For all his critics over the years, nothing can be taken away from Mick Channon and the 2500 winners he trained.
I am probably fortunate to have known him better than most on this forum, having been part of the yard from the age of 15 in 1998 to the end of 2005 when I left Micks.
I had 6 years of employment with Mr Channon and he gave me opportunities in life, that I never expected, and I doubt he will ever know how thankful I was.
I started off at Mr Channon's in the summer of 1998, at Kingsdown in Lambourn, on a summer job. That summer we had the likes of Bint Allayl, Josr Algarhoud, Inya Lake, Muchea, Golden Silca and a couple of other horses who were more affectionate for me in years to come. Morocco would be the first horse I got to canter on the gallops and a horse who taught me plenty but it would always be Raneen Nashwan I will be forever thankful to.
When I joined Mr Channon's in October 1999, it was after 10 weeks at the Racing School and I was delighted to be joining the yard as they started out at West Ilsley. I was given 4 horses to look after, a Mujadil filly called Kachina Doll, Skye Blue (owned by the late Henry Ponsonby), Tower Of Song and a Bin Ajwaad colt, who was eventually named Millennium Force.
I struggled with life in racing at first, I was not a confident rider and despite being able to ride quiet ones, I found myself on the deck frequently or even worse getting carted with on the gallops. I was however determined, but this of course was no riding school, this was a professional racing yard with group horses a plenty and wealthy owners paying bills for their horses, it wasn't time for trial and error with a kid who could barely hold one side of Abajany or get decked by a yearling filly.
I as fortunate, that my love of horses and passion and desire was picked up on by Mark Wallace. Whilst many trainers would have probably said, sorry kid it's not gonna work and gave me my marching orders, one April morning, Mark Wallace came and got me after 2nd lot (I was so awful at riding out, I pretty much rode the same 2 horses every day and then helped on the yard. Luckily one of those horses was a sweet old horse called Danegold and the other was a 2yo filly called Milly's Lass, who I looked after as well, as Tower Of Song had been sold after winning a seller and this was the horse given to me to look after). I didn't know why Mark was taking me to see Mr Channon, but I suspected it was to be told, that they wouldn't be keeping me on and that I was out of a job at the end of the week.
Mr Channon looked at me in the office and I always remember him saying, I like you boy, but you wouldn't ride me and I'm ******* easy! It was that heart sinking moment when you realise all your dreams and hopes were about to end. However this time, it was followed by, but Mark's got an idea.
It appeared for some reason, that Mark had decided not to give up on me. At the same time there was a girl called Jenny who was of a similar riding standard, perhaps a bit better, who had been let go as she could only ride the quiet ones and I expected the same fate to follow for me.
However Mark's plan was to teach me to ride properly on a horse called Raneen Nashwan. A horse owned by Sheikh Ahmed was effectively going to be the riding school pony for a lad who couldn't ride for toffee and we were a team. Raneen had the most uncomfortable back, and I had to learn to ride him bareback, hanging on as he bounced and stumbled and bucked everywhere. Mark Wallace or Rob Edwards (Olly) would be stood with a lunging whip, not to crack the horse, but to crack me, if I so much as looked like falling off. It was all done in the bull ring (lunge pit) and every day at lunchtime, I would go down and join Mark or Olly with Raneen and we would spend 30 minutes to an hour going through this ritual. I still got to ride my 2 lots in the morning, but I'll be honest Danegold could go up the gallops blindfolded by himself and as pulling required effort, he was unlikely to do anything!
I actually think my inexperience was a big contribution to Danegold suddenly finding an appetite to race again, he was of course 2nd in a County Hurdle at Cheltenham that year.
Over April and May, Raneen helped me massively, but without Mr Channon's support and the help of Mark and Olly, it would never have happened and I have so much to thank them for. At the end of May, one afternoon, I took Raneen bareback up the gallops, cantering for 5f, gripping tight and keeping my hands down, as Mark and Mr Channon came up in the jeep.
