Catterick Bridge Racecourse

Racecourse number:10

First visited: 1986

Number of visits: 2

One of the biggest attractions of British horse racing is its diversity. Track shape, size, direction, facilities etc. can all differ greatly. Factor in the randomness of our weather and you can have a myriad of racing experiences, and I have over the years. From downpours at Doncaster to snow at Sedgefield. Now racing has been held at Catterick since 1783 and somehow my Dad and I managed to attend the coldest/windiest meeting ever held there. It was some kind of miracle the fixture was even allowed to take place. I don’t have an extensive recollection of the day but it was a national hunt meeting and was easily the worst course I had visited at that point. To be fair there was little chance of Catterick competing with the likes of Haydock, York or Chester. The fact that the day was cold and bleak certainly did not help. One memory is of a rear door to the main stand almost blowing off upon trying to enter it. The facilities were pretty limited and the whole place was small in scale. I suspect strongly that a poor day’s punting did not help but simply put, Catterick disappointed – so having been, I made no plans to return – at least for the next thirty years!

When I returned with my Dad in 2016 it was based on free tickets courtesy of my Racing UK subscription and the hope that things had improved over the years. The wind would still be present, but at a much more manageable level. Weather wise this flat evening meeting in early May would be rather pleasant. Catterick had a belated chance to impress. The race card diagram of this flat circuit suggests it is a fairly standard oval course. In truth it is very distinctive – a sharp turn for home, significant undulations and a home straight which is anything but straight. The course actually jinks away two-three furlongs out providing an unusual aspect from the stands. Races over six and seven furlongs are often run at breakneck speed.  A handy position on the tight turn for home can be key with many winners kicking for home at this point. It reminded me a little bit of Chester but my Dad encompassed it best when he described it like watching cowboys and Indians chasing after each other in those old films. With viewing in the straight slightly restricted, the racecourse did not really help with a very small ‘big’ screen and an unclear commentary.

Nevertheless my evening started well with a couple of winners. I backed Moabit ridden by Sam Twiston-Davis and trained by Paul Nichols to win the first race at Exeter. I then followed this up with Clem Fandango in the first race at Catterick. He looked a promising two year old for Keith Dalgliesh. The next race, a claimer saw a cracking battle and photo finish between Chilworth Bells and Tatting. Ridden by up and coming apprentice Josephine Gordon the former held on to give me two winners from two races. Catterick was starting to grow on me. In race three it was back to reality in the maiden which looked an ideal opportunity for the Sir Michael Stoute trained Musdam. As Musdam passed my Dad and me on the rails at the half furlong pole he seemed to have the race under control. However, this inexperienced colt who was weak in the market was also weak in the finish and was worried out of it on the line.

We spent a little time later in the God’s Solution bar, a tribute to the grey sprinter who ran thirteen times at Catterick between 1988 and 1991, starting and finishing his career with wins at Catterick. The last of which was the appropriately named God’s Solution Handicap. A shining example of the adage – horses for courses. Upon closer examination of his racing record, running over six furlongs was the key to his success. Trainer David Barron tried him eight times over seven furlongs without a win. The only other course he won at was Pontefract which shares some significant similarities with Catterick – tight, left handed and undulating. Pictures of this striking grey adorn the bar area and certainly add an element of nostalgia to the course.

The last race we watched that night was the penultimate two mile handicap. Phil Kirby, now training nearby had two runners in the fifteen strong field. Pre-race we attended the paddock. The small parade ring looked truly beautiful in the late evening sunshine. Another striking grey Pertius caught the eye but it was stable mate Summerlea who took the prize for Micky Hammond. My fancy Balmusette disappointed, whilst Phil’s more fancied runner Triple Eight ran a solid race in third. Thirty years on Catterick was satisfactory. Sure it helped that the weather was good, entry was free and I backed a few winners. It has solid if not spectacular facilities and for a small track has something to offer. In truth I won’t be rushing back but I’m sure I will return to this distinctive racecourse way before the next thirty years are up.

