A First Race For Frodo
For most National Hunt fans the Midlands Grand National was the biggest race of the day. However, for me and the eleven other owners of Whiskey Chaser the 5:30 Betfred ‘Bonus King Bingo’ Standard Open NH Flat Race’ also from Uttoxeter easily eclipsed it.
It’s rare that a bumper race from Uttoxeter gets your pulse racing. Nevertheless, the sight of your ‘own’ horse heading down to the starting line can get you a tad excited. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make the trip but I did manage to catch it live on AtTheRaces. Albeit after a frantic, almost suicidal drive from North Wales to Chester.
I arrived home with almost 3 minutes to spare before the start of the race. I found the sky remote in under ten seconds which is a new personal best for me, thankfully the skybox whirled into action immediately. I didn’t even get time to sit down before they were off! For a minute I couldn’t really take it in – I was a ‘real’ racehorse owner now, because that was my horse, racing!
The start of the race was all a blur and it took me a minute to focus on what was actually happening. I looked to the middle of the pack, trying to spot Frodo (Whiskey Chaser) or get a glimpse of the jockey’s silks. They should be easy to spot I thought, a big red circle on a blue jersey. He wasn’t in the middle, I scanned the rear of the field – not there either! Then a horrible thought crossed my mind, did he remember to start running? Surely he can’t be at the front? and yet, there he was, leading the race.
I think we all knew it wouldn’t last, no one really expected him to do anything in this race. I just wanted him to enjoy it. Yet there he was at the halfway mark still holding on to first place. Sadly, the lead didn’t last much longer, Frodo started to fade and was past by the chasing group, but he did manage to cling onto 4th place. I never expect him to do so well in his very first race and he’d given me a real thrill in the process.
[iconbox_top title=”Race Result” icon=”Winner_Podium.png”]1st Deputy Dan
2nd Elmore Back
3rd Call A Truce
4th Whiskey Chaser
5th Pamymour
6th Cadgers Hole
7th Recway Lass
8th Izza Diva
9th Little Pop[/iconbox_top]
I can’t wait for his next race day and this time I’ll definitely be there to cheer him on in person.
