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My Racehorse for a day – News from the Help4Heroes Silent Auction
Yes that’s right for one day only I was to be the very proud owner of my own racehorse. An ambition from my younger days was not only to own my own racehorses but also to establish my own broodmare stock and challenge the great owner/breeders of the 60’s and 70’s. Long before the middle east came into British racing I may add.
Not having a horsey background or indeed the finances to go with such ambitious plans that is exactly how my dream rested for shall I say 50 years. That was until I participated in the BSHA Silent Auction and became the successful bidder to own a racehorse for a day.
My “day” was a bright sunny December Friday at Lingfield Park. My ownership was of an unraced two year old filly owned and bred by the former jockey and trainer Taffy Salaman and trained by his son Matthew. I met Taffy at the pre-parade ring where he explained that the filly had come to the racecourse the previous evening, she would be saddled and go direct to the main parade ring to keep her as calm as possible.
Eventually this delightful horse came into view being led up by none other than her trainer, a real family affair! We hurried off to the parade ring and were soon joined by her jockey. Taffy gave the instructions and off to the start she went. Taffy was very bullish about her chances so it was off to see the bookies odds. Now surely 50 to 1 should have warned me, but how would I feel if she overcame the odds and won and I had kept my hard earned in my pocket? Ok - I risked a fiver.
The race over a mile seemed to take an age but I could see my hopes of making the frame disappear long before the final straight. Still jockey and horse came home intact and we were off to unsaddle and in Taff’s very much tongue in cheek words to give the jockey ‘a rollocking for running down the field’. The horse was taken away and that was it. It all went so quickly I only wish it could happen again.
Luckily that wasn’t the end of my day, as we retired to the Trackside Restaurant and enjoyed a delicious meal. Later in the afternoon I was fortunate to go into the parade ring again courtesy of the trainer John Jenkins.
For me this was an experience of a lifetime and I am grateful to my hosts for the day, Vicki and John Keen and of course the Salaman’s for agreeing to accommodate me. Oh and I’m keeping the horse’s name to myself, I want some more 50 to 1 next time she runs!
Richard West
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