Economic climate this, deep recession that...No, I've found the real reason why Great Leighs racecourse is struggling to survive and it may just surprise you.
Whilst reading 'Ghosts of East Anglia' by H. Mills West, I was fascinated to read about the 'Witch of Scrapfaggot Green'. Scrapfaggot Green is situated in Great Leighs.
The story goes like this: towards the end of the War, a landlord recorded a number of disturbances in one of his guestrooms - items placed in the room where either moved or smashed and this came with a disconcerting sound of boots scuffling the floor in an agitated fashion. One morning when the haunted room was opened, the wardrobe was found dismantled, lying neatly in its separate parts.
Despite these activities, business had to continue and when there were no other rooms available, the landlord had to let the haunted room. For these unlucky guests it would be a long and hair raising experience. One young woman who stayed in the room said she fell asleep but woke up shortly after, feeling convinced that there was someone else in the room. As she sat up in her bed, she could see a misty moving shape that menacingly circled the bed and eventually made its way out of the room. Nevertheless, the girl turned the light on and sat at her window all night, not daring to fall asleep.
All these stories drew publicity and one intrepid reporter (me in a few years?) managed to whittle out some valuable information from two elderly women of Great Leighs. They revealed that the event had all started as during the construction of a military base nearby, the builders had heaved a huge (and rare in this part of the country) boulder to make way for a road.
It is believed that this boulder sealed a witch's grave to prevent her from further mischief. In moving the stone, the builders had released the witch's ghost which had taken refuge in the public house. Once realised, a multitude of villagers gathered to heave the tombstone back into place, which they did and rid the village of the ghost.
Now, I haven't managed to locate Scrapfaggot Green exactly on modern maps but I am wondering if it was where Great Leighs racecourse now stands. Did the contractors move this stone to build the course? One cannot be sure but if they did, maybe the course is haunted and the failures of the track are due to our mischievous witch.
They can find all the investors they want, but maybe the survival of Essex's first racecourse is not in human hands...
21 March 2009
17 March 2009
Done for another year.
You wait all year and it's gone in an instant. There was such a huge build up to this year's Cheltenham Festival and it had a lot to live up to.
To be honest, I was slightly disappointed with the first day's racing; the Supreme Novices' was billed to be a quality renewal and I was left feeling slightly empty. Yes, the roar from the crowd was electrifying as the tapes flew up but what followed was unremarkable. Maybe it was because the first three finishers were relatively unfancied or because the hype horse, Cousin Vinny, didn't perform like we all thought but I got the feeling it's a race we won't be reliving in our minds in years to come.
The Arkle, mind, did perk the palate up slightly with the epic finish between Forpadydeplasterer and Kalahari King. With the large posse of winning connections going mad, you couldn't help but to feel their joy but then you remembered that they're all Sunderland fans. Then, you're jealous. Who knows what Tatenen would have done if he hadn't have fallen but it was too early to say. If you did back the favourite, you can take heart in saying that he would have hacked up and nobody could prove otherwise. However, jumping's the name of the game.
McCoy rode a winner or something, I heard. Oh, an epic one, one of the greatest in recent times, you say. It was pretty impressive but that's McCoy. He probably rides a winner like that at least once a month from Taunton to Kelso. It's only because this one was on a favourite at the festival that everyone takes note. McCoy is where he is because he's the fittest around and never gives up.
Skip to Friday, 3.20pm and we're watching the Gold Cup. Not billed in the same way as last year with Kauto Star v Denman, more Kauto Star 1st and who second? To be fair, Findlay's 'Tank' ran a blinder, a huge improvement on last time at Kempton. A left-handed track clearly suits him better and if he runs again at Aintree, I for one would have a cheeky bet.
Hope you all did well and hear's to next year! (Punjabi is 14/1 for the Champion Hurdle 2010. Massive! He only won it last week!)
PS. a little statistic I heard, following all the runners from the Bumper in their first run over hurdles yields a massive profit. Get on.
To be honest, I was slightly disappointed with the first day's racing; the Supreme Novices' was billed to be a quality renewal and I was left feeling slightly empty. Yes, the roar from the crowd was electrifying as the tapes flew up but what followed was unremarkable. Maybe it was because the first three finishers were relatively unfancied or because the hype horse, Cousin Vinny, didn't perform like we all thought but I got the feeling it's a race we won't be reliving in our minds in years to come.
