NRC member Gordon Armistead has kindly agreed to update the club newsletter and web site with his personal racing diary during the year.

Saturday September 3^rd Haydock

The four weeks since Bauer had made his reappearance had certainly brought about a good deal of improvement and he took the Old Borough Cup with a bit of ease. Lightly raced nowadays this was only his fourth run since the 08 Melbourne Cup. Most of the field were exposed sorts and nothing behind stood out as being ready to win.

The sprint course was running pretty fast and Zero Money turned in an excellent effort under top weight in well under the minute. The handicapper is hardly going to be lenient.

It is now very unusual for a Group 1 sprint winner to go on and win another Group 1 but Dream Ahead had turned in what looked the best run of the season when taking the July Cup. If you forgave his run in France (and you had to forgive most of these some moderate efforts) he was overpriced at 9/2 for the Sprint Cup.

The race was a cracker with Dream Ahead always travelling very well and I thought he would be a clear winner until a saw Bated Breath also coming with a good run. Nip and tuck for the final furlong the lead certainly changed hands a few times before Dream Ahead prevailed by a nose. The race was however not over as a charging Hoof It only a head away in third had been switched in his run and the hooter went. The result stood which was obviously the right decision having backed the winner. He is a big animal and I would think he would improve as a four year old but he evidently goes to stud. With hardly a top notch pedigree it seems a poor decision.

Some moderate efforts down the field with Wootton Bassett seemingly gone at the game and the unreliable and over rated Delegator showing nothing on a surface he is suppose to favour.

Tuesday September 13^th Haydock

It was nice to see the old Moller colours getting a victory with Snow Hill in the mile and a half handicap. He looks a decent type and should find a good handicap as a four year old. Sheikh Mohammed bought the entire White Lodge Stud breeding operation when the Moller Brothers passed on and as only he can made nothing of the family lines built up over the years.

A head banger at evens for the two year old maiden in Godolphin's Blue Tiger. Not much to take him on with but Anton Chigurh looked a nice sort even if not quite fully fit. The favourite tore off and stopped to nothing just after half way leaving Anton Chigurh in front but as feared lack of condition told and he was run out of it in the last furlong. He will find a modest contest.

Firebeam took the seven furlong conditions race nicely even if he did plenty of tail swishing when given some encouragement. He is probably improving but only beat some disappointing sorts here.

Thursday October 6^th Worcester

Finally getting around to using the badges won in the Saturday nap competition but it was to be a long day. While I have not been allowed to drive I have not had too many problems with the buses and trains but it seems they were saving them up for today.

A cancelled train and another running very late on the way there were bad enough but I just managed to get there on time. The return journey had two very late runners, a missed connection, and a taxi (courtesy of Virgin trains) from Wigan resulting in getting home at 12.15.

Hopefully the medics will let me get back to driving early in the New Year

Not much has changed at Worcester apart from a bit of refurbishment on the ground floor of the stand since my last visit many moons ago.

The E B F Hurdle qualifier didn't have anything that will be contesting the final but there is a race or two in runner up Brough Academy if he jumps a little better (maybe over another half mile.)

Captain Dash easily won the two mile handicap chase under top weight and can win another small race if his jumping holds up. Favourite The Grey One looked happy enough with second place and wants leaving alone. I had to take on twos on shot Argaum in the two mile hurdle and he was turned over very easily but not by my selection. Dancewiththedevil won very easily but that says more about the race than him.

Castletown Bridge was very short for the bumper and won well enough despite hanging close home. Those behind were pretty poor sorts.

Alan Lancaster

Finally the sad but not unexpected news that Alan Lancaster has passed away. Although he had not been racing, or a club member, for some years we shared some great days out at the races both in this country and on our once regular trips to Paris for the Arc meeting.

One trip to the King George at Ascot (I think it was Reference Point's year) resulted in my shortest ever visit to a race meeting. Having had a less than successful afternoon he announced that he had something to get it all back in about the fifth race at Warwick that evening and that we had to get there so he could back it. This was before the M40 so it was the long way round up the M1 and around Coventry. I pulled on to the car park with about three minutes to spare and waited while he dashed in and then came back shaking his head. We were on our way after less than a ten minute stop.

In Paris on the evening of Dancing Brave's Arc his trying to order a steak and wanting the waiter to assure him that it wasn't horse meat had to be seen to be believed.

Alan was certainly a one off. R.I.P.