Ascot Racecourse

Racecourse Number: 28
First Visited: 1992 
Number of visits: 1

There was a great deal of horse racing media hype about the first day of Royal Ascot in 1992. It was not however that Leicester University student Jason Tomlinson would be attending for the first time. No, it related to the upcoming potential clash of two racing giants from that period. Both horses had also captured general public interest and were entered for the group one St James Palace Stakes to be run over a mile. French trained Arazi had won the Breeders Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in the most unbelievable fashion, coming from last to first and destroying top class opposition. If you have not seen this race please check it out today on YouTube. Rodrigo de Triano had recently won the Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket. This was the first classic win for Lester Piggott aged fifty six, since coming out of retirement the year before. The racing press had built up this clash for weeks and I couldn’t wait. 

Six months earlier I had visited Cheltenham for the first time. Now as good as Haydock, Aintree, York and Chester are, the larger southern courses have an extra edge – scale, quality and class. I was starting to take my racing experience to the next level. This was horse racing at its very best. Fittingly my companion for the day Andy loved horse racing too. Indeed, his love was purer than mine in a sense that it was born of admiration for the horses themselves. Mine in truth was more an outcome of my desire to gamble on these noble beasts. A friend from university, for three years we attended dozens of meetings together around the Midlands circuit. This day would be different though, better, brilliant! The delights of our main haunts Leicester, Southwell and Nottingham were many but could not compete with Royal Ascot on this wonderful day.

The first order of business was getting there. This would involve a more expensive and complex train journey than normal. Leicester to London, change on the tube, London to Ascot. I would love to see a picture of me and Andy arriving at Ascot on this grand occasion. Two scruffy students headed for the silver ring. No top hat and tails here thank you. Jeans and a t-shirt were more our thing. I don’t remember the cost of the train journey but I will never forget the cost of entry to the course, just £3. Unbelievable, the best £3 I have ever spent. The facilities in the silver ring were awesome. Great stands with acres of space in front and behind. Sure we were down around the two furlong pole but this was just where these races would begin to take shape. The weather was idyllic. Everything was set for a perfect day. I remember noticing that the other race meeting that day was Thirsk and feeling somewhat smug about my lofty location. I was at Royal Ascot with the best of the best flat racing had to offer. All I needed now was to find a few winners.

This would not be easy as the big prizes attracted very competitive and generally large fields. It was probably with this in mind that led me to put on a decent Placepot perm. Thirty two lines which involved two runners in each race except race five. My single selection in the King Edward VII Stakes was my nap of the day Jeune, trained by Geoff Wragg and ridden by Walter Swinburn. The day started well with a winner – but sadly it would be my last. Lahib, pictured above, battled home in the Queen Anne stakes under a forceful ride from Willie Carson. With several fancied runners involved in a tight finish in front of a massive crowd the roar from the stands was incredible. Willie just held on by a head from Second Set ridden by a youthful Frankie Dettori.

Finding the winner got a lot tougher after race one. In the Prince of Wales Stakes Willie Ryan produced 20-1 shot Perpendicular to land an unexpected victory. Favourite and my main selection Opera House was well beaten but Young Buster in third kept my Placepot hopes alive. Race three was the big one. After such a big build up there was only three-quarters of a length between Rodrigo de Triano and Arazi at the line. It meant little though as they surprisingly occupied fourth and fifth place. The epic clash had failed to materialise, victory going to Irish raider Brief Truce at 25-1. He would go on to be a very successful stallion. Amidst this disappointing outcome I had manged to sneak a place again with Zaahi in second. With the main fancied runners all unplaced in races two and three the Placepot was starting to look very interesting and I was still rolling. When So Factual got second for me in the Coventry Stakes I had just two more races to negotiate for what would clearly now be a decent return. That was the great thing about the Placepot. The dividend could escalate quite quickly. Trying to calculate by how much was part of the fun.

