‘Health is more important than wealth’ and this year has proved it; from day one I’ve been ‘wrong’ and so ‘qualified’ to reveal just how necessary and important a good, consistent life-style is when tackling life and its tribulations.
Thanks to my youngest daughter I’ve lost two stones in weight by cutting out (completely!) sugar products but, unfortunately, haven’t been able to enjoy the benefits of ‘losing’ because back in January was laid low with a chest infection; it lingered for months and seriously ‘de-energised’ my body.
Consequently one endured the worst season as a racing journalist/tipster and just when one felt there was so much to anticipate with a clean bill of health my fate on August 12th was an operating table where a somewhat serious operation (in a delicate area!) was performed; ‘after care’ for more than four weeks constrained any activity and at one stage my weight was 16st 3lbs from 19st 4lbs a few months earlier; that’s colossal!
Given my challenge for the Racing Post Naps Table was compromised it was satisfying to finish the turf-flat season with a 6/1 winner, Jassur, and when our selection Found beat Golden Horn, Saturday night, it feels this morning like this is the first day of the rest of my racing life!
‘Look before you leap, think before you speak’ is my motto which precludes any comments on the rides given to Golden Horn by Frankie Dettori and that of Paul Hanagan aboard Daqeeq in a Wolverhampton maiden an hour or so earlier.
Let me tell you something, all jockeys look good when they win, don’t they?
We’re now heading into another National Hunt season but, unfortunately’ we’ve encountered a major problem; race-times aren’t electrical over jumps and those taking times with stop watches are inefficient; I’m certain some are watching the starts, blindfolded!
As a consequence our major source of winners, novice hurdle bets, are compromised but, there again, we have the all-weather racing to enjoy; sorting out horses drawn badly, ridden my so many moderate jockeys (the best will be sunning in warmer climes!) and defining which throughbreds are able to cope with the THREE different surfaces of fibresand, tapeta and polytrack.
It’s a labour of love and very much a full-time job and my fitness is at issue; wish me well, eh?
Three moderate jumping fixtures are scheduled today, winner-finding wont be easy but here goes...!