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Anyone here met any well known racing figures, such as trainers, jockeys or owners?
What were they like?DEEMAN
I have known quite a few.Only distinguishing features were a certain bipolar syndrome.IE depression and hyperactive.But really very nice people trying to make a living in a very competative world.
One very cold winter’s day some years ago I was alone in the top tier of the grandstand at Leicester.
Who should suddenly appear but Derek "Thommo" Thompson off the television.
"Hello Derek "Thommo" Thompson off the television" I said.
"Hello" he replied, cheerily.
There seem to be a frisson in the air, a slight sexual undercurrent. We went our seperate ways. I felt a little like Trevor Howard.
I could work that up into an anecdote some day.
Mike
Deeman I’ve met everyone I’ve wanted to meet but without doubt my fav ‘Racing Star’ is
Steve Cauthen
,he was a master jockey who had the ability of ‘Sectional Timing’ built into his head and thats why when Steve rode one from the front you sat up and watched,he would have been a Layers nightmare on the machine these days!
I remember one embarrassing encounter………I was sat in a Chinese Restaurant after an evenings Racing at Nottingham back in the 80’s chatting with the Forest hard man Larry Lloyd,Steve had ridden a 3 timer and I had backed them all,I was telling all and sundry just how brilliant he was and that he was riding a certainty the following day down at Goodwood,I even went as far to say just how he would ride it!!………The horse was called ‘Skaramanga’ and was trained by the Maestro Sir Henry himself and owned by Stavros Niarchos,funny how you dont forget these moments!! Anyway as I’m walking out I caught a glimpse of a guy in a Red Golf style jacket,White shirt and Navy blue trousers,the same guy I had congratulated a mere hour earlier on riding 3 winners! Steve had been sat at the table right behind me,heard eveything I had said and rode the horse nothing like I suggested and lost,he was Odds-on too!
Never set foot in that Chinese since!! TRF correspondents in their dotage might recall the jockey Willie Snaith. I chanced upon him some years ago on the July Course and enjoyed 10 minutes inconsequential chat with him, most of which seemed to revolve around his friendship with Scobie Breasley and their annual exchanging of Christmas cards. Nice little guy, with little being the operative word, seeming to stand little higher than my belly-button. Sadly I don’t recall a sexual undercurrent, though had he been a few inches smaller still…
Other than him, if memory serves it’s been little more than the occasional ‘how d’you do’ ‘now then’ ‘awright’ – some of the greetings reciprocated – on crossing paths at the races with some trainer, jockey or owner: The Aga Khan, at York, would seem a good a name to drop; he got a ‘how d’you do’ – I know my place – and returned a weak though warmish smile
I know a few Irish trainers and know 1 quite well the past 4 years or so. He wouldn’t be the most high profile trainer in Ireland but had about 15-20 winners last season.
He’s not what i would’ve expected from a horse trainer,more what you’d expect from a young jockey 20 years ago. Enjoys a few drinks at the weekend and has an eye for the ladies,not exactly shy
For some reason previously i had it in my head that trainers had a high opinion of themselves and had no interest in people out of racing circles. How wrong i was 
Many years ago I met the owner of Best Mate Jim Lewis and his wife Valerie at Sandown Park. They were both extremely charming people, happy to talk to an ordinary punter like me. There were no airs or graces to either of them and both realised how very lucky they had been to be involved with such great horses. It was such a shame that Valerie died a short time afterwards.
Being a member of Desert Orchid’s fan club a few years back, I went to many of his open days where of course I got lots of opportunities to make a fuss of ‘Himself’. His owners, the late Jimmy Burridge, Midge and Richard Burridge would open up their house in Ab Kettleby, Leicestershire and we spent many a summer day on their lawn listening to the jazz band, watching videos in the barn of Dessies past races. Good food and drink was available and all money raised went to various horse charities.
Desert Orchid would be paraded in the paddock and a raffle would be held for portraits of him by well known artists, horseshoes and plaits of his mane (one of which I was lucky enough to win and it is one of my greatest treasures).
Janet Coyle would always be there to lead him around the paddock and his old jockey Colin Brown sometimes put in an appearance.We had lot’s of photo opportunities and my daughter who was then 6 years old and recovering from a relapse from leukaemia was thrilled when Richard Burridge lifted her up onto Desert Orchid’s back for a photo.
His very last Open Day was in Newmarket, as he went to stay with his old trainer David Elsworth who trains there now, it was at the National Stud and Dessie was showing his years but he still put on a show for his fans when led, once more by Janet Coyle around the paddock. Afterwards he was very tired and Midge asked that we give him time to rest in his stable, later my daughter and I went to say goodbye and stroked his nose, I can still remember his hot breath on my hand. Six weeks later he had gone.
