Robin Oakley

Second thoughts

Thistlecrack and Yanworth are bankers, based on their form at Festival Trials Day

issue 06 February 2016

Racing Life is all about judgment and I got one thing right at Cheltenham last Saturday after the overnight rain. Waved on to soggy grass by a parking attendant, I demurred, insisting that anyone who parked there would never drive off. I was waved on impatiently and foolishly let her win. When it came to leaving, I managed to start slithering across the grass towards safety, only for a 4 x 4 driving up the hard core to refuse to let me in. As I braked, I knew I was doomed. It must be something about being so high up that makes 4 x 4 drivers so arrogant but at least the arrival of the tractor 50 minutes later taught me where to find the bolt-on towbar for my car.

My assessment of the carpark going was the only thing I did get right on Festival Trials Day: in all seven races I managed to back the second.

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