As the runners cantered down to the start for race five the importance of Jeune’s performance was beginning to hit home. Sure I had had a decent each way bet at 5-1. Sure betting success was always a big factor in how I feel about a day at the races. But this was somehow different. I did not want to spoil what had been a fantastic day in any sense. I wanted to progress by Placepot dream to the final race of the day at least. Most importantly it had become clear in discussion with Andy what was really at stake. If I won the Placepot these two impoverished students were coming back for more on day two. Suddenly a good run from Jeune and Walter Swinburn meant everything – and they did not let me down coming second. By splitting winner Alflora (16-1) and Beyton (12-1) the Placepot potential was boosted further. One leg to go to what could be untold riches! I was twenty one, nearing the end of my three years at University, skint and with no idea what I would do with the rest of my life. Yet I knew with absolute clarity what I wanted to do tomorrow.

Unfortunately race six was the toughest of the day. Run over two and a half miles the Ascot Stakes had twenty one runners all with a realistic chance. One of my two needed to make the first four. As they turned for home only one of my selections mattered as the field was strung out across half of Berkshire. Bardolph, trained by Paul Cole turned for home nicely placed and staying on strongly. As he passed me and Andy at the two furlong pole he was in fourth and keeping on. A big win on such a big day was within reach. As the leaders galloped on into the final furlong Bardolph’s dour efforts were being surpassed by several new and emerging challengers. The race was won by the Henry Cecil trained Gondolier ridden by Pat Eddery. Bardolph finished a tired but gallant ninth. The Placepot paid enough for me and Andy to have returned for the rest of the week, but it was not to be. I have not been back since which is a shame but I think it unlikely I could ever surpass the experience of Royal Ascot 1992 style. Cheers Andy.

Uttoxeter Racecourse - Part Two

Racecourse number: 18

First visited: 1990

Number of visits: 9

Twenty years after my previous visit to Uttoxeter I would attend twice in the space of a week or so in December 2015. In doing so I learned a great deal about racehorse ownership and fulfilled a lifelong ambition. The first visit was not an ideal day to go racing from a work perspective. An important meeting I always attend and present at was too late to move. I pulled in a favour though, partly sensing that this could be a big day. Certainly not a race to miss as we would find out a lot one way or another.  I was really pleased that Transient Bay was making his seasonal reappearance at Uttoxeter and hopes were high despite a poor 2014-2015 season. A couple of pulled ups and tailed off's nearly lead to the conclusion that we were all wasting our time with Transient Bay. However, many of Phil Kirby’s horses had been running poorly in that period and a couple of more promising runs to conclude the season had left us with two things – hope and a potentially well handicapped horse. Expectation was as wide as could be as me and my Dad made our way to the Midlands venue. We were quite short in the betting in what was clearly not a strong race. I was predicting anything from winning to pulling up and everything in between. As the day progressed towards the crucial race six this uncertainty would be replaced by optimism and then by confidence. By the time jockey Adam Nicol left us in the parade ring it was clear today was indeed the day.

We were made very welcome by the racecourse staff and their arrangements for owners were very good. Free food and drink in a fairly large owners and trainers facility near the parade ring. A poor start in race one from a betting point of view was followed by the first of what would be several winners backed on the day. Aubusson was making his debut over fences, ridden by rising star Lizzie Kelly. I had backed the combination at Haydock Park the year before when they had won a valuable hurdle and I was not about to desert them now, even as a short priced favourite. Once again camped out at the second last fence, my Dad and I watched a comfortable win for the combination. The winner was never really asked for maximum effort and I planned to follow the horse for the season with interest. A few weeks later Lizzie hit the racing headlines when she became the first female jockey to win a grade one race at Kempton.