I will never forget the kindness of the Burridges’ in sharing Desert Orchid with everybody who wished to see him, he was beautiful, charismatic and brave, a horse of a lifetime and I was proud to have met and known him.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I was lucky to meet three absolute superstars one day, all fine well-mannered gentlemen
Montjeu was very handsome, and he knew it
Galileo was quite dumpy and plain-looking, but "personality" is more important than looks
Sadlers Wells walked around the place as if he owned it, but then he was "the daddy"
Only one of them left now
In the early 80s I was at a Frank Carson do in Penrith – he was at the top of his form then, very funny. Anyway, I ended up at a table with one of my early heroes, Ron Barry who lived, and still does, at Pooley Bridge, not far from Penrith.
I was looking forward to an hour’s chat with him but excess alcohol and his Kerry accent meant I understood about every fiftieth word.
Nigel Angus was at the same table. Older readers will recall he trained two Ayr Gold Cup winners, Swinging Junior and Roman Warrior, who won in 1975 carrying Johnny Seagrave and enough lead to bring the burden to ten stones.
Mr Angus was a charming man. He’d retired from training at the time we met but was reluctant to talk about himself. I believe he was a scratch golfer too – a talented fella who died relatively young (62) in 2006.
In my later years, through work, I organised a golf outing for independent bookies, some minor celebs and the usual suspects. S Smith Eccles brought J Francome along and a great day was had by all at the Tote’s expense.
Next morning I had a call from John Francome just to say thanks (I didn’t know him and had met him just the day before: he’d gone to the trouble to get my name and number). Not a single other guest said thanks.
I met quite a few in my time at Aintree, but would have traded them all for a day out with some of my early heroes – Pat Taaffe (also dead at 62), Tom Dreaper, Fred Winter, Fulke Walwyn, T Biddlecombe, Ken Oliver, Neville Crump, Barry Brogan . . . doubtless many would have had ‘feet of clay’, but we are all the same underneath, aren’t we?
I can only echo what Triptych has said about the Desert Orchid years. I used to feel like a child queuing to see Santa when I waited in line to see him [and kiss him!]. We used to pass the Gold Cup around until one year they said ‘y’know, perhaps we shouldn’t do that?’I can only be grateful to the Burridges for sharing him with us. It was a magical time.
Tanya must live very close to me because more than once I’ve been standing by the doors waiting to get off the train on my way home from work and she’s been stood next to me.
The first time, I was reading the RP on my iPad… she caught a glimpse, sort of looked knowingly and the doors opened.
To paraphrase Hugh Grant; "it’s not much of an anecdote really is it ?"
After Ciceron had won the last on Tolworth day last year my non racing-fan missus (who had taken advise from The Morning Line
) was chatting to the delightful Alice Plunkett at the strangely sparse winners circle as if she’d known her her whole life.Surely there must be better than this though
Lee
I met Cash Asmussen after racing one afternoon at a York Ebor meeting. He spent about half an hour with us happily chatting away, and openly answering questions. An absolute gent. At the same meeting I also met Steve Cauthen fleetingly, and he couldn’t even be bothered to exchange a sentence.
On another note we stayed for a week in a rented cottage in Middleham and answered an advert in the newsagents window regarding stable tours. I couldn’t believe my luck the next day as myself and my partner were guided round a number of stables by former trainer Ernie Weymes. The tour was brilliant and he was charming and ever so informative. Its a must do experience !Not much of a story but was at London Euston station and stopped at Smiths on the way to work to nose at the RP (yes, I’m one of those cheapskates who nose at the papers without buying!) when along came a certain Ms L Hislop, resplendant in her long electric blue overcoat.
Figured she needed the paper more then me. (Think she was working at Ludlow that day).
Also been behind Simon Holt in the newsagents opposite Cheltenham Railway Station, behind Sir Peter O’Sullevan at the onsite Chemist and almost flattened by Lord Oaksey (both at Cheltenham)
If you want to meet those within racing can I suggest you join a racing club. Not an owners club, just a club for people who love racing. I’ve been on the same quiz team as Peter Walwyn. One of the greats, true gent. Although it was a bit difficult to hear him over the noise. Me being team captain I had the pen. Mis-heard and we (I) much to his embarassment managed to get a question wrong about Bustiono! Sorry Peter.
Our West Berkshire Racing Club have most of our events (talks and stuff) at Newbury Racecourse, plus stable and stud visits. Paul Nicholls took us around Dicheat. It costs just £12 to join, £2 for events @ Newbury, £5 for most visits.
Here is some of the sort of stuff we and other racing clubs do: Excuse the ugly ginger bloke in the centre, he gets everywhere!
See how many people you recognise, from Grand Natiional winning jockeys to commentators, journalists and many more.http://www.westberksrc.org.uk/Gallerypage.html
That reminds me, I need to pay my 2013 membership.
I know there are many such clubs all around the country, bound to be one in your area.
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