Roger The Runner!

I was watching an interesting piece on Attheraces yesterday about racehorse owners and it featured Grands Crus' owner Roger Stanley.  I was most amused about how he became interested in racing - he used to take his grandmother's bets and place them on his way to school.  One day he decided to keep the bet and it turned out to be Baron Blakeney (who won the Triumph Hurdle at 66/1!) - I bet he had some explaining to do to his gran!  That was back in 1981, so Roger has obviously known of the Pipe's for some time!

*****

There was also a piece about Ferdy Murphy and his team and it showed them on the sands at Redcar.  The horses really seemed to be enjoying themselves and after exercise they all had a walk in the sea (I believe the salt water is supposed to be therapeutic).  I remember when we exercised som horses on the beach at Dawlish years and years ago...one of them spooked and dumped jockey Malcom Zadel into the sea.  Malcolm ended up in a local launderette drying his clothes with a towel around him - it was quite funny at the time.  The horse swam out to sea and we had to get a rowing boat and row out to get him - fortunately everything turned out okay in the end and noone was any the worse for the experience.

*****

I hope that you are enjoying our series of interviews with the jockeys leading up to the Cheltenham Festival.  Mike Vince has been busy on our behalf once again and you can hear the thoughts of Johnny Farrelly (click here) and stable jockey Tom Scudamore (click here) as the big day fast approaches.

*****

Cheltenham Festival Selections On
The Update Line 09060 400 901

We continue our series of interviews today with Attheraces presenter Luke Harvey, who gives us his fancies for the Cheltenham Festival.  On Saturday I will be speaking with fifteen times champion jockey A P McCoy, before talking to fifteen times champion trainer Martin Pipe, and of course, David who has had five Festival winners in his first four full seasons with a training license.  To listen in to this exclusive information call 09060 400 901 from 10am daily.  (Calls charged at £1.50 per min at all times, helpline 01884 840715)