In between races we bumped in to our trainer Phil Kirby with another of the partnership owners and discussed our chances. Initially Phil repeated a lot of what had been previously e-mailed, that we had a good each way chance and that he would recommend a large bet if we were say 8-1. He could not understand the plunge of money and stated anyone betting to win at the current price was very brave. The 5-1 and 6-1 from the previous night was now long gone and it looked as if we would go off around 3-1 second favourite. Phil touched on a specific strategy to handle the threat of the favourite who was a strong traveller but not necessarily a strong finisher. He also expressed concern about the close proximity of the last hurdle to the winning post. Our horse does not possess great acceleration so a poor final jump could cost us if we were in a battle to the line. This aside everything Phil said was positive and it became clear as the conversation progressed he thought we would win. He was not really worried about the ground, the horse’s fitness or even the opposition, perhaps the favourite Global Dream aside. Reading between the lines his initial nervousness was probably more excitement about a potential winner laced with just a hint of self-doubt. By the time the conversation ended I understood two things clearly. Firstly that Phil believed we had a very good chance. Secondly that many similar conversations over the last couple of days to other partnership owners repeated and passed on had resulted in the current price. The conversation reminded me of a very contrasting one I had with trainer Chris Thornton when our horse Pic N Mix was making his debut at Haydock Park many years before. Excitement and anticipation that day was soon dampened when Chris explained we had no real speed to win at the five furlong trip and would want much further in time. Our chance he explained depended on that being the case for all the other two year old newcomers in the race. Pic N Mix finished last.

The conversation with Phil nearly cost me a winner but I just got a bet on prior to the start of race three. For Good Measure trained by Philip Hobbs, owned by J P McManus and ridden by Richard Johnson was making his handicap debut. Not a bad combination and the team rewarded my speed to get a bet on with a facile win. When I backed the next two winners as well, Baywing and April Dusk my confidence was high as the big race of the day arrived. My Dad also backed plenty of winners himself that day and even better, looked like he had secured the Placepot at Southwell. His horse was in a tight photo for third in the final leg. However, we had to check the result later as it was time to get to the parade ring for Transient Bay’s race. Later in a rare low spot on a wonderful day we discovered he had missed out by a nose for around £80.

As the Waking Ned Partnership gathered in the parade ring confidence was high. When jockey Adam Nicol arrived his anticipation of this ride was clear. He was very excited and had also not eaten properly in two days to make the racing weight. We watched the race in the main stand with some of the other owners. For the majority of the race things went perfectly. We set off quite prominent and jumped well with the field travelling at a solid pace. As the race began to unfold one or two runners started to flag and drop away. As this was happening our strong travelling runner began to push on and stretch out the field. As they began to turn for home Transient Bay began to build a lead, with all the others toiling in his wake, including the favourite Global Dream who was clearly beaten. Entering the straight he began to pull away six, eight, ten lengths clear. Is this really going to happen – it was almost too good to be true. We were cruising in front. Way behind the pack was making little inroads and jumping sporadically. As we approached the second last we must have been trading at 1-20 or lower in running. This is one of the amazing things about horse racing. Very quickly the picture can change. You have not won until you are past the post. Three things happened in the last half mile to bring us back to the reality of horse racing. Firstly we almost came down at the second last hurdle. He jumped it fine but then stumbled a little on landing, losing both speed and momentum. This, secondly coincided with the now staying on well Dandy Duke emerging as an unexpected challenger. Ten lengths had now become six as they set off on the long run to the last hurdle. Thirdly and suddenly Transient Bay was all over the place. Tired, inexperienced and out in front on his own he began a mini tribute to Crisp from the Grand National all those years ago. As the two leaders approached the last there was now little between them. The dream was evaporating before my eyes. I was thinking about what Phil had said about the last hurdle and that second would still be pretty good. The horse had different ideas though. He jumped the last well. Upon eye-balling his opponent he then clarified that it was more boredom than fatigue that explained his wobble between the last two hurdles. With effective encouragement from Adam he saw off this final challenger and won going away by the line. For the first time I was a winning racehorse owner actually there at the course to see it all happen. A brilliant moment and incredible to share it with my Dad who had initiated this journey over thirty years ago. 

The next half hour was a fantastic blur. A joyous gathering in the winner’s enclosure. Photographs. The presentation to winning connections. More photographs. We were then taken to watch a replay of the race whilst toasting the win with champagne. It was a lot more comfortable to watch second time around. I was so focused on our own runner I had no idea during the race itself who our last hurdle challenger was. We collected our winnings and thought about our share of the prize money. The whole experience was great but now there was something even more wonderful. The real win was the realistic potential we now had. We were probably well handicapped, improving, likely to be better over fences. Thoughts turned to our next run. The future was very exciting indeed.

