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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
If you've ridden in a novice chase, nothing can scare you
Once a jump jockey, always a hero - that was the story at Beverley today.
It takes a certain kind ofbravery to ride over hurdles and fences, risking life and limb every time you leave the weighing-room.
Particularly if you operate at the run-of-the-mill end of the National Hunt game, where falls are far more likely than big paydays.
And that courage clearly never leaves you.
As Adie Smith, who rode the last of his 300-odd winners over jumps nearly 20 years ago and is now a stewards secretary, showed.
Newcomer Al Dain threatened mayhem before the maiden auction, galloping loose in a crowded parade ring, but Smith calmly stepped in to grab the two-year-old's reins and take control of her - to applause from all round the paddock.
But Smith, whose spell with the stalls team at Belmont Park in New York in his younger days probably stood him in good stead, declined Paul Hanagan's joking offer to let him take the ride and said: "I am not that brave!"
Today's other hero was Mel Abbott, a civil servant from Northwich in Cheshire whose visit to Beverley means she has now been racing at every course in Britain.
She started at Bangor-on-Dee 25 years ago and reckoned that the 'prettiest' of them all is 'definitely Ripon' and 'Hexham is very nice' - she admitted there were some she would not go back to 'but it would be unfair to say which ones they are.'
Hadn't thought of Racing UK presenter Peter Naughton as a culinary perfectionist previously but he surprised me this afternoon.
He offered to make a drink before racing but insisted on waiting until the steam pouring out of the water heater in the press room had died down and said: "Boiled coffee is spoiled coffee".
Apparently it is THE secret of success - so secret I have know nothing about it all these years.
Another secret came from my wife's recent visit to the local hairdresser, who told her that his friend Rebecca had started seeing a racing journalist.
Only clues as to his identity were that he is based in London, is called 'Dave' and gets invited to lunches - which doesn't narrow it down much.
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