A sign I saw far too many times yesterday. Motorway mayhem. Obviously much worse for those actually involved in the "Accident. Please Slow Down" scenario. Thankfully, none of yesterday's "Accident. Please Slow Down's" was anything more than a slight bump, or a puncture in the fast lane....
But the result was a motorway system in gridlock. A couple of times, I dived "off piste" in search of clear road. Only to bump into yet another "Accident, Please Slow Down".....
For reasons too trivial and mundane to be worthy of comment here, I had to be in Bromley at 10.00 O'Clock yesterday morning. I left Whitsbury at 6. Giving me ample time. Or so I thought. 3 hours and 55 minutes later, I reached my appointment. On time. Just.......
From Bromley to Lingfield. A pretty smooth and simple journey. "Test Match Special" keeping me sane. Aggers, Blowers, CMJ, Sir Geoffrey all helping to calm me against the vagaries of the dread M25.....
Lingfield providing the high spot of an otherwise pretty dire day. Final Delivery disappointing, but it transpires that he got a large chunk of kickback lodged in his throat. Which explains his run. The "high spot" being lunch with Danny Baker, and twins Adam and Dan Wain. The Lingfield Owners carvery putting several higher profile tracks to shame. And providing "safe haven" from the huge crowds that descend on "Leafy" (there must have been nearly 200 there yesterday) to watch the betting shop fodder on show......
Danny Baker with a fun tale. Andrew Baker drives for a few jockeys. Two years ago he had a son. And named him George. Not after me (obviously) or the jockey (less obviously), but after the horse !! Like us, he had to endure watching this horse perform moderately at a moderate level for too long. Like us, he now has a better tale to tell. Young George must come down to Whitsbury.......
Away from Lingfield. And more meltdown. On the M25. Then the A3 around Guildford. Then around Portsmouth on the M27. 3 hours to get home from Lingfield. Which is far too long......
An hour with my Personal Trainer to release a little of the pent-up anger. Yes, I did just write "an hour with my Personal Trainer". I am running the Marathon for Racing Welfare. Or, more pertinently, hoping to complete the Marathon. My 8th London Marathon, but first for a while. And first since I swore that I would never hear the start gun at Blackheath again. A fantastic cause. The hard yards start now.....
Ludlow for me today. Oscar Close. The handicapper forcing our hand by putting him up 16 pounds (!!) for winning at Huntingdon last week. Today's race a "no brainer" in that respect, but still competitive enough.....
Candida to Lingfield with Toby Wand and Adrian Coleman, the owners of Good Old Paul. A fine, big horse. Who has been off forever. And who will benefit massively from seeing the racecourse again. I am looking forward very much to seeing him back on track....
put me down for £10 sponsorship George..hopefully will inspire others to sponsor you on here too?
Posted by: andy jones | January 19, 2012 at 05:47 PM