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DAVID CARR |
Weblog: What do you mean the Wi-Fi doesn't work? The life of a Racing Post reporter
Up bright and early
Another gorgeously hot day over here, I'm afraid, but there's no lying in the sun and waiting for Saturday. Honest. That heat means you have to be up early.
The horses have to be exercised when its cool (a relative term - it was still darned warm when the courtesy shuttle bus arrived at 6am) and you have to be at the track then to have any hope of speaking to owners, trainers and jockeys.
It's worth it, though, as there is gold dust to be found.
Such as when I spoke to George Bolton, the American part-owner of Golden Shaheen hope The Factor, who could take on Black Caviar at Royal Ascot.
My casual 'have you ever been to Ascot before?' led to the revelation that this millionaire financier once worked at John Dunlop's stable in Arundel.
Where he looked after a name that willstrike terror into racing fans of a certain age. Snaafi Dancer.
The ten-million-dollar colt who never ran fast enough to make it to the racecourse. And who proved so infertile at stud that he only ever sired four foals.
Not a horse I remotely imagined would feature in my copy from Dubai this week (though online research revealed he is about the only unraced thoroughbred with his own Wikipedia page)
Being an American professional, Mr Bolton oozed charmand had a dazzling way with a quote. Praising this week's hosts as he said: "They treat you like gold whether you are a horse or a human."
Mind you, it would have been easy to wonder if you were hearing right as he playeddown the fact that trainer Bob Baffert is in hospital and said: "He's got a very capable exercist."
And Hayley Turner's experience on Twitter has also taught her the value of a killer line.
After being introduced at a press conference by host Rupert Bell (who could not resist saying that 'she is here riding for my brother') she eulogised about Meydan but added: "You can't get Nana's cottage pie here but you can at Southwell."
Though I suspect the usual excellent hot fare in the press room at Southwell would not be quite the thing for this climate.
They've judged their clientele perfectly with a range of sandwiches which put British tracks to shame.
You don't get 'lemon thyme and maple syrup smoked salmon wraps', 'smoked turkey, Swiss cheese, tomato and alfa sprout in French baguettes' or 'grilled cajun chicken ciabatta with lime remoulade and provolone cheese' at Thirsk.
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