If
I begin to sing Goodwood's praises, I am afraid it will be a
never-ending exercise. I have seen racecourses around the world, but
Goodwood's ambience, the backdrop and the location are things out of a
picture book.
I went to Goodwood Racecourse in Chicester, England on Wednesday. I
boarded a train at London Victoria. The train left London at 11.32 AM,
and reached Chichester five minutes past 1 PM. There is a bus waiting to
take the race-goers to the racecourse. The return ticket costs four
pounds. The bus was not leaving until 1 30 PM. There is a pub near the
bus stop. There was enough time for a glass of beer. Mr Barry, a
gentleman I befriended at the bar, bought my beer. There was racing
talk. The bus takes about 10 minutes to get to the racecourse. It is a
narrow road with dense vegetation on either side. It is like driving
through a private road. The bus stops in front of the grandstand. My
press-pass was waiting at the clubhouse entrance. As I collected my
pass, I was reminded that a strict dress code was in place. My tie was
in my coat pocket. I put on the tie. I was given an official race-card.
I went to the paddock area. The viewing area provides excellent angles.
The British stick to formality meticulously. The process is smooth and
flawless. Every rule in the book is adhered to. I walked to the main
concourse to get a view of the racecourse. The temperature was dropping
and the wind was picking up. I did not have a pair of gloves. I did not
have a cap. I had forgotten my sweater. That was carelessness on my
part.
Goodwood is right-handed. One thousand and 1,200-metre races are run on
a straight course. Fourteen hundred and 1,600-metre races are run with
one turn. Races over 1,800 and longer are over two turns. The
configuration is fascinating. It is an 'up and down' track. The
gradients and the not-so-sharp turns favour the handy, fluent-moving
ones. The long-striding horses may not be seen in their best light at
Goodwood. To point out the contrast, Newmarket favours the ones with big
strides.
The bookmakers are out in the open, just yards away from the outer rail.
There was a brief spell of rain. As the afternoon wore on, it grew
colder and blustery. My fingers would not help me turn programme pages.
I had to seek shelter often to warm up. There were two British tracks
going, Redcar and Perth. In Ireland, Downpatrick was running hurdle
races. Inside the grandstand, there is a blackboard that gives the name
of the newspaper and the horses that the newspapers have selected.
The first race was won by Silver Rime, ridden by Ryan Moore. He was at
15-8 but you could get 2-1 if you looked hard. Jimmy Fortune rode Funny
Me, the 5-4 favourite, to victory in the second. The third race was a
1,200-metre race. Ryan Moore won with Don Pele. You could get 8-1 on Don
Pele.
Five horses went to post in the fourth, the featured Charles James Homes
Foundation Stakes. It was over 2,000 metres. Kirklees, Frankie Dettori
up, was the 8-11 choice. I got a bet in at 4-5. Kirklees lay third, then
second and sailed past the pace-setting Windsor Knot inside the last 300
metres.
The fifth race, over 2,200 metres, went to Harry Tricker who was winning
two in a row. Jim Crowley was the rider. Kingscape and Kerrin McEvoy got
the job done in the sixth. In the seventh, Malapropism, a winner at
Newmarket on Saturday, won again.
It was back to Chicester station by 6.15 PM. The train to London
Victoria was not until 11 minutes past seven. I got to Victoria at 9 PM.
Ladbrokes has a betting shop in the station. There was one race left in
the Kempton Park twilight card. Laurel and Hawthorne, tracks in America,
were running and Ladbrokes was taking bets on those two tracks. Betting
shops in the UK close at 9.30 PM.
The Goodwood visit is something I will treasure. It was aesthetically
satisfying. Goodwood holds what is called the 'Glorious Goodwood'
meeting in late July-early August. Several Group races run at that time.
I found out that Tote in the UK is owned by the Government. Totepool
handles racing action; Totesport takes care of wagering on cricket,
football and whatever that can be wagered on. The staff is courteous and
friendly.
Peeping Fawn, winner of four Group I races in a row, will not race this
year. She will campaign next year as a four-year-old. Peeping Fawn was
second to Light Sift in the Epsom Oaks. She won the Pretty Polly and the
Irish Oaks at the Curragh. She won the Nassau at Goodwood and was
victorious in the Yorkshire Oaks at York.
Ascot will not be affected by the foot and mouth disease. There is a
contingency plan, however, in effect.
On Tuesday at Brighton racecourse in England, two bikers revved up their
engines and tried to race the horses. There was a delay and after a
great deal of persuasion, the bikers were talked out. The problem arose
because the bikers were on common land.
Jury selection is almost over in the Kieren Fallon corruption trial.
Fallon, Darren Williams, Fergal Lynch and three others are facing
charges that they tried to defraud Betfair customers. Betfair is a
wagering service.
Ascot holds a three-day meeting that begins on Friday. The main race is
the Queen Elizabeth II stakes. George Washington has been withdrawn.
Excellent Art is now the favorite at 5-2. Darjina and Ramonti are also
in the mix.
Authorized is now 6-4 at Ladbrokes for the Arc in Paris on October 7.
Soldier Of Fortune is at 3-1.
Home Affairs, by Dansili, will stand at stud in India. Home Affairs is a
Listed winner in England. Richard Hughes rode him primarily and Sir
Michael Stoute trained him. A controversy erupted after Home Affairs was
beaten as the favourite in the Dio Med Stakes at Epsom on Derby Day in
2006. Richard Hughes got into all kinds of trouble. Sir Michael Stoute
took it all in his stride.
There are several big races in America on Saturday and Sunday. Lawyer
Ron, Hard Spun and Street Sense will be in action.
