I have to feed a neighbour's cat tonight and again on Sunday morning. To give me, and the cat, of course, the best chance of remembering this simple task, I will stick a note to the television, leave the door key next to the kettle and tie a knot in my handkerchief. No, I do not have a mobile phone, neither ancient or modern. When it comes to watching re-runs of Ghosts or programmes from the nineties or noughtie or books I have read more once in the past, a poor memory can be a blessing. Other than in those specialised instances a poor memory can cause stress and embarrassment.
Yesterday evening, as proof, perhaps, that my interest in the Breeders Cup can be measured to be lower than Hollie Doyle's comeback rides at Southwell tonight or indeed any jumps fixture in Britain and Ireland this weekend, I completely forgot that I.T.V. were televising the main races from Keeneland. I gave it zero thought until opening up my Racing Post this morning. I have no idea if Aidan O'Brien is closer today at breaking the world record for Group 1 success in a season than he was this time yesterday. It is a harrowing thought that one day I might forget it is Cheltenham Gold Cup Day!
So where there will be a small amount of stress caused by having to remember to feed the neighbour's cat - we have two cats of own and they will make sure they are not forgotten by pestering me at the appropriate times of the day, so no sweat there and no, feeding our own cats will not necessarily trigger my memory -but for someone, even in an amateurish way, who writes daily about horse racing, it is embarrassing to have one of the most important fixture's in world racing completely pass me by.
Just to remain with the Breeders Cup and U.S. racing in general for a paragraph, and to once again bring to the fore the naming of races and how sponsors names are given priority. Tonight at Keeneland there is the FanDuel Breeders Cup Mile, Presented by P.D.J.F. Obviously I know little to nothing about Fanduel or the P.D.J.F. (some kind of jockeys federation?) But is that not a more elegant way of naming a and its sponsor. If we transfer the idea to Wetherby today, we would have the Charlie Hall Steeplechase, Presented by bet365. I rest my case, for now, but you can bet your bottom dollar I will return to the subject in the fullness of time.
Low sun. James Bowen attributes his broken wrist to the low sun at Bangor the other day, believing his horse was confused by having to jump obstacles either in shadow or subject to the brightness of the low sun. It is his opinion, shared by brother Sean, that the decision to take out obstacles due to the low sun should not be the respnsibility of jockeys but an independent, and hopefully experienced, arbitrator. The point is worth debate, and for my two-penny worth I would say this. On grounds of health and safety, perhaps a meeting should be called-off if the obstacles are made dangerous to jump by shade, shadow and glare from the sun. Also, and I know this is not comparing apples with apples, but cricket use a screen so that batters do not lose sight of the flight of the ball as it leaves the bowler's hand. and I would like to see something similar tested at a racecourse. A screen at the end of the racecourse where the sun is problematic that can be highered or lowered to shield the glare of the sun. I am not suggesting this a cunning idea to put an end to the problem, though I would like to have a racecourse funded to test the pros and cons of the theory.
To listen to jockeys discussing their most recent injury, as James Bowen does in today's Racing Post, you would think they believe themselves to be a machine and not mere flesh and blood like you or me. Bowen takes about having a plate and screws inserted into his wrist in the same nonchalant way you or me might talk about taking a pill for a slight headache. To hear Tom Bellamy talk about his horrific list of injuries sustained during the summer, you or I might feel physically sick even when we are removed from his situation by not only time but by an immeasureable amount of codd data. In order to pass the doctor in order to ride in the last race, Graham Thorner famously (or reputedly) dropped from a table onto the leg that a later visit to the hospital was ascertained to be broken. As I have said many times, and will do so again, we owe a great debt to jockeys everywhere, past and present, and we should all consider donating now or in our wills to the Injured Jockeys Fund. We also owe a huge debt to the horses they ride and we should also consider donating to R.o.R. or any thoroughbred equine charity.