A bright, warm evening greeted the new Hove Park racing season hosted by Brighton Mitre Cycling Club. A record high turn out in the Cat 4 race saw a group of 10 riders pull away from early on and they stayed away until the finish which inevitably resulted in a messy sprint. Andy Edwards (Rollapaluza) just pipped the Mitre’s own Mark Mergler on the line.
The star of the day, however, had to be teenager Felix English (Team Corridori Specialized)
who demolished his Cat 2/3 field by a whole lap and even when reunited with the main bunch, he had to be held back from attacking again. From the off, English looked determined to take the race by the scruff of the neck as he had already pulled 200 metres clear after just five minutes, accompanied by Josh Cunningham (Ingear Development Squad). These two youngsters worked together until the 20 minute mark when the eventual winner cunningly attacked his, up to this point, ally by letting him lead going towards the main climb and then storming past him up the hill. The InGear rider did not have the legs to go with English who now set his sights firmly on lapping the peloton and putting the race to bed.
It took him just over 20 minutes to do so but by this time the light had became an issue and the five laps to go sign went up prematurely. There was still the matter of the remaining places to be sorted out and as the sign went up, Andy Waterman of Dulwich Paragon accelerated away from the bunch and put a good amount of daylight between himself and the others. He looked booked for the runners-up spot until the pack began to chase him down on the last lap and it was only by a matter of millimetres that he held on from the fast finishing Sebastian Ottley (VC St Raphael) closely followed by the rest.
27 April 2009
Weakest Name = Kay
My quest for fame and riches this week led me to the Weakest Link - a shabby hotel in Cambridge to be precise. After applying for the show over a year ago (when I had time to watch such things, different story nowadays), I was surprised to receive a call during the week, off a lady with a pretty delicious voice, telling me that I had been selected for an audition. At first I was reluctant; did I have the time to participate? Was it worth it? After telling a few of the lads I decided 'hell why not'. After all, an opportunity such as this is unlikely to ever arise again and even if I didn't win anything, it would generate some decent banter.
So, I travelled to Cambridge, got to the hotel and sat in the waiting room with the eight other auditionees. There was a wide range of people from Cliff, a retired teacher, loved the sound of his own voice and just kept chatting about random crap to Kay-Anne, a bit of a hippy, she and got really annoyed when you called her Kay. Like I kept doing.
We were then asked to enter the conference room where there were chairs set up in a semi-circle and first of all we had to introduce ourselves. Bog standard stuff, I went first and mentioned I had size 8 feet just to say something and then everyone else said what size feet they had. Why?
There were a couple of other students there who were pretty fat and did waste-of-time subjects like philosophy and politics at Cambridge and Manchester respectively. One right nerd worked in a chemists laboratory and he bored me a lot.
After, we played a round of the quiz, with all the banking included. It worked out that we answered three questions each and I got one wrong - "What country is Budapest the capital of?" I knew it was somewhere in west Europe. "Czech Republic". Wrong. It's Hungary.
Despite this, Kay-Anne got voted off by everybody because she got two wrong, even though they were tricky ones: "How many points does a touchdown score in American football?" Six apparently.
Following the round, this camp guy then grilled us like Anne Robinson would have. I got slagged off for being a 'lazy' student but it wasn't too severe. For others though it was pretty harsh: Kay-Anne got slagged off for this floral dress she was wearing and this old woman got done for being precisely that, old.
Finally, we were all individually interviewed for five minutes in front of a camera, just telling about ourselves. Easy, just talk shit.
They'll give me a call in the next four weeks to tell me I'm in. Here's hoping!
So, I travelled to Cambridge, got to the hotel and sat in the waiting room with the eight other auditionees. There was a wide range of people from Cliff, a retired teacher, loved the sound of his own voice and just kept chatting about random crap to Kay-Anne, a bit of a hippy, she and got really annoyed when you called her Kay. Like I kept doing.
We were then asked to enter the conference room where there were chairs set up in a semi-circle and first of all we had to introduce ourselves. Bog standard stuff, I went first and mentioned I had size 8 feet just to say something and then everyone else said what size feet they had. Why?
There were a couple of other students there who were pretty fat and did waste-of-time subjects like philosophy and politics at Cambridge and Manchester respectively. One right nerd worked in a chemists laboratory and he bored me a lot.
After, we played a round of the quiz, with all the banking included. It worked out that we answered three questions each and I got one wrong - "What country is Budapest the capital of?" I knew it was somewhere in west Europe. "Czech Republic". Wrong. It's Hungary.
Despite this, Kay-Anne got voted off by everybody because she got two wrong, even though they were tricky ones: "How many points does a touchdown score in American football?" Six apparently.
Following the round, this camp guy then grilled us like Anne Robinson would have. I got slagged off for being a 'lazy' student but it wasn't too severe. For others though it was pretty harsh: Kay-Anne got slagged off for this floral dress she was wearing and this old woman got done for being precisely that, old.
