General Musings

It's been a couple of weeks since my last diary but it's flown, a busy time, I mentioned in my previous blog that I had to go for an angiogram, to see if I have angina or heartburn. I had the procedure, on the morning of The Oaks. An angiogram is where they inject you with dye, put a camera up your artery to see if there are any blockages in the blood flow to your heart. Let's just say that it wasn't too much red wine and pickled onions that caused my chest pain, which was a bit of a shock, but at least I know. The doctor told me I need and an echocardiogram before the surgeons would make their decision as to what to do next. Yes, surgeons, I probably should have cut down on the crisps and pasties, An echocardiogram is a little like what pregnant ladies have to scan their unborn babies and not invasive. The angiogram was a different matter altogether, so no driving for 48 hours after having it which scuppered any plans to drive to Epsom, so I missed the Derby meeting which was a bugger. On the plus side, I have managed to interview Tony Calvin and Johnny Dineen for #BettingPeople since so watch out for them after Royal Ascot.

This week was all about the dogs as far as going racing goes. I was at Towcester on Thursday and Friday for the heats of the Star Sports Greyhound Derby. The weather was lovely, it's the start of the biggest greyhound competition of the sport in the UK and it was great fun. Mind you, you wouldn't want to be a bookmaker at the heats. There were plenty of people there but very few of them were betting. There were some lumpy, £1000 and £2000 bets but very little else. There were a couple of races, even with the sponsors where it looked as if they might not take a bet at all. I'm sure it will pick up a bit and I'll be there apart from the meetings that clash with the Derby at Epsom and Royal Ascot. 

I was up at York on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I had an excellent Dante Meeting up there with Star Sports but must admit my heart, as it often is, was at Newton Abbot. Nigel Hawke's Inferno Sacree won again down there. What a superstar he's been for the yard. It was excellent for Nigel that he was winning for the second time in as many runs on ITV and that his training skills had another well-deserved nationwide audience. York also meant that on Thursday I missed the official launch of Hawke Barn,  Katherine and Nigel Hawke's wedding and special event venue. It's a wonderful space, here's their website for more details. HAWKE BARN

It's been a fairly exciting week, I went to Lambourn to visit Mick Fitzgerald to interview him for the Star Sports #BettingPeople series. This one is out now, it was a very frank and at times emotional interview, don't miss it. Last week's was with Irish betting industry character of the highest order Dave O'Reilly who was top class with some tremendous stories. 

My first diary entry, just an idea I had. Is there any interest in a diary of a Devon based racing man? Who, knows but here goes, I'm about to find out. 

The last time I went to Butlins would have been in the late 1960's I know I was very young but I do remember a fair bit about it, albeit all in sepia. Where do I start? OK, the fairground, cable cars, the monorail, a bar called the Beachcomber that had bamboo all over the place and looked very exotic, fountains at either end of the outdoor pool where the big kids used to stand at the top and make the water spray around, being able to have something to eat and watch people's legs swimming in the pool through glass windows to it, Red Coats, two tiered chalets, litter bins shaped like pigs that sucked in your rubbish, 'baby crying in chalet 42' announcements, now do I remember that or was I that baby? Oh and my Auntie Betty finding a caterpillar in her salad, happy memories from a very early age.