I shall only post UK Racing once a week usually on the Weekend, and may separate it from my work, as I think it is detracting from my art. What do you think?
I should have been out sketching, but had to listen to the outcome of some great National Hunt racing today. The Hennessy is a 3mile steeplechase race over brush fences and is run at Newbury in Berkshire. I was pleased to see that Lord Oaksey's horse Carruthers won it. Lord Oaksey was a former National Hunt Jockey, and is the patron behind the Injured Jockey's Fund a great charity in the UK. Newbury and Newmarket are the two racecourses that are closest to the main training centres in Britain. Newmarket has an open heath (plain grassland) that the majority of flat speed horses train on, while close to Newbury are the Downs, a beautful range of hills that is great for strengthening the hind quarters for thoroughbreds and jumpers. They have signs for the "Valley of the Racehorse" just outside the village of Lambourn. Its magnificent to drive alongside the gallops ontop the downs. Well worth a visit.
I used to live close to Newbury, so regulary went to watch the Hennessy myself...often getting cold in the stands! Or to watch my Aunt and Uncles racehorses run there..which was fun..my late uncle makes me smile..one day his wife drove up from Cornwall in the South West of England (a four hour drive) and left him behind furious, as I think he'd been in the pub with friends...to her and our astonishment he made it to the races happily, smoking a cigar having taken the high speed train which stops at the trackside, where he proceeded to tell us about the other trainers/owners he'd met on his journey...he was jolly. Must have been several mad connections that day.
More often than not its a given who's gonna win a Newbury!
take a look at this link if you have time;http://www.worldisround.com/articles/10902/photo117.html
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