Thanks to Phil and his team for an incredible day.

We returned ten days later looking for a quick follow up win, carrying a seven pound penalty for the previous victory. Like last time the weather was kind to us, especially for December. Like last time we were running in a very winnable looking hurdle race over two and a half miles. Only Hollywood All Star, another last time out winner looked a serious threat. As we set off to the course we were even money favourite and the selection of the majority of tipsters. There were however three big differences from last time to this. Firstly, we now had expectation rather than hope. On the way, worst case scenario felt like coming second. On arrival, another difference was the atmosphere at the course. It had a pre-Christmas feel, with many enjoying a Christmas party and lots more in attendance than the previous Tuesday. There was a high proportion of new racegoers and my Dad found himself offering advice and tips to the inexperienced in the racecourse betting shop. The third big difference was that today’s handicap hurdle was for less experienced conditional and amateur jockeys which ruled out regular pilot Adam Nicol. This was to prove very significant.

We had a free lunch once again in the owners and trainers bar where we were joined by Phil and some of the other partnership owners. Whilst we ate, our runner and Phil were featured in the racing preview on the screens nearby. Phil once again seemed very confident. Discussion turned to the future. Transient Bay would soon be schooled over fences and could be running in novice handicap chases sooner rather than later. Phil explained to us the benefits of this option. We then sat and listened to him instruct another jockey who was riding for him at Southwell later that day. All a priceless insight for racing enthusiasts like my Dad and I.

Pre-race we were becoming a very strong favourite indeed. I had expected us to be closely matched to Hollywood All Star in the betting but we were now odds on and he was drifting towards 3-1. Whilst we did have a decent bet on our short priced charge both me and my dad were tempted in when the 3-1 became available. A value bet we could not ignore even if slightly dis-loyal. Our race now had two non-runners which reduced the field to six which on our first reaction seemed to be good news. An even bigger contingent of owners entered the parade ring awaiting our jockey David Noonan. He was an up and coming young jockey who the previous weekend had won a race at Cheltenham. We were not the only people who were interested in what he had to say. As he arrived our conversation was cut short by the Attheraces cameras who initially interviewed the group and then specifically the jockey himself. He revealed to the viewers that he had spoken to Adam Nicol about the ride and was confident about our chances. Perhaps a little too confident.

David had never sat on the horse before and this would prove critical as the race unfolded. We never had a chance to discuss that a strong pace would be ideal for us and would test the stamina of main danger Hollywood All Star, who had previously won over two miles. Perhaps he knew this already and had been fully briefed by Phil. When the six runners set off it was obvious nobody wanted to force the pace so they began at a crawl. Looking back the two most likely front runners were the two non-runners. Surely we need to push on and establish a more credible test. For the first half of the race they jogged round as a tightly knit group much slower than we would want. As they passed us with a circuit to go we could sense this would mean defeat. The race would end up as a sprint and our relentless galloping skills would not come to the fore. I was wishing we could speak to the jockey during the race to ask what he was playing at and get him to force the pace. I shouted at him anyway from the stands but more out of frustration than any real sense that he would hear me. The pace slowly picked up down the back straight but it was too little too late. As the kick for home began on the home turn we were clearly in trouble. The horse battled on to finish a poor fourth, with Hollywood All Star a very comfortable winner. On reflection I do believe if the race had been run to suit us we may have struggled to beat the eventual winner. David’s explanation after the race was that he did not feel our horse had the experience to force the pace. It would have been nice to find out! The consensus amongst the owners was that he had ridden a stinker and that it was his inexperience that had cost us and not the horses. A disappointing result for sure but as a group we knew this was not a true reflection of our horse’s new found ability. Transient Bay was fine and there would be another day for sure. Later I heard a random disgruntled punter lamenting our effort and suggesting we had not tried to win. It did feel strange to feel part of a group that had let favourite backers down. Horse racing is complex but not in my experience fixed.

