A recent race at Newmarket was sponsored by the brewers Adnams, the full title being Adnams Pink Gin Gallop Handicap. I’ve kept up with the wine and spirits trade after spending several years in the industry but I hadn’t noticed … Read More »

Ian Carnaby

At Sandown the other day the television presenter, handing over to the commentator for the final race, mentioned that ‘Ginger Baker’ would be performing afterwards. ‘No, me neither,’ came the response. I have no problem with that. If ‘Ginger Baker’ … Read More »

I wanted the Southampton v Arsenal game to mean more to me but couldn’t quite make it happen. We get older and think about the time left. It was a good atmosphere the other day, even though neither side had … Read More »

I don’t like gaps. I like complete sets. Therefore a piece missing from a jigsaw puzzle, especially if it happens to be a city centre somewhere, irritates me more than in bothers other people. In the dying days of steam … Read More »

They seem to race a lot at Doncaster. It’s not just my imagination. Summer and winter, afternoons and evenings, fixtures on Derby day and fixtures during Cheltenham; Jonjo O’Neill was recently anticipating a routine task on Town Moor until Willie … Read More »

On and on he gallops in the fading Chepstow light. He is called Lightonthewing but reminds me of Jim’s Tavern at Plumpton all those years ago in a race broadcast, for some long-forgotten reason, on Southern Television in midweek. Plumpton … Read More »

Life is hard enough without choices like this: whether to watch Dan Burn going through the motions with little to do at the back as Newcastle dismantle Southampton or Jim Old’s Spirits Bay, ridden purely for the place money, running … Read More »

Well now, we can probably all agree that the Load of Mischief should be a pub and, if so, our sort of place. In fact, these days it’s a private house in Blewbury, its pub days a thing of the … Read More »

As the goals rained down on Southampton the other evening there was no great surprise around the ground. After 13 minutes, with Tottenham three-nil up, the manager was bound to be sacked and it was just a question of playing … Read More »

I’m not sure how many books remain unread, how many films unseen but we’re well into three figures. And yet, I found time the other day to watch The Third Man again and finally nodded off well after midnight, just … Read More »

Where possible, I try to correct mistakes. I don’t mean factual errors so much as mood or overall background. The other day, troubled by a recently fractured right arm, I was caught somewhere between the sporting years 1964 and 1982 … Read More »

W Six Times, Bertie Bassett and Three Nuns tobacco.   Not long ago, and for the first time in a while, I stayed awake in the small hours, listening to Radio 3 and thinking about Bill Chapman, Carnforth and the Today … Read More »