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On a cold wet morning I feel like recording a few early memories of our great sport from the perspective of a 75 year fan.
Watching The Dickler win the Open Point to Point at Didmarton and then going on to win the Gold Cup as See More Business did years later.
"names" from my school days seen riding at Didmarton. Tim Holland Martin, Pat Tollitt (female jockeys had their own race even in the 1950s in ptps), Richard Shepherd, Bill Bush.
Bob tailed 'un. Probably the last docked tailed horse to run under rules. And the subject of my first bet at Cheltenham when he was second to Lochroe and I had the Tote forecast.
Fred Winter's last ride. He won very easily at Cheltenham on Kirriemuir. And the winners came through the main stand via a short tunnel to the Unsaddling enclosure in those days.
Bula winning his second hurdle race. A novice hurdle at Wincanton on Boxing Day when I attended but took 3 hours to get out of the car park.
Watching the Cheltenham Gold Cup runners start near the Evesham road and jump 2 fences in line with what is now the fence on the bend in front of the stands on the old course. No new Course back then. The 4 mile course went round behind trhe stands and through the current pull up chute before rejoining the current course at the 3 mile hurdle start.
My first ever day at the Festival when John Haine, a great childhood friend, won the CH on Salmon Spray. We watched it through a small window in a stairwell in the stand as there was no space anywhere else.
Going to Royal Ascot from Reading Univ with 3 friends in 1964. Standing in heavy rain for 2 hours before the whole card was abandoned and we had to ride back on the train wet through.
One of my first visits to Bath which was quite local to where I lived. Paul Cole and Richard Barber (who had mainly flat horses in those days) had a 4 timer all ridden by the unknown 7lb claimer David Dineley. What happened to him?
Mill Reef winning the Derby and then the Arc. I have been a supporter of the Balding yard ever since.
Watching The Dickler win the Open Point to Point at Didmarton and then going on to win the Gold Cup as See More Business did years later.
"names" from my school days seen riding at Didmarton. Tim Holland Martin, Pat Tollitt (female jockeys had their own race even in the 1950s in ptps), Richard Shepherd, Bill Bush.
Bob tailed 'un. Probably the last docked tailed horse to run under rules. And the subject of my first bet at Cheltenham when he was second to Lochroe and I had the Tote forecast.
Fred Winter's last ride. He won very easily at Cheltenham on Kirriemuir. And the winners came through the main stand via a short tunnel to the Unsaddling enclosure in those days.
Bula winning his second hurdle race. A novice hurdle at Wincanton on Boxing Day when I attended but took 3 hours to get out of the car park.
Watching the Cheltenham Gold Cup runners start near the Evesham road and jump 2 fences in line with what is now the fence on the bend in front of the stands on the old course. No new Course back then. The 4 mile course went round behind trhe stands and through the current pull up chute before rejoining the current course at the 3 mile hurdle start.
My first ever day at the Festival when John Haine, a great childhood friend, won the CH on Salmon Spray. We watched it through a small window in a stairwell in the stand as there was no space anywhere else.
Going to Royal Ascot from Reading Univ with 3 friends in 1964. Standing in heavy rain for 2 hours before the whole card was abandoned and we had to ride back on the train wet through.
One of my first visits to Bath which was quite local to where I lived. Paul Cole and Richard Barber (who had mainly flat horses in those days) had a 4 timer all ridden by the unknown 7lb claimer David Dineley. What happened to him?
Mill Reef winning the Derby and then the Arc. I have been a supporter of the Balding yard ever since.
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Great stuff sageform.
I'm much the same age but I wasn't in a position to go to the races very often. My first visit was to Worcester with my Dad where we saw a flat meeting.
I did follow most of the horses you have mentioned on the TV almost fanatically. One obviously made a particular impression
.
You have a message from me btw.
I'm much the same age but I wasn't in a position to go to the races very often. My first visit was to Worcester with my Dad where we saw a flat meeting.
I did follow most of the horses you have mentioned on the TV almost fanatically. One obviously made a particular impression
.You have a message from me btw.
Enjoyable read sageform the first time I went racing was to haydock it was the royal daulton hurdle day bank holiday Monday I think ,whilst I had never been before I was aware people watched racing through binoculars however I didn’t have any so I borrowed my dads telescope.
Nice memories Sageform....mind that must have been some bender at Wincanton!!
i would have loved to have seen mill reef , just before my time . remember my first day racing ; wetherby boxing day 1978. silver buck was a non runner i think but fighting fit beat alverton and i recall jonjo riding 4 winners . i also recall it was freezing and we had trouble getting out of the car park as it was a bog !
Braziers on racecourses, the coal fired oven in the wooden shack that was the members tea room at Cheltenham where freezing racegoers sheltered from the elements. Gary Moore sneaking under the trees wide up the straight at Fontwell driving yet another one home whilst the car park was knee deep in water.