We discreetly collected our Hollywood All Star winnings and prepared for the next big event of the day. The “who is wearing the best Christmas jumper competition?” This was being held in the winner’s enclosure between races three and four. Prizes included free racing tickets and free bets. Not being one to shy away from such competitions, I was wearing my newly acquired Christmas jumper in preparation. The entrants, perhaps thirty hardy competitors, were encouraged to line up in the winners enclosure. As the judges assessed the contenders my Dad decided to enter the winner’s enclosure to get a better photo of proceedings. Quite a crowd had gathered to watch and my Dad very much came across as the official racecourse photographer. The only clue that he was not was the shocking photographs he took, this one being the best of a very bad bunch. Controversially I was not selected as a winner despite flashing at the judges at the appropriate moment! Indeed, this was not a day for lots of winners like the previous week and things overall had not panned out as expected. I did however manage to find one good winner just prior to setting off for home, this time at the Ascot away meeting. Coming to the last Le Mercurey was looking well beaten by Amore Alato. The latter though hit the last, unseated the jockey and handed me a fortunate victory. An ironic reminder that for every winner there is at least one unlucky loser waiting for another chance at glory.

Lingfield Park Racecourse

Racecourse number: 53

First visited: 2015

Number of visits: 1

Of all the racecourses, I have probably watched the most races from Lingfield Park. Since around 1990 the course has dominated the fixture list following the construction of an all-weather track. This has provided the industry year round betting opportunities ever since, but the course also retains its turf track on which it still stages Derby and Oaks trials in the spring. It also still holds national hunt racing so in a sense it was three courses I came to visit in August 2015. On this evening card I was treated to seven flat races, four on the turf followed by three on the all-weather. I say treated as this was a belated birthday gift for me, a racing weekend away staying at the Lingfield Marriott hotel with a room overlooking the course. On arrival, looking out onto the course at around the one furlong pole, I was surprised at the layout of the track and in particular the lack of significant stands. Was this really the course I had seen so many horses kick for home on the final bend? As we were there in plenty of time we had the opportunity to have a good look round before racing began. When it did things did not start well.

I had put a lot of study into the form at this meeting and I arrived full of confidence from a betting point of view. At the previous Saturday night Lingfield meeting I had won the Placepot in a successful dummy run and put together a decent perm looking to double up. Race one looked a straight forward win for the Mick Channon trained Harlequin Rock. I was on at 2-1 but as normal I was looking for a second smaller bet in the race. Initially I was minded to side with Silver Springs from the in form David Evans stable but instead I switched to Man Of Time who was making his handicap debut and likely to show improvement. We watched the first race from our hotel balcony which was a surreal experience and meant that I wasn't able to monitor the pre-race betting. In the race Harlequin Rock never looked like winning, dropping right out of contention. Nothing was able to pass all the way leader Silver Springs! My daughter Rachel recorded the end of the race on her IPad with me in the background embarrassing myself saying “no, no, not Silver Springs, I meant to back that!” Now I am not normally a bad loser. In many ways I am a professional loser in that I have lost more times than most but these were very specific circumstances. This was my first race at a new course and I felt like I had missed a good priced winner. It also meant I was down on the first leg of the Placepot when I could have had one of three less fancied placed horses which would have been a great start. To make things worse I was full of a cold, being hassled by what seemed like a swarm of wasps and struggling in the oppressive southern heat. This was probably the hottest meeting I have ever attended. My mood was not improved when I discovered the winner returned at 25-1. Had I been on the course proper I was sure to have had at least a small bet. I really was frustrated and had an overwhelming sense that there was no way I could recover from this from a betting point of view. Eventually though and in some ways amazingly that’s exactly what I did.