Raneen was now Mr Channon's horse and without him, I would have been finished. My riding had come a long way and Mark appeared to look pleased with his project that had worked.
The next morning I was back to 4 or 5 lots and it was no longer just Danegold and Milly's Lass.
I think Mr Channon was clever than people gave him credit for. When he done the list he rarely changed riders for horses if they got on well together and a lot of my rides would normally be quirky ungenuine sorts, maybe Mr Channon secretly knew I spoilt them and sang to them riding out, and would hug and cuddle them. But in riding the likes of Budelli, horses seemed to be running well that I rode out.
2001 was an interesting year for me, as horses I looked after started running abroad and I was lucky to start looking after a 2yo filly called Lipstick. Earlier in the season Lipstick would be a filly who matched Queens Logic on the gallops, but she had setback after setback and lets just say by the time she made her debut in a listed race at Newbury, she was no secret weapon. She got beat that day, but hacked up at Bath a few weeks later and then won the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton, before coming 2nd at Ascot in a race where she made up a lot of ground, only to be denied.
Lipstick never progressed at three, and sadly died in foal as a 4yo on the gallops. Lippy as I always called her, was a filly who never released her full potential and between myself and head lad Rob who rode her, we were devastated when she died.
Perhaps my favourite horse I ever looked after at Mick's was Millennium Force. A horse who broke his leg at 2, and took many races before he got off the mark in the autumn of his 3yo career at Catterick, he was a horse who was bone idle at home and you couldn't have ever predicted he would end up a solid listed/group 3 performer. He was so sweet in his stable though, and an amazing horse to ride, but an absolute arse to lead up!
Millennium Force made my dreams come true, he took me to Ireland, France, and Dubai and lets just say there got a point that he was my ride. If I wasn't down to ride him, I was in a foul mood and would happily storm to the office to Mark, Olly, Paul, Joe or whoever was the current head lad or assistant and kick off until I was on him.
Millennium Force was not a good work horse, but you knew he had something there, he just seemed to be one of those who didn't want to do it in the morning.
His best day for many may have been his Gladness Stakes win at the Curragh, but for me it would always be the 28th September 2002 when he won the Tote Trifecta at Ascot and I still have the winners sheet at home in the cupboard.
That day, the yard had Royal Millennium as well in the race and as the pair were saddled, Mr Channon turned and asked me how he was. I simply replied, he'll win today boss. Mr Channon was stood there with the owner behind and Bruce Raymond helping to saddle and Mr Channon kind of laughed and muttered "he won't beat Royal Millennium boy". I don't quite know how he felt when I told him he was wrong, but I was certain Millennium Force would win.
When he did win, I think there was a new level of respect from Mr Channon, he was first to congratulate me when we walked to the winners enclosure, with floods of tears pouring down my face. I loved Millennium Force and had looked after him since he was a yearling. We arrived at the yard at the same time, and the hardest part of leaving Mr Channon's was leaving Millennium Force behind. When he went to the sales in 2006, I even tried to get a friend of mine to buy him, because I missed him so much. He ended up in Dubai and ran a few times and then disappeared. I always hoped one day I would find him but it wasn't to be.
I think the best opportunity Mr Channon gave me was in 2004 when in the December prior, Leslie came up to me and said the boss wants to see you. I had no idea what it was about and I was nervous.
I entered the office and Mr Channon said morning Krusty (Krusty was the nickname given to me by then. Many people thought it had some clown like reference but it wasn't. One of Mr Channon's most well known members of staff over the years was a Cumbrian lad known as Marra, I mean a lot of people thought it was Marrow! But it was definitely Marra. Marra or Adrian as his real name was, was a character and I doubt there is many who worked in racing up and down the country than hadn't bumped into him and met him at some stage. Well when I lived in the same house as Marra, Mark Wallace always referred to me in the Raneen Nashwan days a Christie, rather than Chris, and Marra being Marra and not the brightest, didn't understand Mark and started calling me Krusty. Marra was a bit like Trigger from only fools and horses, he would get names wrong and there was even occasions he got horses wrong! But Marra was Marra and when I look back at Mr Channon's yard I suppose you can't forget the likes of Marra. Well the name stuck, a bit like Trigger and Dave!)
