I was on Rosallion but not much. The money for the favourite was tempting me but I missed that money was piling on the winner.
Horse racing Page 5
Ryan Moore's 16 year old son, Toby, has signed apprentice forms with Charlie Appleby. Hopes he might get a first ride later this year.
If he's good enough, he's old enough.
The young Piggott won his first race in August 1948 at the age of 12 on The Chase in the Wigan Lane Selling Handicap at Haydock Park.
French Derby (Prix du Jockey Club) at Chantilly today.
Uncommon for the French Derby to take place before the Epsom Derby. Because, unusually this year, the first Sunday in June falls before the first Saturday in June.
Epsom Derby next Saturday (and the Oaks on Friday).
"A few minutes, only a few minutes, and the event that for twelve months has been the pivot of so much calculation, of such subtle combinations, of such deep conspiracies, round which the thought and passion of the sporting world have hung like eagles, will be recorded in the fleeting tablets of the past. But what minutes! Count them by sensation and not by calendars, and each moment is a day and the race a life."
Five time Champion Hurdle (Saucy Kit in 1967, Night Nurse 1976 & 1977 and Sea Pigeon 1980 & 1981) and two time Cheltenham Gold Cup (Alverton in 1979 & Little Owl in 1981) winning Malton (Yorkshire) trainer, Peter Easterby, the first trainer to saddle 1,000 winners, dies at the age of 95.
Sea Pigeon also won the Chester Cup twice (1977 & 1978) on the flat and the Ebor, carrying a record 10 stone in 1979. In fact, because of the weight he had been allotted in the Ebor, he was, unusually, able to be ridden by his normal hurdle partner, Johnjo O'Neill in a flat race.
A straight-talking Yorkshire man. I always listened to him when he spoke.
There was a program about him a few years back, where he showed us around his stables
It was very touching that his two best horses were buried there with a plaque listing their successes.