Plumpton and it is almost Spring. Not only did Leap Year give me an extra day to go racing (the chances of someone proposing to me were limited) but the sun was out, there was a hint of warmth in the air and the going included the description 'good'. The hammering the course has taken over this wet winter did mean there was an awful lot of sand on the track, but it would be harsh to be too critical when all climate change factors are considered.
My chance to study the form had been somewhat hampered by a surprise personal appearance on LatestTV, giving my views on the EU referendum. There were perhaps too many 'you knows' (channelling my inner Frank Bruno) and the fence is still aggravating my Nobbies*, but I am told that the last 2 Conservative leaning voters in the Left Wing capital of England (Brighton and Hove) quite enjoyed my chat with the legendary broadcaster Mike Mendoza.
As usual I took the coach from Brighton Station to the course. Me and 4 other paying customers got aboard (including an elderly gentleman wearing some rather fetching desert boots of the type now worn by the younger generation) and set out via Pyecombe. We reached Clayton when a diversion led to the driver doing a rather alarming 'u-ey', and we retraced our journey back to the newly savaged Patcham roundabout, before eventually arriving 30 minutes late via Prison Crossroads and the Offham Filling Station.
It meant the old friend I was meeting (you know who you are) had already consumed a burger (large) and spilt the sauce down his fetching Timberland (or was it White Stuff?) coat.
As for the racing it was in all honesty so, so.
The Tizzards are my favourite racing family. Colin Tizzard trains Cue Card (most likely English winner of the Gold Cup) from his farm in Dorset. He - rumour has it - was born in a caravan and once bowled out Ian Botham. Fact is he speaks in a lovely west country burr and - despite his lack of a silver spoon background - does really know what he is doing when it comes to both dairy farming and training traditional old-fashioned staying chasers. Personally I could not support his horse The Cider Maker (appropriate name of course) in the 4th race at odds/on but it duly obliged. Colin was not there but his son smokin'* Joe Tizzard took charge and the horse ran out an easy winner.
Rather than the normal 'getting in deeper stakes', for once the 'lucky last' did prove to be my 'getting out stakes'. I backed the David Bridgewater trained Jot'em Down, who stayed on well under my new favourite jockey Tom Scudamore, to deny the locally trained (Suzy Smith at Lewes) favourite Clondaw Bisto. Yet again we all saw how difficult it is for a bumper winner to come first again under a penalty.
On the way back there were 6 people on the coach (somebody sneaked on?). The Ditchling diversion was still in place but no alarming u-turns from the driver this time. It simply took two hours to complete the journey as we waited at the Hassocks traffic lights. It might be easier to go the whole way by train in future.
NB By the way, stay tuned for my next post. I am off to London on Thursday for a Cheltenham Preview Evening in which arch villain, Rich Ricci #Fatcatinahat, is the star turn. My trilby and tweeds will be making an appearance at The Temple Walkabout to hear whether he thinks Annie Power will win the Champion Hurdle.
* Nobby Styles, piles etc
**Joe puffs a packet of Rothmans whenever one of the stable's fancied runners are competing. Come the Gold Cup in a fortnight he might spontaneously combust if Cue Card gets anywhere delivering.
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