Mr Channon followed it with, "I would like you to go to Dubai at the end of December for 3 months and take the horses. Leslie and Tim Corby will be coming out with you"
For me, this was the greatest honour Mr Channon ever gave me and there were better riders than me in the yard, more experienced staff and I didn't even look after any of the horses going. It was of course and honour and I was flattered, excited and delighted all rolled into one.
I was lucky enough to ride the likes of Londonnetdotcom and Pick Up Sticks most days out there, although I occasionally got to ride Fruits Of Glory and when Leslie wasn't feeling 100%, Tim Corby allowed me to ride Checkit.
Those 3 months in Dubai, I felt myself and Leslie developed a good friendship. Leslie has been with Mick from day dot and even in retirement she is still always around and you'll always see her on TV. She was feared by many, liked by few, but respected by everybody. Leslie was hard on lads and lasses and she took her job seriously, but away from the tough outside shell who would not be afraid to shout at you, was someone who cared. Leslie was one of the few people at Mr Channon's I would have been honoured to call a friend. There was times after Dubai she would ask me if I wanted to come round for dinner, and often she put my name forward for trips away with horses on my own and even abroad, because she trusted me and knew I would do a good job and was reliable. In fact you could say, Leslie probably got me the trip to Dubai, the fact is, if you show you are hard working and trustworthy to the right people good things follow.
Dubai was probably the happiest I had been in my life and the late Tim Corby was not like an owner, he was like one of the lads.
I remember we all went to a boat party layed on by the Dubai Racing staff and Leslie had pretty much drank the bar empty! Myself and Tim were laughing as she was drunk, to then see her fall down the stairs and straight into the arms of David Loder. We had to get her home and promised not to tell anyone, but every time myself and Tim looked at each other we would burst out laughing and the standing joke was that David Loder was now Super Loder, as he swooped in and caught the stair falling Leslie.
Another night, we were invited to a function at Sheikh Rashid's Palace and as we waited in the hallway there were these big sofa's and as Tim sat down it made a noise. I looked at Tim and he looked at me immediately to divert the blame, and the standing joke became who farted on Sheikh Rashid's sofa! I never did find out whether it was the sofa or Tim, but I must say that winter spent with Tim and Leslie, was one of the most enjoyable in my life and although I had left Mr Channon's by the time Tom Corby was sadly killed in a car crash, it really did sadden me. Tim was not your normal owner, you could have confused him as being one of the lads and he lit up a room every time he walked into it.
For many people the memories of Mr Channon are winners or Youmzain, but for me, it was working in a yard which made me happy, a happiness I've never had since.
When I had my own horses, I always looked at them and thought what would Mr Channon do, he taught me so much and could always see him and thinking "they don't win races sat in the stable boy".
Mr Channon was hard on his horses, but fair. He knew what they could take and the decline in talent with the yard that has come from the loss of owners and the way the pricing of horses has changed has saddened me. I worked for Mick during 6 years of when I would say he was at his best, with his best stock. West Ilsley was brimming with group horses, much like it did in the past.
When I think of Mr Channon, I will always remember one morning up the gallops when a horse bolted and cut up 2 or 3 horses and 2 people fell off. A horse was running loose for about 15 minutes and every one in the string looked down as we walked in a loop at the top. You knew any minute now, the jeep would pull up and Mr Channon would blow his lid.
On this occasion it was a lad called Shahid who had caused the carnage and whilst he spoke some English, it wasn't much, no one dared look at Mr Channon as he slammed the door and walked to the centre of the circle and let off steam. His flat cap was on the floor and he was stamping on it, and cursing and shouting and calling Shalid every name under the sun. no other lads dared make eye contact, in case the barrage came their way next.
