MILL Reef didn’t look like a champion. He was small: “diminutive” was the usual description. He was also unlucky because he was foaled in the same year as another equine great in Brigadier Gerard. But he was totally brilliant, especially when upped in distance. This Saturday sees the 41st running of the Mill Reef Stakes …[Read More]
14
Sep 2012
Famous horses: The Oh So Sharp story
CAMELOT could be about to write himself into the pantheon of racing history. But let’s pause for a moment and think of the fairer sex. Now we all know that the Triple Crown hasn’t been done since Nijinsky in 1970. But what about the Fillies’ Triple Crown? If there was a Fillies’ Equality Council it …[Read More]
05
Sep 2012
Famous horses: the riddle of Gorytus…
I REMEMBER the hyperbole as if it was yesterday. Gorytus. Two runs. Two wins. But they weren’t just wins. In those juvenile races he massacred the opposition in a way that caused him to be hailed as some sort of Pegasus. This, according to the racing world, was a wonder horse like we had never …[Read More]
01
Sep 2012
Channel 4: don’t lose the humour
I FEEL like the Channel 4 Racing team have become close pals of mine over the past 28 years. We have spent a lot of time together. Me sitting on the couch watching them do their stuff on Saturday afternoons and, in particular, during the big midweek meetings. I’ve watched John Francome and John McCririck …[Read More]
30
Aug 2012
RIP Go Ballistic: a wonderful warrior
ONE of the beauties of racing is the way that some horses just seem to go on forever. Season after season they stretch every sinew in the quest for glory. Take Kauto Star: I can’t quite imagine national hunt racing without him. One horse who fell into this category was the wonderful warrior Go Ballistic. …[Read More]
21
May 2012
Summer’s here.. time to go racing
The weather forecasters have finally started talking about sunshine: there’s even been the mention of a mini heatwave this week. So it sounds like a great time to go racing, although soft ground horses may have to be put away for a couple of months. Redcar has an eight-race card this afternoon starting at 2.10pm …[Read More]
