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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
Striking talk at Haydock - eventually
"Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here."
The words 'Strike' and 'industrial action' were in the air at Haydock today.
Talk was of jockeys downing tools next Monday and I felt like an industrial correspondent chasing down angry shop stewards in the militant 1970s as I tried to get to the bottom of it.
None would talk. All said they did not have a clue what was happening - though one rather gave the game away by saying "I don't know what is going on but I won't be riding on Monday . . . as I want to spend some time with the family" with a huge grin on his face.
But eventually Richard Kingscote became an unlikely 'Red Robbo' by fronting up and telling all, before doing the same in an interview for ITN - whose camera crew's presence preparing a piece for News At Ten was a sign that this is big stuff.
Though their reporter Emma Murphy has actually been in Libya formuch of the year so she was quite happy to be at a place where the biggest danger was an acorn falling on your head.
She was pretty sanguine about racing's latest travails - especially after Liam Fox's resignation meant all her efforts were set to end up on the cutting-room floor.
Unless you have been in Albania all week, you'll already have guessed that it is the new whip rules that have got the jockeys coming over all 'Citizen Smith' and more riders fell foul of the tough regime this afternoon.
Antioco Murgia was banned for five days and Sophie Doyle 11, with Seb Sanders escaping only thanks to the wonders of the slo-mo replay - he had appeared to hit a horse eight times but video analysis showed that one stroke was actually an air shot.
Busy old day then so thank heavens for an assistant - Ben Hutton, tipster extraordinaire who is now dipping his toe into the reporting world and was with me for a day's training (as if you need training to do what we do).
An expert pair of eyes to deploy in the paddock and a welcome extra body in a press room that tends to be fairly empty on days like this.
Though the size of our - perfectly adequate - accommodation here was called into question in George Baker's blog last month.
The trainer, who was Lambourn correspondent for the short-lived Sportsman newspaper, popped in briefly for old time's sake during the last meeting and he later wrote: " . . . the press room that I worked out of a couple of times. Small. Cosy. Room enough for a table of eight."
I think Mr Baker must eat in roomier restaurants than I can afford if he reckons this is space for a table of eight - McDonalds would squeeze two rugby teams in here.
Rugby Union too.
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