Cause for celebration | 7 August 2010

Thanks to jams on the A3 it took me nearly four hours driving from central London for the last day of Glorious Goodwood. It would have been worth it if it had taken 24. It was the day of the good guys with whom we all enjoy sharing success. Critical Moment, his impressive cruising speed complemented by a gutsy finishing kick under son Michael, provided another winner for Barry Hills, who had already saddled his 50th at the famous meeting.

Then Midday, both saucy madam and serious racehorse, triumphed again in the Nassau Stakes for Henry Cecil. Conscious of her attraction and a little bit of a professional show-stealer, she could as easily have lined up with the naughty-eyed, hip-swinging chorus girls performing in the members’ enclosure as on the track. In the race she cruised into the lead a furlong out and then slowed. As a rival stormed past, she slipped into gear again under Tom Queally, regained the lead and won going away as the ambulance men looked around nervously to see where the resuscitators were needed.