But this was the one occasion, Mick was left speechless. After around 2 minutes of shouting and screaming, Shahid turned and said "Thank You Boss". Mr Channon didn't know what to do, he had just called him dozy boll-ocks, useless see you next Tuesday and the works and the response was thank you, basically showing that Shahid hadn't understood a single word Mr Channon had said. You expected Mr Channon to blow his top again, but this time he just laughed, it was like he was defeated! I am sure many lads myself included tried to hold back the laughter as not to awaken the dragon, but sometimes its the funny things you remember. Mr Channon peeled his flat cap off the floor caked in mud and proceeded to get back into his jeep and shout take them fcuk-ing home.
Mr Channon speaks the Queens / Kings English and if you had a soft skin, it was not the job for you, but Mr Channon gave me chances, helped me travel the world, taught me so much about horses and helped ignite a passion and give me ambition.
For all my own failings in life and the disasters that came, I never felt more proud than when I saw him at Salisbury one day in 2013, Mr Channon had a runner in a race and I had just had a horse placed in the previous race, who had placed. Mr Channon turned to me and said "well done Krusty". It felt reassuring that the one person who you looked up to more than most, could pass on congratulations and it meant a lot.
I have to say, I wish I never left Mr Channon's, but I wanted to better myself and Mr Channon had said he couldn't promote me as I wouldn't have got the lads respect. I think he was wrong, as respect is earned and I had a good relationship with most of the staff at West Ilsley, and I looked up to Mr Channon in the way that someone looks up to an idol.
When your heart breaks you have to leave and that is why I left, but there's not a day that goes by that I don't regret it.
I haven't seen Mr Channon, ironically since that day at Salisbury in 2013, so 9 years has passed. I doubt he would even say hello to me, stop and chat or even ask if I was okay, as sometimes you look at the past of people when it has gone downhill and you want to forget they were part of a time when the yard was on top.
I for one will always admire Mr Channon and the opportunities he gave me. There are a lot of people who will say he was a bad trainer or was a good trainer. But for me, he was a good man, a great boss and an idol, who without him, I would have never been able to do a lot of the things life brought me.
I for one will miss him, and wish Jack all the success in the world.
I am probably fortunate to have known him better than most on this forum, having been part of the yard from the age of 15 in 1998 to the end of 2005 when I left Micks.
I had 6 years of employment with Mr Channon and he gave me opportunities in life, that I never expected, and I doubt he will ever know how thankful I was.
I started off at Mr Channon's in the summer of 1998, at Kingsdown in Lambourn, on a summer job. That summer we had the likes of Bint Allayl, Josr Algarhoud, Inya Lake, Muchea, Golden Silca and a couple of other horses who were more affectionate for me in years to come. Morocco would be the first horse I got to canter on the gallops and a horse who taught me plenty but it would always be Raneen Nashwan I will be forever thankful to.
When I joined Mr Channon's in October 1999, it was after 10 weeks at the Racing School and I was delighted to be joining the yard as they started out at West Ilsley. I was given 4 horses to look after, a Mujadil filly called Kachina Doll, Skye Blue (owned by the late Henry Ponsonby), Tower Of Song and a Bin Ajwaad colt, who was eventually named Millennium Force.
I struggled with life in racing at first, I was not a confident rider and despite being able to ride quiet ones, I found myself on the deck frequently or even worse getting carted with on the gallops. I was however determined, but this of course was no riding school, this was a professional racing yard with group horses a plenty and wealthy owners paying bills for their horses, it wasn't time for trial and error with a kid who could barely hold one side of Abajany or get decked by a yearling filly.
I as fortunate, that my love of horses and passion and desire was picked up on by Mark Wallace. Whilst many trainers would have probably said, sorry kid it's not gonna work and gave me my marching orders, one April morning, Mark Wallace came and got me after 2nd lot (I was so awful at riding out, I pretty much rode the same 2 horses every day and then helped on the yard. Luckily one of those horses was a sweet old horse called Danegold and the other was a 2yo filly called Milly's Lass, who I looked after as well, as Tower Of Song had been sold after winning a seller and this was the horse given to me to look after). I didn't know why Mark was taking me to see Mr Channon, but I suspected it was to be told, that they wouldn't be keeping me on and that I was out of a job at the end of the week.