Great stuff, sageform
Growing up in London in the 60s there was plenty of visits to the many dog tracks, all gone now...but my first horse racing experience was Dad taking me to Ally Pally in the mid to late 60s...great memories
Growing up in London in the 60s there was plenty of visits to the many dog tracks, all gone now...but my first horse racing experience was Dad taking me to Ally Pally in the mid to late 60s...great memories
After the braziers loper we had tote credit shops to keep warm ,by the way Kelso have reintroduced the braziers
jimnast...I am following you about today!!
Yes, Kelso.
Went there in Janauary 2020 - a few weeks before Covid - and loved the big brazier in the specailly built pit. On a cold Monday afternoon it was lovely and warm and the smell only added to the super atmosphere on what immediatly became my third favourite track behind Sandown and Beverley....
Yes, Kelso.
Went there in Janauary 2020 - a few weeks before Covid - and loved the big brazier in the specailly built pit. On a cold Monday afternoon it was lovely and warm and the smell only added to the super atmosphere on what immediatly became my third favourite track behind Sandown and Beverley....
Kelso has always been a shining example of what a racecourse can be for those seeking a great day out in wonderful surroundings with good class competitive racing thrown in.
Is the roaring fire still going strong in the members facilities, Jimnast?
Is the roaring fire still going strong in the members facilities, Jimnast?
members at kelso moved to a new 'hut' but there are braziers around the parade ring AND the coal fire remains in the bar in the main stand - was there Friday, used to be a Thursday for Morebattle but as (unfortunately) Kelso have gone the way of many others and moved their best races to a Saturday (where they'd get more or less the same crowd if it was all claiming hurdles and hcap chases!) there was a poorish attendance. Was good to see Lucinda back amongst winners and I had a nice winner in the bumper so not a bad day out!
Yes the roaring fire is still there and a cup of tea is made from a kettle loper as you say a shining example of what a racecourse should be.
The knight
My first visit to sandown was the day before shergar won the derby I couldn’t believe what a great racecourse it was ,in the years that have passed very little improvement has been made and it’s become tired that said the view of the racing hasn’t changed.nice to hear a shout up for Beverley it a wonderful racecourse in many ways but very difficult to find winners.
My first visit to sandown was the day before shergar won the derby I couldn’t believe what a great racecourse it was ,in the years that have passed very little improvement has been made and it’s become tired that said the view of the racing hasn’t changed.nice to hear a shout up for Beverley it a wonderful racecourse in many ways but very difficult to find winners.
My first visit to Sandown, ended up at Kempton, as the reconstruction had closed Sandown for a couple of seasons.
I witnessed Lanzarote winning the John Skeaping Hurdle (I think!). When Sandown reopened I went along and witnessed the most exciting thing I've ever seen on a racecourse. TINGLE CREEK!
That day my life changed.
I witnessed Lanzarote winning the John Skeaping Hurdle (I think!). When Sandown reopened I went along and witnessed the most exciting thing I've ever seen on a racecourse. TINGLE CREEK!
That day my life changed.
Been a young man loper I only saw George best at the end of his career and started following racing at the end of tingle creeks career,I did see him in retirement when he used to to canter up the track prior to his race.
It wasn't horses or personalities who grabbed my attention. It was betting. And specifically buying my first Haig Racehorses Annual in 1977, when I was 15. There was a page in it with the offer that if you sent them a stamped addressed envelope, they would send you back a small leaflet explaining the principles of handicapping - pounds-to-lengths, how to approach a result with a view to rating it, that sort of thing.
Aha, I thought, on reading it. I can do this! At last, a route to avoiding work for the rest of my life. Of course, it wasn't until 1987 that Nigel Lawson (God bless you, sir) abolished the on-course tax and that became feasible. But still. Without that leaflet and its explanation of handicapping, the sport would never have hooked me the way it has. And to this day I have never seen the whole business of ratings explained in such a comprehensive and practical manner.
Aha, I thought, on reading it. I can do this! At last, a route to avoiding work for the rest of my life. Of course, it wasn't until 1987 that Nigel Lawson (God bless you, sir) abolished the on-course tax and that became feasible. But still. Without that leaflet and its explanation of handicapping, the sport would never have hooked me the way it has. And to this day I have never seen the whole business of ratings explained in such a comprehensive and practical manner.
A stamped addressed envelope I should think there a thing of the past screaming probably a generation wandering what one was.
Don't know when you first visited Bath, sageform but most of your opening post related to the mid 60s/early 70s, wouldn't have thought David Dineley, would have been riding then. Remember him more late 70s/early 80s riding for Bryan Mcmahon and possibly Reg Hollinshead.
i still have a haig flat book in the loft along with many copies of raceform ....but my favourite xmas week was first week in october years ago . coming back from the arc felt like wrapping up the flat season then the chasers & hurdlers annual would arrive a few days later . i miss the ' seasons ' of flat and jumps .
