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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
Beer with us at Uttoxeter
"I'm only here for the beer" - the product may no longer be with us but the sentiment lives on.
It's a long time since that slogan forced its way annoyingly into everyone's head thanks to a remarkably persistent 1970s advertising campaign for Double Diamond - which has not been brewed since 2003.
David Carr: coming along nicely
PICTURE: David CarrYet it summed things up perfectly at Uttoxeter where a low-grade seven-race jumps card played to packed houses. Around 8,500 folk crammed in - not at all a bad turnout, considering the population of the town is just 13,000.
They'd not come to see whether Nine de Sivola could finally win a race but to enjoy the beer festival, an event staged for the first time only two year ago which has proved such a success that it has transformed a run-of-the-mill day into the track's third biggest meeting of the season.
So there were plenty of different beers on offer. Nice for those not working or driving - which was clearly plenty judged on the huge queues for the toilets.
Moving anywhere meant fighting your way through crowds - many of whom clearly decided that the place to watch racing was the flight of steps leading up to the press room, and that the finish of a race was the signal to start a conversation with your neighbour rather than to make way for those who might want to go somewhere.
And commentator Malcolm Tomlinson was in action early to call a race between beer mascots.
Marston's Pedigree's 'Pedi' won but 'Thumper' from Ringwood Old Thumper might well have beaten him had he not idled in front and come to grief in the closing stages so is a good deal better than the bare form.
As is Nine de Sivola, a one-time runner-up in the Irish and Scottish Grand National who is likely to step up considerably on today's effort in a beginners' chase when he tackles the Borders National at Kelso next month.
Big races seem to bring out the best in Ferdy Murphy's chasers, as illustrated this afternoon by Divers who ran a stinker at Carlisle last month but was third just 13 days later in the ultra-competitive Paddy Power Gold Cup - a race we almost missed here as the close circuit TV did not switch to Cheltenham until approaching the third fence.
Thanks to dual racing photographer of the year finalist Louise Pollard for her Movember donation - go to http://mobro.co/davidcarr if you want to follow her very kind example.
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