Festive Fun

Over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, there are plenty of race meeting to attend as the countdown to the Cheltenham Festival really takes a hold of the racing fans imagination. As my first year of any real involvement, I managed to go along two quite different kinds of race days, Kempton Park’s Boxing Day meeting and Ffos Las’ New Year meeting.

On Boxing Day, I went along to one of the legendary dates on the racing calendar at Kempton Park. The feature race of the King George chase attracts the top talent – horses, trainers, jockeys. And an appearance by Kauto Star, snorting next to his statue,  marked the significance of the day and the legends it helps to reveal.

Kauto Star sizes up his statue at Kempton Park. Photo by Harris Equine Photography

It was a day of amazing racing. Faugheen seemed to actually fly over the grass, leaping hurdles home. There was the Kauto Star Novice Chase that revealed the battle that is jump racing on this testing ground, with only 3 finishers. The King George chase demonstrated was beautiful to watch with Silviniaco Conti cantering past the winning post.

Faugheen pre-flight. Photo by Harris Equine Photography

I stood past the post at the exit to the track watching the horses come in after their races. Just there, Kempton Park had set up a ‘petting zoo’ with llamas, owls, hawks and donkey rides. One of my favourite memories is waiting alongside the donkeys’ coral, watching the thoroughbreds – all heaving sides and steam – coming off the track.  I swear they gave each other a nod, ‘Another day’s work done’.

Dermot the Donkey watching his thoroughbred friends return.