My interest in racing
goes back many years. Probably my first
real memory is the 1973 Grand National when Red Rum stormed past the gallant
but ultimately futile efforts of the front running Crisp in the final 100 yards
or so. I was gutted for Crisp and didn’t
appreciate just how special Red Rum was.
It wasn’t until a few years later when Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon came
to prominence that really got interested, up to then I was obsessed with
football (Hull City and Burnley) and Rugby League (Hull Kingston Rovers).
When I was around 18 I
started to go to race courses and ever since I have been bitten by the racing
bug, both flat and national hunt.
Throughout the 1980’s it was York, Doncaster and my local track
Beverley. Then in the 1990’s when I got
a car we went further afield to Newmarket.
Around 6 years ago I decided it was about time I became a member at a
course; but which? Beverley has a
waiting list, York is expensive.
Catterick is the course I decided was the one to join. It is a basic quite homely course where the
people are friendly and whilst lively doesn’t get too unruly. The thing that I liked most of all though is
that I could become a member and get a second badge (which is transferable) to
take a guest with me. This way I can
share my passion for racing with friends and family, thank people who have done
me a good turn and take newcomers to racing to catch ‘the bug’. After all who says no to a day out at the
races when you are going to a nice enclosure?
Today it was the turn of
my friend and former colleague Amy to join me and have a good old gossip about
what has been happening since we left our former employer. Amy is great company and is starting to enjoy
occasional visits to the races, so we were bound to have a fun relaxing day.
The racecourse is
situated at the end of the village, funnily enough, by the bridge! Access is easy from the A1 and there is a
large, free public carpark opposite the course.
Quite a long way for me to drive but it is so easy to get there. I was great to catch up with Amy; the drive
seemed to fly by and we arrived in good spirits with the weather no way as bad
as that predicted. Time for a quick
drink before the racing starts!
The Bridge Hotel is
situated right outside the racecourse; it couldn’t be better placed. It is an old family run hotel/restaurant/bar
with a homely feel and it is always buzzing on a race day. They also serve real ale – Black Sheep Bitter
and Theakson Black Bull Bitter which I went for. I have not eaten there, but after a long
drive it is a nice place to settle down for a quiet pint to get you in the mood
for an afternoon at the races.
Catterick is an old
course and some of the buildings are showing it. The management is adopting a policy of
gradual improvement which seems to be working.
The sad old cafeteria was just been converted into a nice restaurant
with a view of the racing or the parade ring.
In the current financial environment I think the approach is a wise one
rather than borrowing for a big redevelopment and then having to put prices up
to get a return on the investment. Being
clean and tidy, regularly painted and lots of flowers and plants can work
wonders. Big glass and concrete
grandstand can provide better facilities but also destroy the atmosphere of a
course which is often what small country courses rely upon.
The first race was a
triumph for me. I have recently set up
my own management company called Indigo Spot Limited which has produced a bit
leg pulling over the name from friends and former colleagues. With a runner called Indigo Blues, I could
hardly not back it because if it won and I was not on it then I would never
hear the end of it. Only a short price
(6/4) but I had to back it; it duly obliged with some ease.
2:05 | 4 Indego Blues (P M
Quinn, 5-4 fav); 6 Taffe (Frederik Tylicki, 18-1 ); 7 Dubious
Escapade (P B Beggy, 8-1 ); 10 ran. 8 Findhornbay (J Fanning, 11-4 2nd-fav);
Non-runners:
Phoenician Blaze; Glamorous Angel;
Distances: 2½ lengths; 1½ lengths; 2½ lengths;
Winning trainer: D Nicholls.
Distances: 2½ lengths; 1½ lengths; 2½ lengths;
Winning trainer: D Nicholls.
A good
start but that was to be the limit of my winnings. I managed third in the second race but could
get no nearer.
Amy’s
father asked her to put a little bet of for him and it proved to be sound
judgement with a nice priced winner.
3:10 | 7 Rusty Rocket (P
McDonald, 11-1 ); 2 Repeater (S Donohoe, 5-4 fav); 5 Fayr Fall (D
Fentiman, 5-1 2nd-fav); 9 ran.
Non-runners: Ortea;
Distances: 1¾ lengths; ½ length; 5 lengths;
Winning trainer: Paul Green.
Distances: 1¾ lengths; ½ length; 5 lengths;
Winning trainer: Paul Green.
Winners
were proving to be elusive so we decided to have a quiet drink in the public
bar next door to the owners and trainers bar overlooking the parade ring. Like most sports venues it wasn’t real ale
but John Smiths Smooth which was ok.
Duly refreshed it was back to the action.
We needed
a winner, I particularly wanted Amy to get one as she had been unlucky before
and deserved a bit of luck. Lady luck
duly obliged for her in the sixth race with a nice priced winner.
4:55 | 12 Miss Ferney (Declan
Cannon, 14-1 ); 11 Daytime Dreamer (P McDonald, 22-1 ); 4
Danceintothelight (Kelly Harrison, 4-1 2nd-fav); 13 ran. 9 Simple Jim (S J
Craine, 7-2 fav);
Non-runners: Royal
Premier; Penang Cinta;
Distances: Neck; 4½ lengths; ½ length;
Winning trainer: A Kirtley.
Distances: Neck; 4½ lengths; ½ length;
Winning trainer: A Kirtley.
I think I
was just excited as she was! When the
bookie paid her out he said ‘you know what to do now love, stick it in your
pocket and don’t have another bet’. Sound
advice, if a little unusual coming from a bookie! There were two more races on the card but we
decided to head off towards home and stop to have tea on the way.
Neither
one of us could decide where to go for tea; in the end Amy said drive to York
and see what comes up. We wandered
around York for a while (where a food festival had taken over much of the city
centre) rejecting Pizza Hut and the like.
In the end we spotted an Indian down one of the side streets called the “The Indian Lounge”. It was only 7pm but there were a few people
in and the menu seemed pretty good so we decided to take a chance. Good choice, we got a table easily but it
quickly filled up and was very busy. It
was a modern style of Indian restaurant a world away from the dark, flock
wallpaper and twing-twang sitar music in the background. We both thought the food was very good!
The food chicken tandoori, chicken chatt,
murghi taj, chicken hyderabadi, mushroom pullao rice, peas pullao rice and a
pishori naan
An excellent
meal to round off a very nice day with a good friend.
Links
The Indian
Lounge http://www.the-indian-lounge.co.uk/
BBC (for the
results – thanks!) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/uk_results
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