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Are you a ‘twitcher’? We have got Buzzards here on the Derbyshire/Leicester border for the first time I can remember. Wondered if they were being pushed Eastwards by the Red Kites. Just a theory. Yes; Manorbier Castle is quite splendid, but holiday was ruined by the fact that what had been the driest summer on record up to that point suddenly wasn’t.
Born and raised in the Vale of STRATHMORE, near the town of BLAIRGOWRIE. The latter met a sad end at Market Rasen’s notorious 3rd last.
Are you a ‘twitcher’? We have got Buzzards here on the Derbyshire/Leicester border for the first time I can remember. Wondered if they were being pushed Eastwards by the Red Kites. Just a theory. Yes; Manorbier Castle is quite splendid, but holiday was ruined by the fact that what had been the driest summer on record up to that point suddenly wasn’t.
Sorry, not a twitcher myself (that’s my brother-in-law), just had a number of holidays down there.
Was there a Monkstone Point racing as well? (Monkstone Beach sits between Saundersfoot & Tenby)?
Prideaux Boy
…from the 1980’s, owned by Graham Roach of Prideaux House, Luxulyan, Cornwall
living nearby at that time I enjoyed weekly jaunts with my dog in his estate woods, also called Prideaux, just below his gallops and paddock. The beautiful Luxulyan valley full of spring bluebells and a stone’s throw from the well known Eden Project.
Google map reference here if you’re interested. Often saw horses in the field, probably pointers I expect as I believe Prideaux Boy was professionally trained.
how about Penzance (triumph Hurdle winner,placed in the xmas Hurdle Half Brother to Soviet Song ) & Mithian sadly not a great success on the race course depite great breeding !!!
Are you a ‘twitcher’? We have got Buzzards here on the Derbyshire/Leicester border for the first time I can remember. Wondered if they were being pushed Eastwards by the Red Kites. Just a theory. Yes; Manorbier Castle is quite splendid, but holiday was ruined by the fact that what had been the driest summer on record up to that point suddenly wasn’t.
The twitchers are the nutters who travel miles to watch a rare American bird in a car park somewhere in Norfolk or such like. No I am just what Simon Barnes calls a "Bad Bird Watcher". His book How to be a Bad Birdwatcher is an excellent read.
And, having started the thread, I forgot dear old The Langholm Dyer. How remiss of me.
I’d forgotten about that book [think it was on my Christmas list a couple of years ago, but didn’t get it]. I love Simon Barne’s writing. Must check it out. I don’t go looking for rare birds; they have to come looking for me. And even then I’ll get terribly excited about something, only for it to turn out to be a pigeon.
When I was young George Todd trained a number of horses named after villages in Berkshire, including my home village of Bradfield. I remember horses named Bucklebury, Yattendon and Thatcham and I’m sure there were more. I particularly remember a trip to Ascot when Bradfield earened me a bit of pocket money with a place in the Halifax Stakes at 100/7.
Rob
Amazed there hasn’t been a horse called Tutt’s Clump at some stage. When did you leave Bradfield? I often find myself passing through these days.
When I was young George Todd trained a number of horses named after villages in Berkshire, including my home village of Bradfield. I remember horses named Bucklebury, Yattendon and Thatcham and I’m sure there were more. I particularly remember a trip to Ascot when Bradfield earened me a bit of pocket money with a place in the Halifax Stakes at 100/7.
Rob
Amazed there hasn’t been a horse called Tutt’s Clump at some stage. When did you leave Bradfield? I often find myself passing through these days.
I left Bradfield in 1993, although Mum and both my brothers still live there. I moved to Bicester for a while then Didcot, and finally to Dunfermline in 2006. I’m still a Vice President of the cricket club at Bradfield having batted barnacle like and trundled medium pace for 30 years!
Tutts Clump (no apostrophe as far as I know) was always a fascinating name to me and yes it would have made a good name for a horse. I’m sure there were a few other villages in the area which had horses after them, but I can’t recall them. Thinking about it, the obvious recent one is the steeplechaser Pangbourne.
Rob
Do you remember Bob Wyatt? Was driven very slowly through Bradfield last night to get a full appreciation of the Christmas lights. I’m not sure what it was like in your day, but Oxford Street doesn’t hold a candle to it!
Remiss of me thus far not to nominate George Charlton’s inmate ROTHBURY, which is also a Northumberland village and, until April 1965, was also the site of a National Hunt course.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
I will probably think of some more, given enough time, but here are a few that spring to mind :
[b:39klovtn]Warsaw[/color:39klovtn][/b:39klovtn] ( two horses of this name – a French filly some years ago and an inmate of Aidan O’Brien’s yard recently – both winners)
[b:39klovtn]Dresden Grey [/color:39klovtn][/b:39klovtn](a winning hurdler trained years ago by Fred Winter)
[b:39klovtn]Canterbury[/color:39klovtn][/b:39klovtn] (St Leger winner or runner-up – cannot remember which – also a good winner on the flat)
[b:39klovtn]San Francisco [/color:39klovtn][/b:39klovtn]- (two horses of that name – a winner on the flat back in the 1960’s and also a winning hurdler and chaser in recent years)
South Africa – winning steeplechaser in the 1930’s
West Indies – winning steeplechaser in the 1920’s I think
Red Rock Canyon – winner on the flat for Aidan O’Brien, and also placed in a number of Group races
Rio de Janeiro – winner on the flat and over hurdles – sadly deceased
Argentina – filly from back in the 1950’s or 1960’s I think – winner on the flat
[b:39klovtn]Saint Germain [/color:39klovtn][/b:39klovtn]- French dual classic winner in the 1850’s I think – maybe 1860’s
Rome – good winner on the flat
Those highlighted in green are places which I have visited.
I’ll try to add some more later.
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