defending champion! regional derbies & the one and only.

​It is the smaller aspects of life that grate most, I find. Whereas people who think it funny to spread misinformation are pot-holes in the road to a quiet and contented life, and while white lies are acceptable, dishonest and corrupt politicians, including Prime Ministers, are a stain on both society and democracy, I.T.V.’s constant use of the term ‘defending champion’, when the horse in question is merely attempting to win back-to-back renewals of a minor race, is just downright bloody annoying. Matt Chapman was the transgressor yesterday at Newbury when addressing Clifford Lee, rider of Elite Status before the Group 3, Hackwood Stakes.
There are very few flat races where a champion is crowned as in comparison to National Hunt a majority of flat races are restricted to 2 and 3-year-olds, and Derby winners can never return to defend their crown. In fact, I surmise, with the exception of the Champion Stakes on Champions Day, a misnomer if ever there was one, there is no flat race which crowns a champion. There is no Champion Sprint Stakes or the equivalent for milers or stayers. Perhaps this needs to be remedied so that the term ‘defending champion’ can be used without causing people like me to grind our teeth or, forgive me, seek out the culprit and pour a bucket of cold water over him, or her, even.
For the whole of his life now, Sprinter Sacre will be referred to as the ‘former 2-mile Champion Chaser’ and all this coming National Season, Marine Nationale will be referred to as the ‘Champion 2-mile Chaser’. No flat horse can be referred to in similar terms, rendering ‘the defending champion’ as just plain wrong.

The National Hunt season is sprinkled with regional and county ‘Nationals’, usually the feature race on an otherwise ordinary day’s racing. I have a great liking for these races as they invariably give owners, trainers and jockeys who rarely get into the limelight a chance to shine. Once upon a time there used to be a whole host of county, perhaps regional, and small National Derbies and Oaks. Why these races are gone by the wayside I have no idea and I suggest it is time they were revived.
There used to be a Welsh Derby at Chepstow and a Scottish Derby at Ayr. If my memory is correct there was even a Liverpool Derby at the Grand National meeting back in the days when it was a mixture of flat and jumps. Warwick used to have a Warwickshire Oaks and I believe there was even a Newmarket Derby or am I confusing that with the wartime Derbies run on the Rowley Mile?
I see no reason why regional and county classics should not be reinstated as long as they are staged over 12-furlongs. To be practical, given the smaller pool of horses these days, I would not be averse to them being open to 3-year-olds and upwards, though I would frown if they were to be banded handicaps.

The only disappointing aspect about the one and only Sir Mark Prescott is that he has no intention of writing an autobiography in his retirement, if that is he ever retires. As the greatest reconteur, local historian and eccentric presently walking amongst us, the fact that his voice will die with him must be pretty disconcerting to all his devoted fan-club members. Heath House and Sir Mark Prescott should have preservation orders placed on them so that every trainer in the future who is privileged to send out runners from the place must be custodians of the principles held dear by its present incumbent.
I am quite certain that if I were on friendly terms with Sir Mark there would be aspects of his beliefs that I could never agree with, as there would be vice-versa, but if I ever had the wherewithal to be able to afford to purchase a yearling from Newmarket’s Book 1 sale, a colt with a good staying pedigree, I would hope Sir Mark would train it for me. Just to step inside Heath House to touch the bricks and timber of the place would be a privilege, as would be basking in the shadow of his wit, wisdom and old-fashioned values.
If there is anyone with any influence over Sir Mark, which I fear there is not, please encourage him to write his life-story, even if he leaves out the juicier side of his private life. Mark my words, Sir Mark Prescott will be talked about long after his gravestone is erected, so we ought to have some of the truths of his life in print to check against the stories that doubtless will be invented to embellish the myth and legend of the last great master of Heath House.