To start on the comeback trail I needed to find a winner. As luck would have it the first race at Ayr included a runner for my own trainer Philip Kirby. Iftikaar was looking to double up following a recent facile win. This was the only horse I had planned to back away from Lingfield that evening. They did not let me down with an equally easy win, albeit as a short priced favourite. This was just what I needed to move things in the right direction. In race two my turnaround continued though I did approach with uncertainty, knowing it was a pretty wide open contest. I had narrowed the field down to three options but somehow found myself holding a betting slip for option four Pyla who I had backed at 4-1. This was a last minute switch following the money for this selection, knowing the 4-1 would soon disappear.  Ridden off the pace by Oisin Murphy, Pyla came through with a steady late run to seal victory and build me some much needed momentum.

Lingfield, despite the lack of significant stands, is blessed with high quality and extensive facilities. The amount of space, the variety of food options and betting access were all very good. Family friendly activities were also on hand to smooth things along for the Tomlinsons. My team enjoyed the bouncy castle, face painting and stayed behind after racing to witness The Take That Experience. Pretty good value at £19 per adult for a one enclosure set up. In truth the course reminded me somewhat of Haydock Park in that significant facilities were dedicated to the drinking racegoer with Pimms replacing John Smiths Bitter. I am not a great fan of this scenario but I understand the economic necessity of it if horse racing as I know it is to continue. I can live with a few stag and hen parties, they certainly bring some diversity and character to the racecourse. One unwelcome sight at Lingfield though was a dedicated area within Ladbrokes for the dreaded betting terminals. Never used one, never want to. Don’t get me started on these.

Races three and four on the card saw me make further progress. In race three I could only manage a decent priced second. Once again Oisin Murphy came out on top with the strong favourite well beaten. Race four had only four runners but was still a very tricky, all contenders having a credible claim. The joint favourites had both had plenty of chances to win previously but now had found an easier opportunity to break their duck in this maiden race. However, my preference was for Milady, who had disappointed on her only run to date when she had started as favourite. A slow start had been blamed for her poor show that day and improvement for the experience was anticipated. At 9-2, this was my kind of profile and my kind of price. I had a decent bet on and following a comfortable win my zero to hero status was building as we queued for the winnings.

Operating at Lingfield that evening were two notable bookmakers. Barry Dennis, once of Channel Four Racing fame was in attendance. A real character who was great value, interacting with the crowd, posing for photos and generally adding to the night’s entertainment. I had a couple of losing bets with him. Another bookmaker of interest was ‘Big Jim’ who had a unique selling approach. Offer very poor prices but for those who do have a bet – free sweets. It was late in the meeting when my daughter spotted this opportunity but once she did, half our bets were placed with him. The difficulty was getting a decent price with him. Amazingly, this did not deter many casual punters from having a bet with him despite better prices available right next door! Races five and six were the first on the all- weather track and passed without major incident or winners for me. Other than to confirm that I would not have won the Placepot anyway. At the time this felt significant as the dividend now seemed likely to run into the thousands.

With one race to go I was content with my night’s work and really starting to enjoy myself, especially now the oppressive heat had abated. Eight year old Jake however was not in a good place. It was now past his bed time and the long day combined with the heat and an hour’s castle bouncing had taken its toll. Following stern words from his mother I took Jake off for a change of scene, waiting outside the weighing room for the jockeys to come out for the final race. Something I had done many times with my own Dad at Haydock thirty years earlier. Whilst waiting I was studying the form trying to identify one more winner. So far the meeting had been a graveyard for the obvious, favourite after favourite being turned over. I had narrowed the race down to mid-priced contenders Light Wave and Oakley Girl. Very soon my mind would be made up for me in a fabulous and unexpected way. One jockey came out ahead of the others and wandered over to talk to my son who was now crouched down next to the paddock. After asking him his name and age, double winning jockey Oisin Murphy commented on Jake’s face paint and then asked the perfectly reasonable question “Do you like horses Jake?” His response was less than enthusiastic, a facial expression that said at best – not really. Oisin’s classy response was “I see, your dad likes horses.” Very true. I congratulated him on his two winners and he responded by strongly suggesting he was about to make it three, though he was a bit worried about the favourite Barsanti. Fantastic. Off he went to mount up, signing a couple of autographs on the way. I was really impressed by this softly spoken young Irish jockey who is really starting to make a name for himself. He had no need to initiate this conversation and I really did not expect it. It came across as a genuine attempt to engage with a young enthusiast in his sport. In truth I was even more impressed when Oakley Girl with Oisin doing the steering out battled Barsanti in the final furlong to conclude a brilliant evening. Another winner, this time at 7-2. I was absolutely thrilled but before we collected our returns we darted to the winner’s enclosure to give the winner a cheer and clap. From him passing the winning post to collecting our returns I believe I called my new favourite jockey top man at least ten times, much to the disgust of a slightly happier Jake. This result finally erased the fading memory of Silver Springs and replaced it with a much better more lasting memory – an encounter with a future top jockey and a winner live at the all-weather track at Lingfield Park. A top evening, a top racecourse and in Oisin a top man!

