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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
Calm before the storm? What calm?
Remember how much fun Christmas Eve was when you were young?
All that excitement? All that giddy anticipation of the goodies lying in wait the next day?
And how much 'fun' it is now? A mad dash of last-minute shopping, wrapping and cooking. So that part of you wishes the whole thing was over for another year.
That's how the day before Cheltenham can be if you work in racing.
As a youngster you used to be high on adrenaline, desperately looking forward to seeing all your favourite horses in action at the jumps meeting that surpasses all others.
But if you are a trainer there are always last-minute concerns - will all of my runners stay sound for another 24 hours? Will an owner phone up wanting an extra badge? Will they put too much water on and ruin the gamble I've been plotting for twoyears?
If you are a jockey you just want to get through the day unscathed. There are no big prizes to be won this afternoon but plenty to lose. As poor Dougie Costello showed last year when he broke his leg at Stratford.
And if you are in my game there are always plenty of late questions to be answered.
Will Kauto Star run in the Gold Cup? Yes. Thankfully. Had he been ruled out there must have been half a chance he would have been retired and finding time to write - and space to print - a farewell piece to the best chaser of the last three decades would not have been easy.
Will Grands Crus run in the Gold Cup? No. Thankfully. Why run before you can walk? Why take on Long Run and Kauto Star when you can face the likes of Bobs Worth and First Lieutenant instead?
Previews to write, too. I was doing the race that has been won by an Irish horse in every year that it has been run. The race that only four British horses have even been placed in. The race that plenty regard as an ideal opportunity to get a drink while the queue at the bar has died down, if you need another clue.
Despite those unpromising statistics it was actually one of the home trainers who sounded most bullish.
In his words, Bob Buckler was really hopeful that Double Dizzy will help him 'lose his festival virginity'.
In which case I know which bookmakers he needs to back him with.
Simon Clare was advertising Coral's willingness to stand big bets on 'At The Races' this afternoon but he might just have given one or two punters the wrong idea about what goes on inside a betting shop nowadays when he said: "Go down to Coral after 9am and you will get laid."
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