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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
Lester Piggott – still drawing a crowd at 75
If you've got it, it never leaves you. No matter how old you are.
What a comforting thought for those of us who woke to find ourselves another year closer to the grave this morning
Tom Jones still packs them in. Rod Stewart too.
And there is no doubt that racing's oldest star still retains all his charisma. Look at the crowds packed all round the winner's enclosure after the feature race at Haydock this afternoon - you don't get that many watching the Betfair Chase presentation here.
All to see one man. Lester Piggott, who is honoured once a year on the course where he rode the first and last winners of his memorable career. (The first came when he was just 12 - though at the time the family probably wondered what had taken him so long as his grandfather Tom Cannon won his first race at the age of nine).
It wasn't just the public who were keen to see him.
There was no mistaking the excitement of winning jockey Freddie Tylicki before the presentation.
Itshone through in the gleeful way he said 'I am going to meet Lester Piggott for the first time' as he saw who was handing over the trophy, in the way he actually appeared to bow as he approached the great man on the podium and in the way he urged photographer John Grossick to send him a copy of the picture he took.
Lester was in great shape. It may be 17 years since he rode the last of his 4,491 winners but he looked in top form - there were several early jockey changes due to problems on the M6 and he'd scarcely have looked out of place had he emerged in silks for the opener.
And even at 75 he'd probably still have got Oojooba home in front - she looked a class filly and she was certainly a good story as herdam Ameerat was Michael Jarvis' favourite horse and this victory came just four days after the trainer's death.
More nostalgia in the press room as Dean Martin was a frequent visitor this afternoon.
Unfortunately there was no ''Memories Are Made of This, 'That's Amore' or even 'Volare' - it wasn't that Dean Martin but rather his namesake who works in IT at Haydock, whose presence was required to kick the reluctant wifi into shape.
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