|
DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
For Pete's sake, it's me
It was just about the strangest question I have ever been asked on the phone.
When you are calling people cold, you expectthe odd 'can you call me later?', 'haven't you got someone better to talk to?' or even 'why don't you get lost?'.
But I was taken aback to dial Tim Vaughan and have him answer, before I had even opened my mouth, 'hello there, is that Peter Naughton?'
Apparently he'd seen the Leeds STD code come up on his phone and assumed it was the legendary broadcaster/tipster 'with the ethical edge' from these parts.
Wasn't sure whether to take it as insult or and a compliment. Nor was it good news when he finally twigged who I really was - Beshabar confirmed as out of the Grand National due to injury.
Things were little better elsewhere. Aintree will have to do without Big Fella Thanks for the first time since 2008 due to another injury.
And when entries close today they'll not include the likes of Diamond Harry, Time For Rupert or Midnight Chase either (the list might also have been missing an even bigger name had I not phoned. The trainer initially said 'I don't think he is going to be entered' only to phone back half an hour later to say that 'he is being entered' - wonder if my call caused a double-check with the owner and a dash to make sure he was put in?).
But you can always rely on State Of Play, the Churchtown Boy or Pilgarlic de nos jours. He's made the frame in the last three years and it is the only race he is trained for nowadays - he needs to be fresh and three of his last four runs have been in the National itself.
And whilst you wouldn't want to get carried away with a 12-year-old who has managed just four outings since Boxing Day 2008, trainer Evan Williams was in typically bullish mood:
"The old boy is fine," Williams said. "We have looked after him as we hoped he could be one of those few-and-far-between horses that we could bring back for Grand Nationals and that's our aim every year.
"He never shows you a lot at home but he is fresh and well and we are very happy with where we are at the moment. It's always a worry because he is a difficult horse to get there, he is incredibly delicate but there is nothing giving me too many sleepless nights at the moment."
You know he'll be popular with all the once-a-year punters to whom he is probably a more familiar name than Frankel so it's no surprise he's no bigger than 40-1 with any major bookmaker tonight.
Comments