Omar's Diary to 7th October 23

Let me get some bad news out of the way.

Last week I listed four selections from fifteen runners in the Prix d L’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris. I am afraid to admit, but never afraid of honesty, that none of them obliged. Litter tray method, pin sticking or even a serious and considered study of form, going, distance and direction of course brought us all up very short of expectations. Needless to say, Ticker has done very well out of the residents here at Omar Towers. I doubt we will see as much as a greetings card or, a pack of Dreamies from him during the annual festivities that start in about twelve weeks.

"Horse racing is animated roulette" - Roger Khan

The Servants were at the stables on Saturday (30th September 2023) when Skye was brought in for a lesson. She did not look right and so a vet was summoned. After administering some sedative and pain killer he carried out a most undignified form of examination and concluded that it was colic. His advice was to leave her in a stable for four hours until the medications wore off and then see how she was. Later in the afternoon, even with the medications still in her system Skye did not look good. So, it was a trip to the nearest equine hospital outside Salisbury where she was admitted.

All very tiring for everyone concerned.

Lady Servant took a call from the hospital early on Sunday morning to say that Skye was doing very well and that they would like to keep her in for at least another day. This was to ensure everything was working properly and that she was fully hydrated. This was an immense relief to hear as colic, if not dealt with properly, can be fatal.

The time between calling the vet and their arrival at the farm was thirty minutes. Within three hours Skye was on her way to hospital. I think those timings in the servants’ world of universal healthcare would be unheard of. Those in power and therefore responsible blithely blame staff shortages, strikes and the alleged after-effects of the Covid pandemic. With the strikes, whatever happened to the days gone by when sandwiches and beer would be delivered to Downing Street and everyone would stay there until a resolution was reached. No doubt today it would be canapes and Prosecco. There is a very sage expression that emanates from Japan or even Confucius:

“Don’t fix blame, fix fault”.

My own view is that no one in power has been willing to grasp the nettle, so to speak, and carry out some very serious root cause analysis.

Man Servant did get his drive of a lifetime on Monday (2nd October 2023). He took the wheel of a Ford GT40 for three laps around the Goodwood circuit in Sussex. Thanks to Lady Servant he has fulfilled an ambition he has harboured since his school days. His report about the Ford GT40 is that despite its size it wasn’t claustrophobic. Even without the help of power steering it was not difficult to drive. It gripped the road surface and the power felt was like being on a horse coming out of starting stalls.

"A Thoroughbred racehorse can go from 0 to 40 in a matter of three strides. It’s exhilarating the feeling of power underneath you is incredible." - Chris McCarron (Jockey)

No air conditioning, speedometer or sound system. Just the three pedals, oil pressure gauge, gear stick and rev counter. I don’t think Ken Miles was too concerned about a playlist when he took an earlier version of this car around Le Mans in 1966.

As well as that drive he was a passenger in what was called a “Sight Lap” in a sports saloon before the Ford GT40. Although he had studied the layout of the circuit beforehand he found this lap particularly useful. None of the maps he looked at showed the undulations of the circuit. We sat together watching drivers' eye views of the circuits but even they did not show the true extent of the undulations and cambers.

Corners such as Madgwick, Fordwater, Lavant and Woodcote flashed by quicker than he could say them and the lap was over all too soon. After his drive in the Ford GT40 he elected to do a speed lap in a sports saloon. Unlike the GT40 the car he was in rolled and pitched almost to tipping point. It was faster than the sight lap. He is glad he did but it is not something that will appear on any future wish lists.

After all of that excitement the Servants returned to Omar Towers before dashing off to collect Skye from hospital. She had been given all clear earlier in the day. Reports from Lady Servant were that Man Servant drove the family red thing as if he was back at Goodwood. For anyone who knows the roads between Ringwood and Damerham they would appreciate that is an impossibility. Even more so in a 7.5 tonne horse lorry between Damerham and Salisbury when it is getting dark, rush hour is building and it is raining.

If these rumours are true then I believe I am correct in dreading my next trip in the family red thing if I ever have to go to my private medical centre. Hopefully I will not have to undergo any undignified examinations like Skye.

Earlier today Lady Servant was at the yard and decided to bring Rainbow in for an in hand lesson. While she was preparing Rainbow Man Servant went across the fields delivering some hay to Skye and her bestie, Boris. When he was returning to the yard he noticed Rainbow, now over thirty years old, making her own way to a far flung field. Luckily Man Servant was able to catch up with her and get her back in time for her lesson.

Age has certainly not withered Rainbow.