was Alex Bird, a well-known professional gambler from way back and I spent many meetings waiting for this situation to be replicated. It never was. Quite a few of my visits to Nottingham in this period though were to national hunt fixtures. At one of those I had another big bet on a sure thing in a novice chase. I lumped on at 5-4. Single Shooter was the only horse I backed that day and I was once again very confident of victory. He made a slight error at the first fence and was pulled up before the second fence! Like I said Nottingham was not always the luckiest of courses for me.

One great feature of my visits to Nottingham in the early 1990s was the rivalry between two sets of jockeys. One on the flat and one over jumps. Two up and coming flat jockeys had emerged in this period. Both had won the champion apprentice title and then in 1994 fought out the jockey’s championship. The big meetings are where the headlines are made and fortunes are won and lost but it is during the midweek action at places like Nottingham that champion jockeys are made. I was there to get a taste of these midweek battles between Jason Weaver and Frankie Detorri. Often this season, both would have winners on the card and plenty of rides. Both could be relied upon with your investment for sure. Despite having over two hundred winners that season Jason had to concede defeat to Frankie. Of the two it was Jason who I felt was perhaps the stronger jockey and would be the next big thing in horse racing. Unfortunately, my thinking was literally correct. Whilst he did enjoy great success in a shortened career Jason retired in 2002 after losing his battle to manage his natural weight. In contrast Frankie would grace the weighing room well into his forties. The other rivalry of note had played out over many seasons across the national hunt circuit. I was at Nottingham when this rivalry between Richard Dunwoody and Adrian Maguire boiled over in dramatic fashion during a run of the mill hurdle race. The two were competing in a great tussle for 1993/4 jockeys title. Approaching the penultimate hurdle Adrian riding Mr Genealogy tried to sneak up on Richard’s inside. Richard was having none of it and somewhat over-reacted forcing Adrian and his mount through the wings of the hurdle. The incident would result in the loss of the Nottingham race and a fourteen day ban for Richard who missed that year’s Cheltenham festival. It would not cost him the title though. The two pushed each other hard and the contest went to the last day of the season but Richard prevailed by three wins. He did concede that without Adrian he would not have been driven to ride so many winners. In truth the two were friends, reportedly going for a drink together even on the way home from the Nottingham incident.

Sadly jump racing was cancelled at Nottingham in 1996 which was a great shame. The wonder and diversity of British racing continues to diminish but I will never forget those Nottingham national hunt fixtures from the early 1990s. One particular fixture was ultimately of great significance to me. Following a successful days punting on Friday 4^th December 1992 I met my future wife Claire in a Leicester University Bar. I was always at my happiest on racing days and the confidence this day gave me no doubt helped me impress this young lady. I would soon realise she was the perfect woman for me. During term time she lived near Leicester racecourse, while the rest of the year she was at home in Gosforth, Newcastle!

Fast forward to June 2002 and Claire and I, now married, returned to Nottingham as 5% owners of Pic N Mix, a two year old trained by Chris Thornton. I had been thrilled to name this daughter of Piccolo and it would be exciting to find out if she had inherited any of her fathers speed. On her debut at Haydock the indication was that she had not, finishing last of seven. However that was a decent race and in calmer waters here at Nottingham, Chris was hopeful of a good run second time around. This fantastic day also featured a World Cup fixture for England which we were able to seamlessly fit into the sporting action. We watched the comfortable three nil win over Denmark in the owners and trainers area just prior to our big race. Strangely Denmark, Nottingham and Pic N Mix would maintain their unlikely connection. More on that soon. Our race was a six furlong maiden for fillies which had attracted sixteen runners. In it our horse ran well and came sixth, encouragingly finishing well. She was only beaten a length by the third placed horse and only three lengths overall. It was Golden Nun who finished third. She had been favourite for the race but threw away her chance when swerving violently left in the final furlong. She ended up being very talented and went on to compete in and win some very good races. 

Following this promising run from Pic N Mix a new race began. Could the owners and trainer of Pic N Mix catch up with the jockey before he goes to weigh in? If you are in the first four home there is a dedicated place for this conversation. If you are not, very often a chaotic scramble can result as all involved are keen to hear the immediate feedback. As I ran to catch up Chris to witness this conversation, in the corner of my eye, I caught sight of another member of the Pic N Mix syndicate, taking an embarrassing tumble as she tried to duck under a rail. This left me with a very awkward decision. Do I assist my stricken comrade or press on in search of feedback. I am ashamed to say I took the latter option but in my defence I believe this middle aged lady may not have welcomed any attention during the aftermath of her fall. She soon joined the back end of the trainer jockey feedback moments later, unhurt but somewhat ruffled. The feedback was highly promising, a good run and confidence of further improvement. Had the race been over seven furlongs we would surely have been placed. As we shared a post-race drink with Chris and the other owners in the bar afterwards I reflected positively on what had been a fantastic day. Ever the optimist I believed I had a racehorse with promise and that England might go on to win the World Cup.

The following April Claire and I returned again to Nottingham to watch Pic N Mix make her seasonal return. Claire herself was now heavily pregnant with our first child due in June. In terms of our runner there was already now a question mark over whether she would make the grade as a racehorse following a disappointing first season. The run at Nottingham had been followed by a solid fourth at Beverley but then by only one more, disappointing run. We were hopeful a new season would bring about improvement and perhaps a change of luck. Blinkers were added for the first time and the owners had renewed hope. The jockey, Lee Enstone, was to be positive on our filly, make the running if he could and kick for home three furlongs out. Simple. The first part of the plan was well executed but from the three furlong pole to the winning line she went from first place to last. Did she go off too fast, did she need her first run of the season or was she simply not good enough? This would be the last time we attended the races to watch Pic N Mix. We would soon have our hands full at home, but in a wonderful way. By the end of this second season Pic N Mix had still not troubled the judge. A close fifth at Musselburgh was not enough to convince the doubters that we might still have a winner on our hands. I was disappointed that tentative plans to run her on the all-weather over the winter were shelved and she was put up for sale. We had never really got to grip with what was the right trip for her and perhaps she had been unlucky not to race on her preferred good ground too often. Chris summed up the situation well in a letter he sent us at the end of her British racing career. The story does not end here though as the Denmark connection returned. Pic N Mix was sold to race there. Thanks to the research of fellow racing enthusiast Graham Stirling I have recently confirmed that Pic N Mix did in fact race in Denmark the following season and managed to win a race at Klampenborg (near Copenhagen) over 7 furlongs. I was thrilled to find this out and so pleased she managed to win a race. I always felt she had a small race in her and the winning distance totally makes sense. This knowledge just adds a little more gloss to the experience of those two wonderful days at Nottingham watching her run and my memories of this brilliant racecourse.