Lockinge Day

Ian_Davies

Ian_Davies

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Hampshire
I first remember watching the race in 1978.

IIRC Jellaby stood in a hole and unseated Brian Taylor a furlong out and Don sidestepped him to win.

It was once open to 3yos, but not now.

Newbury is half an hour from me and I was there to see Frankel win it.

And Farhh the next year, who was generously priced because few thought a horse who had been annihilated could be much good - he'd been annihilated by the best racehorse ever imo.

Good supporting card too, including the London Gold Cup which I think used to be run at Alexandra Park in the shadow of Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally).

I seldom go racing nowadays - and certainly not on a Saturday - so will be watching at home.

Happy Lockinge Day!
 
Ian_Davies said:
I first remember watching the race in 1978.

IIRC Jellaby stood in a hole and unseated Brian Taylor a furlong out and Don sidestepped him to win.

It was once open to 3yos, but not now.

Newbury is half an hour from me and I was there to see Frankel win it.

And Farhh the next year, who was generously priced because few thought a horse who had been annihilated could be much good - he'd been annihilated by the best racehorse ever imo.

Good supporting card too, including the London Gold Cup which I think used to be run at Alexandra Park in the shadow of Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally).

I seldom go racing nowadays - and certainly not on a Saturday - so will be watching at home.

Happy Lockinge Day!
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I remember it well Ian. And as a backer of the horse, it is a painful memory. But "thats racing", as they say.
It would have caused carnage in the in running market on Betfair if that had been around in the day.

And how sad is it that nearly everyone i know wont go racing on a Saturday ?!!!

Have a good day.
 
And me. Newbury only half an hour for me, too. Used to be a member, so a regular port of call. No racing at all for me nowadays, takes me all my time to totter to the end of the garden :)
 
barjon said:
And me. Newbury only half an hour for me, too. Used to be a member, so a regular port of call. No racing at all for me nowadays, takes me all my time to totter to the end of the garden :)
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That is sad mate. And we all know why. Give me a quiet Tuesday afternoon at Sedgefield or a peaceful Thursday at Hexham any time.
Saturday at the races does not exist any more for me.
 
I last went racing on a Saturday August Bank Holiday weekend of 2022, a nostalgic four-hour drive up to Beverley.

Glorious day, loved (almost) every minute, saw Tis Marvellous be the first horse ever to break a minute for the stiff Westwood 5f (though the track's social media were unaware of this until I pointed it out to them) and I walked the course after racing in the lovely late autumn sunshine.

But the venue was packed with increasingly-drunk racegoers during racing, football terrace-style chanting broke out and, even after walking the course and returning to the almost empty car park, I still had to swerve a larey drunk young local who was hanging around and trying to start something out of nothing with any remaining passers by.

Afternoon midweek racing is infinitely preferable - much more civilised.
 
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Met some great people from TRF on Lockinge day in the past. TAPK, Jonibake oh and gingerballs...:cheerleader:
Tank and Lake were due to meet up for fight but neither turned up
 
Don won the race after Jellaby unseating; Jellaby's owner Essa Alkhalifa the first of the Arab generation to own a Group winning horse if memory recalls. Who would have thought he would not be the last ?
Walked Beverley racecourse Easter week 1988 when seeing practice in Market Weighton, my brother was working in Beverley at the time. The smell of piggeries was rich in the air
 
Typical result when horses are having their first run on the season.

John Gosden did leave punters scratching their head with a silly pre race statement.

"Audience likes to go forward/lead" but where he's drawn the fact he wont get any cover is a concern DUH!!!!
 
And afterwards on Inspiral “she had a good blow after and was carrying a lot of condition like you and me (to Matt Chapman)”. So why didn’t he tell us that about Inspiral before th race !
 
It's worth noting that virtually every winner was running after a sizeable break, demonstrating they'll be fit when it's worth it.
 
A Lockinge that remains vivid was Lester Piggott's win on Polar Falcon in 1991, beating the 1/2 fav In The Groove

Just four runners and Piggott deliberately dwelt in the stalls ensuring he'd get a good lead; that being mine and the consensus opinion anyway

In last all the way he pulled Polar Falcon wide to the stands' side around the 1f pole and swooped to comfortably beat In The Groove over on the far side

An esoteric but masterful ride

 
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Funnily enough I was chatting to friends after a different, but also quintessential, Piggott ride only this morning - always great to see footage of him in his pomp.
 
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