A good Friday for the Good and the Great

... not so hot at the AW tracks.

Seven televised handicaps, a house full of beautiful women, breakfast in the offing, so far so good on this grey Saturday. The Lambourn Open Day went well, which was where I picked up the beautiful women who volunteered to stay the night. A thrill to see Marcus Armytage who had forgotten his boots, Jamie “Grandstanding” Osborne, Nico “Anything you can…” de Boinville, Brendan Powell, and James Bowen competing in the showjumping. They eventually got to the stage where the rails could not get any higher and the boys still jumped clear, so an honourable draw was declared. Watching Jamie jumping with his arms held out wide sans reins, being followed by Nico doing the same in front of Nicky Henderson must have given several people kittens - but boys will be boys.

There was some relief that the Space Hoppers failed to arrive for this year’s replacement to the old Camel Racing; Avery Ffrench-Davis produced a never-ending mound of delicious sandwiches for The Committee and Sponsors tent; Corney and Barrow’s Rose was the rather posh gargling water which accompanied her delicious feast; the Hot to Trot sponsored Farrier-display garnered a large crowd. Talking to various of the Lambourn cognoscenti later at the Queen’s Arms, the day was considered a considerable success. It was unspoiled by rain, had a decent crowd, made money and there was the added side show of a marital tiff conducted at full volume, outside Freddie Tulloch’s mobile hostelry, the Outside Chance. Precisely the odds the crowd gave the ex-husband in the tiff. Well done, Mark Smyly.