The Arkle, mind, did perk the palate up slightly with the epic finish between Forpadydeplasterer and Kalahari King. With the large posse of winning connections going mad, you couldn't help but to feel their joy but then you remembered that they're all Sunderland fans. Then, you're jealous. Who knows what Tatenen would have done if he hadn't have fallen but it was too early to say. If you did back the favourite, you can take heart in saying that he would have hacked up and nobody could prove otherwise. However, jumping's the name of the game.
McCoy rode a winner or something, I heard. Oh, an epic one, one of the greatest in recent times, you say. It was pretty impressive but that's McCoy. He probably rides a winner like that at least once a month from Taunton to Kelso. It's only because this one was on a favourite at the festival that everyone takes note. McCoy is where he is because he's the fittest around and never gives up.
Skip to Friday, 3.20pm and we're watching the Gold Cup. Not billed in the same way as last year with Kauto Star v Denman, more Kauto Star 1st and who second? To be fair, Findlay's 'Tank' ran a blinder, a huge improvement on last time at Kempton. A left-handed track clearly suits him better and if he runs again at Aintree, I for one would have a cheeky bet.
Hope you all did well and hear's to next year! (Punjabi is 14/1 for the Champion Hurdle 2010. Massive! He only won it last week!)
PS. a little statistic I heard, following all the runners from the Bumper in their first run over hurdles yields a massive profit. Get on.
3 March 2009
On The Tarmac
A little diversion from the horses today as there's not much to say until deeds are done at Cheltenham. Actions speak louder than words.
Cycling, a cracking if under-rated sport, is the topic of today's discussion.
Britain is pretty decent at the sport but that is track cycling. Respect to Chris '28 inch thighs' Hoy and Victoria Pendleton but road racing is what it's all about.
A little note here, I was cycling through a neighbouring village one day and coming towards me was this guy in all the Team GB lycra. I knew who it was instantly because he'd been all over the local news. Ross Edgar, silver medalist to Chris Hoy in the sprint. I shouted 'Well done in Beijing' and to my awestruck surprise, he replied 'Cheers mate.' Two words but they meant a lot.
Anyway. back to the road. Big news this year is Lance Armstrong's comeback after a four year retirement. It's definitely good for the sport with all the extra publicity but I feel Lance is going to struggle; the cycling world has moved on, the opponents are younger and stronger. Armstrong is still talented but so is Carlos Sastre and Alberto Contador.
On his return in the Tour of California, the seven time Tour De France winner looked as fit as ever and proved himself to be just as good as he was at time trialling than last year. Time will tell if he can recapture his French crown. I'm not convinced.
One man to look out for is Frank Schleck. Stamina abound, he made some brave attacks in California and could spring a surprise in the French race. His younger brother, Andy, will be a serious peddler in a few years time.
Cycling, a cracking if under-rated sport, is the topic of today's discussion.
Britain is pretty decent at the sport but that is track cycling. Respect to Chris '28 inch thighs' Hoy and Victoria Pendleton but road racing is what it's all about.
A little note here, I was cycling through a neighbouring village one day and coming towards me was this guy in all the Team GB lycra. I knew who it was instantly because he'd been all over the local news. Ross Edgar, silver medalist to Chris Hoy in the sprint. I shouted 'Well done in Beijing' and to my awestruck surprise, he replied 'Cheers mate.' Two words but they meant a lot.
Anyway. back to the road. Big news this year is Lance Armstrong's comeback after a four year retirement. It's definitely good for the sport with all the extra publicity but I feel Lance is going to struggle; the cycling world has moved on, the opponents are younger and stronger. Armstrong is still talented but so is Carlos Sastre and Alberto Contador.
On his return in the Tour of California, the seven time Tour De France winner looked as fit as ever and proved himself to be just as good as he was at time trialling than last year. Time will tell if he can recapture his French crown. I'm not convinced.
One man to look out for is Frank Schleck. Stamina abound, he made some brave attacks in California and could spring a surprise in the French race. His younger brother, Andy, will be a serious peddler in a few years time.
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