Mr Channon looked at me in the office and I always remember him saying, I like you boy, but you wouldn't ride me and I'm ******* easy! It was that heart sinking moment when you realise all your dreams and hopes were about to end. However this time, it was followed by, but Mark's got an idea.
It appeared for some reason, that Mark had decided not to give up on me. At the same time there was a girl called Jenny who was of a similar riding standard, perhaps a bit better, who had been let go as she could only ride the quiet ones and I expected the same fate to follow for me.
However Mark's plan was to teach me to ride properly on a horse called Raneen Nashwan. A horse owned by Sheikh Ahmed was effectively going to be the riding school pony for a lad who couldn't ride for toffee and we were a team. Raneen had the most uncomfortable back, and I had to learn to ride him bareback, hanging on as he bounced and stumbled and bucked everywhere. Mark Wallace or Rob Edwards (Olly) would be stood with a lunging whip, not to crack the horse, but to crack me, if I so much as looked like falling off. It was all done in the bull ring (lunge pit) and every day at lunchtime, I would go down and join Mark or Olly with Raneen and we would spend 30 minutes to an hour going through this ritual. I still got to ride my 2 lots in the morning, but I'll be honest Danegold could go up the gallops blindfolded by himself and as pulling required effort, he was unlikely to do anything!
I actually think my inexperience was a big contribution to Danegold suddenly finding an appetite to race again, he was of course 2nd in a County Hurdle at Cheltenham that year.
Over April and May, Raneen helped me massively, but without Mr Channon's support and the help of Mark and Olly, it would never have happened and I have so much to thank them for. At the end of May, one afternoon, I took Raneen bareback up the gallops, cantering for 5f, gripping tight and keeping my hands down, as Mark and Mr Channon came up in the jeep.
Raneen was now Mr Channon's horse and without him, I would have been finished. My riding had come a long way and Mark appeared to look pleased with his project that had worked.
The next morning I was back to 4 or 5 lots and it was no longer just Danegold and Milly's Lass.
I think Mr Channon was clever than people gave him credit for. When he done the list he rarely changed riders for horses if they got on well together and a lot of my rides would normally be quirky ungenuine sorts, maybe Mr Channon secretly knew I spoilt them and sang to them riding out, and would hug and cuddle them. But in riding the likes of Budelli, horses seemed to be running well that I rode out.
2001 was an interesting year for me, as horses I looked after started running abroad and I was lucky to start looking after a 2yo filly called Lipstick. Earlier in the season Lipstick would be a filly who matched Queens Logic on the gallops, but she had setback after setback and lets just say by the time she made her debut in a listed race at Newbury, she was no secret weapon. She got beat that day, but hacked up at Bath a few weeks later and then won the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton, before coming 2nd at Ascot in a race where she made up a lot of ground, only to be denied.
Lipstick never progressed at three, and sadly died in foal as a 4yo on the gallops. Lippy as I always called her, was a filly who never released her full potential and between myself and head lad Rob who rode her, we were devastated when she died.
Perhaps my favourite horse I ever looked after at Mick's was Millennium Force. A horse who broke his leg at 2, and took many races before he got off the mark in the autumn of his 3yo career at Catterick, he was a horse who was bone idle at home and you couldn't have ever predicted he would end up a solid listed/group 3 performer. He was so sweet in his stable though, and an amazing horse to ride, but an absolute arse to lead up!
Millennium Force made my dreams come true, he took me to Ireland, France, and Dubai and lets just say there got a point that he was my ride. If I wasn't down to ride him, I was in a foul mood and would happily storm to the office to Mark, Olly, Paul, Joe or whoever was the current head lad or assistant and kick off until I was on him.
Millennium Force was not a good work horse, but you knew he had something there, he just seemed to be one of those who didn't want to do it in the morning.
