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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
In the presence of greatness
MORE evidence that Derek Thompson is someone special, deserving of better treatment than us mere mortals.
As I turned up in heavy rain at Carlisle he was doing his homework prior to commentating and asked what the Wi-Fi code was.
I explained you needed to go back to the office to get one and, no, I couldn't get one for him as you need to sign for it - if I everget banned from the racecourse I don't want it to be for forging Tommo's signature.
When lo and behold, the door opened and a woman for the office appeared bearing a Wi-Fi code brought specially for Mr Thompson, a dedicated, personal service - all that was missing was the silver salver to carry it on.
"Oh sorry, David, I would have brought to you one too if I had know you were here," she said, unconvincingly.
Her words sounded even hollower a few hours later when one hot pie and mash arrived - no prizes for guessing which expensively-lined stomach it was destined for.
Not that anyone at Musselburgh last weekend needed reminding this is someone out of the ordinary. In his dangerous role with the roving microphone he apparently asked one racegoer her name.
On getting the response 'Jane', he immediately came out with "Me Tommo, you Jane." Though history does not recall whether he stripped to a loincloth and starting banging his chest.
Carlisle was a good place to make my post-op comeback.
With the press room next to the paddock/winner's enclosure, if I stuck adictaphone on the end of a 20-foot pole I could actually do the whole job sitting in my seat.
So walking is at a minimum here - ideal when you are moving more like John Wayne than John Travolta.
Though I did need to impersonate a man almost as famous, at least in racing. The legendary Tom Segal was not here to present the prize for the race named in his honour so I had to deputise, handing the cut glass to Sir Mark Prescott's representative William Butler after Albaspina had won in the style of a smart filly in the making.
One of four winners on the card for Paul Hanagan. But don't you start thinking he had an easy day.
Anyone who saw him come back looking like he'd been through the washing machine after winning a race on Smart Violetta which was run in such a downpour that it was virtually impossible to see what was going on will know that his money was hard earned.
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