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I feel I must defend my (current) local track Brighton.<br>There are several things that make Sussex’s finest racecourse great.
Enjoy glorious views of the Whitehawk council estate (when the sea mist decides to disappear).
Socialise with other racegoers in the spacious and airy main betting hall (known affectionately as ‘The cattle shed’), where you can enjoy a thirst quenching pint of lager-style drink and partake in some mouthwatering local dishes – and still have change from a £20 note!
Listen to the informative banter of the lovable and eccentric Brighton regulars, speaking in a rarely heard local dialect – which mainly consists of words of no more than four letters.
Gasp in wonder at the consistent accuracy of local psychic Dave "The Judge" Smith – who regularly calls the result of a race well before the runners cross the finishing line.
Chuckle as the jockeys inexplicably decide to race stands side on firm ground, ruining your placepot and ballsing up hours of form study in which you discounted everything drawn high in the big field sprint handicap.
After the thrilling afternoon’s action has sadly ended, relax for hours in the comfort of your car as you get stuck in the middle of Brighton town centre in rush hour.
What more could any enthusiastic racegoer want?<br>
(Edited by Happy Jack at 4:29 pm on Sep. 18, 2003)
The only track that I have actually visited that I wouldn’t shed a tear for if it was shut down is Nottingham – a ghastly, soul-less dump with no atmosphere whatsoever. <br>Newbury comes a very close second, but at least they usually stage some decent racing.
I’m certainly not knocking the jump racing calender at all, in fact there’s nobody that enjoys a wet January afternoon at Plumpton or Folkestone more than I (as some of you well know!).<br>I was just saying that I wish people would stop using the word trial with regards to the big winter races. There are some fantastic races all the way through the year, all of which should be judged on their own merits, whether it be the Hennessy, King George, Tote Gold Trophy, Christmas Hurdle, Royal Artillary Gold Cup or the Bet Direct on 08002348274897 Conditional Jockeys Selling Handicap Hurdle (Class G).
The main problem with the jumps season at present is the ghastly use (misuse?) of the word trial. It seems that every time a big race is run during the months of October-February it is just classed as a trial race for Cheltenham/Aintree. Nowadays even races such as the King George & Hennessy are unofficially classified as Gold Cup/Grand National trials and that is taking the lustre off their position as very important & worthy titles in their own right.
Cheers for pointing out about Somnus being a gelding John, I’d forgotten about him – although to be fair he looked all over a sprinter last season and if he was a colt I doubt whether connections would have been thinking Guineas.
(Edited by Happy Jack at 3:23 pm on May 12, 2003)
It seems very unfair that if a colt with Classic potential has to be gelded due to illness/injury or whatever, that they are ruled out of running in a Classic.<br>Anyway, from my memory, no gelding in this country in recent years has been good enough to be a possible Classic contender (but I’m sure someone will correct me!), so isn’t this a rather hypothetical argument? :biggrin:
I remember skipping my final lesson at college (probably why I flunked my A-Levels that year!) to watch Dorans Pride, plus Master Oats and Fantus all win in great style. From that moment onwards old Dorans was one of my favourite horses and more than often my heart ruled my head when it came to backing him in the future. Sickening to see him go like that.
Excellent write up Deany, although I have to go against the general consensus that South Africa is the bet to win the tournament. IMO they are not as good as they’re cracked up to be, especially in the bowling department. Pollock seems to be the only bowler who is capable of consistently getting wickets. Donald is not as good as he was and has lost that extra yard of pace. Ntini is very quick and is capable of getting anyone out on his day but is very wayward and should have been called for far more wides than were actually given yesterday against the West Indies. Klusener is an average bowler who is mainly in the team for his tail-end batting nowadays and Boje is a run-of-the-mill spinner. <br>Totally overrated at 5/2 if you ask me :biggrin:
(BTW I’m on West Indies at 16s and New Zealand at 12s, plus Brett Lee for top wicket taker – we do agree on something!)
Nearly got run over by the Queen Mum in her golf buggy at Sandown a couple of years back. Even though I was in her way she still gave me a smile and a wave (although it could have been a grimace and the two finger salute). In any case, she still gets my vote :biggrin:
Quote: from marko on 9:27 am on Jan. 23, 2003[br]the thought of a 4yo Bumper and a cross country chase (what odds it’s the same old suspects running – probably minus A Thornton) doen’t exactly get my pluse racing.
What does get your pluse racing then? (is that similar to pigeon racing?) :laugh:
Have to disagree with you here.
IMO the cross country chase makes for a fascinating spectacle and is most certainly preferential to the drudgery of watching the same old beasts run round Southwell/Wolverhampton day in day out, or tiny fields of selling hurdlers plodding round Fakenham or Sedgefield in the mud.<br>I think a valuable cross country chase at the Festival would be a most welcome addition.
Total farce of a meeting from beginning to end – basically the first horse who grabs the stands rail coming off Tattenham corner wins. It is obvious that even racing only two or three horse widths off the rail is a big disadvantage.<br>It also appears that the situation is going to be even worse tomorrow, as a fresh strip of ground about 6 yards wide is going to be opened up on the stands rail.<br>Yet again races at a Classic meeting are decided by track bias, an extremely unsatisfactory situation.
<br>(Edited by Happy Jack at 5:57 pm on June 7, 2002)<br>
(Edited by Happy Jack at 5:59 pm on June 7, 2002)
The commontator at Newbury last Friday was the consistently dreadful John Hickman. The man is obviously living in a time warp as he shouted Rag Trade home.<br>The other two worst race callers are Jonathon Turner and Andy Orkney. Turner’s inabilty to call a tight finish is outstanding and Orkney is just overwhelmingly dull.
My personal favourites are Mark Johnson and Martin Harris. John Hunt is pretty good but his constant arse-licking can get extremely annoying.
Alex "obviously" Hammond on the Racing Channel has to be watched with the sound turned down – the drivel that she comes out with is absolutely unbearable. Miriam Francome, John Hunt and Dougie "here this afternoon" Fraser are almost as bad. <br>The best racing presenter by far has to be Bob Cooper – pure class.