His best day for many may have been his Gladness Stakes win at the Curragh, but for me it would always be the 28th September 2002 when he won the Tote Trifecta at Ascot and I still have the winners sheet at home in the cupboard.
That day, the yard had Royal Millennium as well in the race and as the pair were saddled, Mr Channon turned and asked me how he was. I simply replied, he'll win today boss. Mr Channon was stood there with the owner behind and Bruce Raymond helping to saddle and Mr Channon kind of laughed and muttered "he won't beat Royal Millennium boy". I don't quite know how he felt when I told him he was wrong, but I was certain Millennium Force would win.
When he did win, I think there was a new level of respect from Mr Channon, he was first to congratulate me when we walked to the winners enclosure, with floods of tears pouring down my face. I loved Millennium Force and had looked after him since he was a yearling. We arrived at the yard at the same time, and the hardest part of leaving Mr Channon's was leaving Millennium Force behind. When he went to the sales in 2006, I even tried to get a friend of mine to buy him, because I missed him so much. He ended up in Dubai and ran a few times and then disappeared. I always hoped one day I would find him but it wasn't to be.
I think the best opportunity Mr Channon gave me was in 2004 when in the December prior, Leslie came up to me and said the boss wants to see you. I had no idea what it was about and I was nervous.
I entered the office and Mr Channon said morning Krusty (Krusty was the nickname given to me by then. Many people thought it had some clown like reference but it wasn't. One of Mr Channon's most well known members of staff over the years was a Cumbrian lad known as Marra, I mean a lot of people thought it was Marrow! But it was definitely Marra. Marra or Adrian as his real name was, was a character and I doubt there is many who worked in racing up and down the country than hadn't bumped into him and met him at some stage. Well when I lived in the same house as Marra, Mark Wallace always referred to me in the Raneen Nashwan days a Christie, rather than Chris, and Marra being Marra and not the brightest, didn't understand Mark and started calling me Krusty. Marra was a bit like Trigger from only fools and horses, he would get names wrong and there was even occasions he got horses wrong! But Marra was Marra and when I look back at Mr Channon's yard I suppose you can't forget the likes of Marra. Well the name stuck, a bit like Trigger and Dave!)
Mr Channon followed it with, "I would like you to go to Dubai at the end of December for 3 months and take the horses. Leslie and Tim Corby will be coming out with you"
For me, this was the greatest honour Mr Channon ever gave me and there were better riders than me in the yard, more experienced staff and I didn't even look after any of the horses going. It was of course and honour and I was flattered, excited and delighted all rolled into one.
I was lucky enough to ride the likes of Londonnetdotcom and Pick Up Sticks most days out there, although I occasionally got to ride Fruits Of Glory and when Leslie wasn't feeling 100%, Tim Corby allowed me to ride Checkit.
Those 3 months in Dubai, I felt myself and Leslie developed a good friendship. Leslie has been with Mick from day dot and even in retirement she is still always around and you'll always see her on TV. She was feared by many, liked by few, but respected by everybody. Leslie was hard on lads and lasses and she took her job seriously, but away from the tough outside shell who would not be afraid to shout at you, was someone who cared. Leslie was one of the few people at Mr Channon's I would have been honoured to call a friend. There was times after Dubai she would ask me if I wanted to come round for dinner, and often she put my name forward for trips away with horses on my own and even abroad, because she trusted me and knew I would do a good job and was reliable. In fact you could say, Leslie probably got me the trip to Dubai, the fact is, if you show you are hard working and trustworthy to the right people good things follow.
Dubai was probably the happiest I had been in my life and the late Tim Corby was not like an owner, he was like one of the lads.
I remember we all went to a boat party layed on by the Dubai Racing staff and Leslie had pretty much drank the bar empty! Myself and Tim were laughing as she was drunk, to then see her fall down the stairs and straight into the arms of David Loder. We had to get her home and promised not to tell anyone, but every time myself and Tim looked at each other we would burst out laughing and the standing joke was that David Loder was now Super Loder, as he swooped in and caught the stair falling Leslie.
