A track you should know better than any - how to get an edge at the Essex venue

Football fans love football at all levels, in all weathers, and all over the world but are racing fans the same? I know a lot who are interested only in the Premier League of the sport and take no interest in the all-weather. They would not watch it if they were racing in their garden.

I used to be one of them. Cheltenham, Sandown and other Grade 1 tracks - I'd be there. But the idea of watching horses run around on sand in the depths of winter made little appeal.

However, as time has gone by I've come to believe that you're not really a true racing fan at all unless you are willing to embrace a wet Wednesday night at Kempton or a freezing Thursday at Chelmsford, and I've become a regular visitor to Chelmsford in recent years.