Finally, we were all individually interviewed for five minutes in front of a camera, just telling about ourselves. Easy, just talk shit.
They'll give me a call in the next four weeks to tell me I'm in. Here's hoping!
20 April 2009
Well, in hindsight, it was a difficult task. 40 runners - one winner. And 100/1 it was. Hopefully we won't let a talented horse like Mon Mome slip through the net again.
Attentions now turn to the flat with the season truly underway at the Craven meeting. The Craven itself, and the Nell Gwyn, I would ignore as trials for the Guineas as it is more the case nowadays that the winner is unlikely to run before the big day. Crowded House is looking good then.
Talking of Delegator and his stablemate 'The House', we come to Jamie Spencer. The cause of much debate, I am pleased to say, is ended here. Let me put it this way; even if I had a pretty naff and run-down bicycle, I wouldn't let him ride it. He is one of the riskiest jockeys to punt on. Why does he have to hold everything up? Not all horses can make up at least 10 lengths in a race. This, my friends is why he has never won an English Classic - you can't give ground away to good horses. Just look at Dancing Brave, not even a great thoroughbred such as him could do the impossible. If Spencer's on board Crowded House, my money will be elsewhere, and a potential triple-crown winner will be wasted.
Beware jockeys, don't become a member of my newly formed 'Bicycle List'!
Attentions now turn to the flat with the season truly underway at the Craven meeting. The Craven itself, and the Nell Gwyn, I would ignore as trials for the Guineas as it is more the case nowadays that the winner is unlikely to run before the big day. Crowded House is looking good then.
Talking of Delegator and his stablemate 'The House', we come to Jamie Spencer. The cause of much debate, I am pleased to say, is ended here. Let me put it this way; even if I had a pretty naff and run-down bicycle, I wouldn't let him ride it. He is one of the riskiest jockeys to punt on. Why does he have to hold everything up? Not all horses can make up at least 10 lengths in a race. This, my friends is why he has never won an English Classic - you can't give ground away to good horses. Just look at Dancing Brave, not even a great thoroughbred such as him could do the impossible. If Spencer's on board Crowded House, my money will be elsewhere, and a potential triple-crown winner will be wasted.
Beware jockeys, don't become a member of my newly formed 'Bicycle List'!
1 April 2009
Doing the Double?
From Cheltenham to Aintree, the National Hunt season rolls to a thrilling climax. The weather is beautiful and when the sun's shining on the Liverpool turf, there ain't no better place to be. Of course, it would be heroic to see the old warriors battle through knee-deep mud to win the Grand National, but that would mean the spectators would have to put up with getting soaking wet as well. I know which option I'd prefer and it wouldn't involve an umbrella.
As long-time followers of this blog may recall, I tipped Comply Or Die to win the big prize last year and, as the history books confirm, he did just that. To do it again would be the stuff of legend. Let the story begin...
This has to be one of the most competitive Nationals in years with a multitude of runners coming into the event with a number one by their name. A lot of connections feel that they can scoop the reward but only one can. And this is it:
1st - Darkness
2nd - Rambling Minster
3rd - Comply Or Die
Controversial, I know. I just feel that the Charlie Egerton trained horse has the right weight and comes into the race in peak form after only three runs this season. Rambling Minster will stay all day but he just lacks the class and turn of foot to win the nation's favorite race. Comply Or Die will be set alive by the atmosphere and will return to form but the extra weight as a result of last years win will scupper the double.
McCoy and Nicholls will have something to say about this prediction (they won't but if they saw it they would) as they both think they can break their National duck this year. The problem with McCoy is that he has such a large choice of rides for the race that he will inevitably get it wrong and not be on the best horse on the day. That and the fact that he suffers from horrendous luck around the course. My Will will be carrying too much weight to win. Full stop.
Then again, that's my opinion. There's a lot of others out there. But did they tip last year's winner?
As long-time followers of this blog may recall, I tipped Comply Or Die to win the big prize last year and, as the history books confirm, he did just that. To do it again would be the stuff of legend. Let the story begin...
This has to be one of the most competitive Nationals in years with a multitude of runners coming into the event with a number one by their name. A lot of connections feel that they can scoop the reward but only one can. And this is it:
1st - Darkness
2nd - Rambling Minster
3rd - Comply Or Die
Controversial, I know. I just feel that the Charlie Egerton trained horse has the right weight and comes into the race in peak form after only three runs this season. Rambling Minster will stay all day but he just lacks the class and turn of foot to win the nation's favorite race. Comply Or Die will be set alive by the atmosphere and will return to form but the extra weight as a result of last years win will scupper the double.
McCoy and Nicholls will have something to say about this prediction (they won't but if they saw it they would) as they both think they can break their National duck this year. The problem with McCoy is that he has such a large choice of rides for the race that he will inevitably get it wrong and not be on the best horse on the day. That and the fact that he suffers from horrendous luck around the course. My Will will be carrying too much weight to win. Full stop.
Then again, that's my opinion. There's a lot of others out there. But did they tip last year's winner?
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