Another night, we were invited to a function at Sheikh Rashid's Palace and as we waited in the hallway there were these big sofa's and as Tim sat down it made a noise. I looked at Tim and he looked at me immediately to divert the blame, and the standing joke became who farted on Sheikh Rashid's sofa! I never did find out whether it was the sofa or Tim, but I must say that winter spent with Tim and Leslie, was one of the most enjoyable in my life and although I had left Mr Channon's by the time Tom Corby was sadly killed in a car crash, it really did sadden me. Tim was not your normal owner, you could have confused him as being one of the lads and he lit up a room every time he walked into it.
For many people the memories of Mr Channon are winners or Youmzain, but for me, it was working in a yard which made me happy, a happiness I've never had since.
When I had my own horses, I always looked at them and thought what would Mr Channon do, he taught me so much and could always see him and thinking "they don't win races sat in the stable boy".
Mr Channon was hard on his horses, but fair. He knew what they could take and the decline in talent with the yard that has come from the loss of owners and the way the pricing of horses has changed has saddened me. I worked for Mick during 6 years of when I would say he was at his best, with his best stock. West Ilsley was brimming with group horses, much like it did in the past.
When I think of Mr Channon, I will always remember one morning up the gallops when a horse bolted and cut up 2 or 3 horses and 2 people fell off. A horse was running loose for about 15 minutes and every one in the string looked down as we walked in a loop at the top. You knew any minute now, the jeep would pull up and Mr Channon would blow his lid.
On this occasion it was a lad called Shahid who had caused the carnage and whilst he spoke some English, it wasn't much, no one dared look at Mr Channon as he slammed the door and walked to the centre of the circle and let off steam. His flat cap was on the floor and he was stamping on it, and cursing and shouting and calling Shalid every name under the sun. no other lads dared make eye contact, in case the barrage came their way next.
But this was the one occasion, Mick was left speechless. After around 2 minutes of shouting and screaming, Shahid turned and said "Thank You Boss". Mr Channon didn't know what to do, he had just called him dozy boll-ocks, useless see you next Tuesday and the works and the response was thank you, basically showing that Shahid hadn't understood a single word Mr Channon had said. You expected Mr Channon to blow his top again, but this time he just laughed, it was like he was defeated! I am sure many lads myself included tried to hold back the laughter as not to awaken the dragon, but sometimes its the funny things you remember. Mr Channon peeled his flat cap off the floor caked in mud and proceeded to get back into his jeep and shout take them fcuk-ing home.
Mr Channon speaks the Queens / Kings English and if you had a soft skin, it was not the job for you, but Mr Channon gave me chances, helped me travel the world, taught me so much about horses and helped ignite a passion and give me ambition.
For all my own failings in life and the disasters that came, I never felt more proud than when I saw him at Salisbury one day in 2013, Mr Channon had a runner in a race and I had just had a horse placed in the previous race, who had placed. Mr Channon turned to me and said "well done Krusty". It felt reassuring that the one person who you looked up to more than most, could pass on congratulations and it meant a lot.
I have to say, I wish I never left Mr Channon's, but I wanted to better myself and Mr Channon had said he couldn't promote me as I wouldn't have got the lads respect. I think he was wrong, as respect is earned and I had a good relationship with most of the staff at West Ilsley, and I looked up to Mr Channon in the way that someone looks up to an idol.
When your heart breaks you have to leave and that is why I left, but there's not a day that goes by that I don't regret it.
I haven't seen Mr Channon, ironically since that day at Salisbury in 2013, so 9 years has passed. I doubt he would even say hello to me, stop and chat or even ask if I was okay, as sometimes you look at the past of people when it has gone downhill and you want to forget they were part of a time when the yard was on top.
I for one will always admire Mr Channon and the opportunities he gave me. There are a lot of people who will say he was a bad trainer or was a good trainer. But for me, he was a good man, a great boss and an idol, who without him, I would have never been able to do a lot of the things life brought me.
I for one will miss him, and wish Jack all the success in the world.
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..........he may be retiring but he's going out with a bang.