Not sure if you were saying that Kirriemuir was Fred Winter's last ride? Kirriemuir won his first seven starts as a juvenile, three times with Winter on board, including at Cheltenham in November 1963. His last ride on the horse was at the April meeting of that season when unplaced at odds on.
Looked up a few horses I had an interest in, and Poulakerry, Sally Furlong and The Ghost were all beaten at Didmarton. Poulakerry won 5 times at Wincanton and was one of the best Shepherd horses, and both Sally Furlong (Holland-Martin) and The Ghost won at the Festival.
Looked up a few horses I had an interest in, and Poulakerry, Sally Furlong and The Ghost were all beaten at Didmarton. Poulakerry won 5 times at Wincanton and was one of the best Shepherd horses, and both Sally Furlong (Holland-Martin) and The Ghost won at the Festival.
I did see him in retirement when he used to to canter up the track prior to his race.
Jimnast, He was ridden by Don Cantillon in those canters who at the time was assistant to Harry Thomson Jones.
Mr Big and I spent an extremely entertaining evening with Don in the Royal Oak one Friday after he successfully sold a store at the Cheltenham Sales.
The pub was rammed and we had the only 2 spare chairs in the boozers' bar and he and his acolyte sat with us the entire evening. I can't remember all his tall stories but what I do recall was that each time it was his round he would open his coat and pull out a wad big enough to choke a donkey, slide out 2 twenties, throw them at his acolyte/batman who was always dispatched to the bar to return with the drinks, Don's being a large whisky and Baileys. He must have been into double figures by the time we were politely asked to leave.
I do recall him saying that he was a hair's breath away from doing a full lap of Sandown on more than one occasion so fierce did Tingle Creek pull even thou he was approaching 20 years old by then.
Jimnast, He was ridden by Don Cantillon in those canters who at the time was assistant to Harry Thomson Jones.
Mr Big and I spent an extremely entertaining evening with Don in the Royal Oak one Friday after he successfully sold a store at the Cheltenham Sales.
The pub was rammed and we had the only 2 spare chairs in the boozers' bar and he and his acolyte sat with us the entire evening. I can't remember all his tall stories but what I do recall was that each time it was his round he would open his coat and pull out a wad big enough to choke a donkey, slide out 2 twenties, throw them at his acolyte/batman who was always dispatched to the bar to return with the drinks, Don's being a large whisky and Baileys. He must have been into double figures by the time we were politely asked to leave.
I do recall him saying that he was a hair's breath away from doing a full lap of Sandown on more than one occasion so fierce did Tingle Creek pull even thou he was approaching 20 years old by then.
Good morning loper how is mr big haven’t seem him for quite a while ?
You may or may not remember fractured foxy named after the wife ,well she ended up at dons brother Eric’s farm and actually had a foal there who did win at Southwell called mornin mr Norris never met don but Eric is a proper character.
You may or may not remember fractured foxy named after the wife ,well she ended up at dons brother Eric’s farm and actually had a foal there who did win at Southwell called mornin mr Norris never met don but Eric is a proper character.
Morning Jimnast,
Mr Big is as well as can be expected given his decedent lifestyle. I'm surprised you haven't crossed paths in recent times as he still has one horse in training with James Owen. Rated 95 on the flat he's done Mr Big proud winning some high value events on the all weather and being placed in the top 2m race on the flat in midsummer.
They hoped to turn him into a hurdler but despite schooling really well and winning a couple of moderate novice events he somehow can't win again and has a current official hurdle rating that's dropped to only 109. Given his flat rating he looks a stone cold certainty of that mark. Mind you, I've been pretty critical of his trainer's ability to find the right opportunities, despite his growing reputation as a future top flat handler.
Mr Big is as well as can be expected given his decedent lifestyle. I'm surprised you haven't crossed paths in recent times as he still has one horse in training with James Owen. Rated 95 on the flat he's done Mr Big proud winning some high value events on the all weather and being placed in the top 2m race on the flat in midsummer.
They hoped to turn him into a hurdler but despite schooling really well and winning a couple of moderate novice events he somehow can't win again and has a current official hurdle rating that's dropped to only 109. Given his flat rating he looks a stone cold certainty of that mark. Mind you, I've been pretty critical of his trainer's ability to find the right opportunities, despite his growing reputation as a future top flat handler.
Sageform, looks like yout first visit to Bath was in 1976 the year David Dineley won the apprentice championship with 56 winners riding mainly for Paul Cole, never reached double figures again, stopped riding in 1984 after having his licence taken from him, but had it renewed in 1999 and last rode in 2000 when he rode 2 winners from 8 rides for Doug Marks and Taffy Salaman.
Very interesting article about him on Jockeypaedia.
Very interesting article about him on Jockeypaedia.
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