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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
Lording it at Cartmel
Say what you like about the aristocracy but they do have a knack of getting things done.
I suppose it is in their genes - had Lord Cavendish of Furness's ancestors not had a bit of get-up-and-go they might not have done whatever it was that earned them the title.
His lordship, third in line for the dukedom of Devonshire, is one of the few course chairman who make a habit of popping into the press room before racing to see how we are and when he came today he made the mistake of asking if everything was okay for us.
'Yes, apart from not having any milk for the coffee, no sandwiches, and no racing channel on the TV,' came the impertinent, scurrilously republican response.
His French counterparts might have shrugged their shoulders and said 'let them eat cake' but that is why they are no longer around - the British nobility have always recognised that a little give and take is needed if they want to keep their heads.
Lord Cavendish is well aware of that as his family traces back to Sir John Cavendish - a 14th century chief justice of the King's bench who was killed in the Peasants' Revolt.
And sure enough, within five minutes of his visit, sandwiches, salad and milk had arrived and the TV was working. Coincidence? I think not.
I thought that Liz Butterworth, amateur rider and invaluable cog ather mother Barbara's Appleby yard, was touting for the aristocratic vote as she led Below The Deck round before the first race while wearing stylish jeans with two large crowns on her backside.
My ignorance. Apparently they are the latest thing from Victoria Beckham's 'Rock and Republic' range.
But there was certainly an outbreak of daintiness on the public address, announcing the withdrawal of Night Reveller and that 'all customers who backed that horse are entitled to a full refund'.
Customers? Customers? What happened to punters? Or racegoers? Where do they think we are - Fortnum & Mason?
More fitting - at what is as much a picnic venue as it is a racecourse - was the later fire prevention announcement: "Please do not put your barbecues in the litter bins". You don't get that over the tannoy at Royal Ascot.
Nor do you get people turning up before their bacon and eggs.
Course managing director Jonathan Garratt said: "I got here at 6.30am, started walking down the woodside straight and met two girls who said the gates were locked and they couldn't get in.
"Within half an hour there were 24 cars parked on the back straight, gazebos up and breakfast on."
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