Chelmsford City Racecourse

Racecourse number: 51

First visited: 2015

Number of visits: 1

During my two hundred and fifty mile journey from home to Chelmsford I witnessed the full spectrum of challenging weather that a British winter can throw at you. High winds, rain, sleet, snow, ice caused by very low temperatures and a blinding low sun. This is what all weather racing is all about. Live racing for the betting shops, when normal racing would be abandoned and when no sane person would venture outside. Joining me in my insanity on this occasion was my great friend from university Mark who now conveniently resides near Chelmsford. This would be the first official public race meeting, so in almost every sense was a new racecourse - except that a few years earlier the course had operated as Great Leighs racecourse with all manor of problems before it finally closed. The track and floodlights remained and following much investment and hard work the course was ready for action again with a new name and a very busy 2015 fixture list. 

Prior to my visit I was intrigued by the unusual set up of the track. The grandstand is situated in the centre of the track along with the other main facilities. In practice this would mean a restricted sight of the racing with only the final two furlongs or so in view. The big screen certainly helped but the situation is far from ideal and is arguably significantly flawed. On arrival we received a warm welcome to what in truth from the outset was clearly a work in progress/building site. Much of the track and facilities were incomplete with a full grand opening planned for the summer. However this did not detract from the day out but rather showed how the course had much more scope to improve and expand its offering. As we entered the main sports bar/betting area I was equally impressed by the modern spacious facilities and the abundance of friendly, helpful staff. There was a professionalism about the place more akin to a hotel than a racecourse. A few intrepid staff members were dedicated to holding open the doors to the main betting area which were in danger of being blown off by the very strong winds. Outside where conditions could best be described as bloody freezing I was disappointed to find only eight bookmakers unenthusiastically lined up to form the betting market. Another option was the very odd and new site of DIY Tote terminals which looked impressive but seemed to be avoided by both myself and other sceptical punters. Undaunted I was ready to place my first bet.

The meeting had attracted a lot of runners from the relatively nearby Newmarket including my first selection Wanting, trained by Charlie Appleby. This daughter of Acclamation only needed to justify a portion of her 140,000 gns price tag it seemed to beat opposition that looked moderate at best. I had £20 on at 11-10 and soon returned to collect my winnings as Adam Kirby brought her through to challenge on the home turn and went away to win pretty comfortably. One bet, one win - this all weather racing is easy. Or is it? Four races later my total number of winners was still one! I had missed a couple of important form clues, ignored some very solid advice from a well put together race card and most worryingly neglected to factor in both the importance of the draw and front running tactics on a tight track with a short run in. If nothing else I had identified a potential future winner in Come On Dave who won the days sprint in embarrassingly easy fashion. All was not lost for race six as well as I increased my credibility and my cash balance with £10 on the 3-1 winner Karam Albaari. He came from last to first to win the stayers event under the urgings of my new favourite jockey Adam Kirby. Enthused I started the applause as the victors arrived at a very sparsely attended winners enclosure. 

As we left the course we were treated to a floodlights switch on which added to the spectacle of the setting as we stood on the polytrack surface. I really enjoyed my first visit to a meeting that was pretty well attended given the weather conditions. Cheers Mark, cheers Adam and good luck to Chelmsford City racecourse. Based on what I saw in February 2015 they probably won't need it ......as long as the weather improves!