Mr. Postman

There must be some mail today, from my girlfriend so far away, please mister postman look and see if there's a letter, a letter for me.

So wrote the beatles way back in the 1960's. Yes I can still remember when letter writing was the most common form of communication. In 1959 when I went to boarding school every Sunday I wrote home and eagerly awaited the weekly reply from my family. Whether that was to receive news or my 2 shillings and sixpence (12.5 pence) pocket money I couldn't say.

Be that as it may over the next eight years letter writing was my main means of communication with family and friends and especially girlfriends. Purple prose and love poems replaced news all scrawled in my famously appalling handwriting.

There are famous letters of course Screwtapes, Samuel Pepys, Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton. In the 18th century the Duke of Devonshire, Georgiana the duchess, and their "friend" Lady Elizabeth Foster (Bess) lived in a menage a trois. They wrote many love letters but because they were carried by couriers much of it was in a kind of code.

Code has been the stock in trade of letter writers down the years. During World War 2servicemen would write code words to their wives and girlfriends. Was it censorship or sortage of paper who knows? But the Bluey as they were known spawned such famous acronyms as SWALK - Sealed With A Loving Kiss, or the more risque NORWICH Nickers Off When I Come Home.

So text speak although a product of the techno age is not a new idea. So what is the point of all this you ask my dear friend. Well twitter has reduced the flowing pages of letters to 140 characters...is this a good thing. Personally I find I have to think far more about what I say. But it limits and sometimes stifles the sense of what I want to convey.

Do I write letters...no, email has largely replaced that and I am not a great texter.
But letters still fascinate me and I can't help wondering how some of the great love affairs would have been conducted by text email or twitter.

Any ideas....perhaps that should be the subject of another post.

My Life

Well I am returning to my blogasphere hoping to produce something of interest. I was told by one eminent member of the twitter fraternity blog as if you were talking to a friend.
OK you dear friend, whoever you are,are about to get an ear bashing...some of you may know I moved to Herne Bay last December..to prepare for retirement...yeah I know the jokes.
I live a constant battle to achieve a work life balance..that's not easy when my office is almost 70 miles from home. I know its my choice and most of the time its OK. Every now and then the fates conspire to make my journey a misery as they did on a recent Friday when three separate incidents turned my journey into a nightmare.

Still enough of that normally to the accompaniment of Classic FM or Test Match Special my journey is a breeze.

So what of Herne Bay? Last Saturday was our carnival...our first experience of it. The local paper urged us to support the event. With the exception of Whitstable none of the coastal towns of North Kent now have a carnival..apathy or lack of interest has caused their demise.

Last year was a wash out as was this year for Whitstable. But Saturday brought brilliant sunshine and huge crowds and I do not exagerate, four and five deep along the length of Marine Parade and the High Street.

They were treated to a royal display....carnival queens and princesses from Herne Bay, Whitstable, Sittingbourne, Margate, Dover, and Ashford (hope I didn't miss any). In addition there were bands, street dancers, cheer leaders,fancy dressers and floats from local businesses and societies

All in all it took a full hour to pass by and was a credit to all who were involved both participants and organisers.

Returning home I mused on how the test match was progressing...cricket on five was on and I watched in awe as Stuart Clark despatched the England bowling all over Leeds. At this point dear friend I didn't know how England had fared in their second innings. So I watched in horror as one by one the England batsmen were sent back to the pavilion in disgrace. Six down at close of play all recognised "batsmen" gone. Needless to say I did not trouble myself to follow the last rites of an innings defeat on Sunday.

The Oaks

Sariska (centre) winning The Oaks today

The Oaks a classic race for three year old fillies is one year older than the more famous Derby for three year old colts It was named after the Earl of Derby's estate at Carshalton.

The race a mile & half is fast downhill from the start to the famous tricky left hand bend - tattenham corner then there is the four furlong uphill slog to the finishing line.

There was a smaller field of 10 runners this year so would it be between Henry Cecil's Midday and Aiden O'Brien's Perfect Truth or would the favourite Sariska or in form Rainbow view spoil the party.
The Oaks Field was Rainbow View, Sariska, Midday, High Heeled, Oh Goodness Me, Perfect Truth, The Miniva Rose, Tottie, Waadat, Phillipina

Oh Goodness Me led from the start and coming round Tattenham Corner Sariska was on the wide outside Sariska and Midday fought it out neck and neck up the last half mile to the winning post either could have won. But in a fantastic photo finish Sariska prevailed by a neck from Midday.

Lets hope the colts can provide an equally high quality sprint tomorrow. The race goes off at 4pm follow my tweets on Derby Day.

The Derby Latest

Just three days to go to The Derby and we know the field. See The Stars has now been installed as 11/4 favourite. Trained by John M Oxx at the Currabeg stable Co. Kildare he is aiming to be the first horse for 20 years to win both The Derby and The Guineas. He is the half brother of 2001 winner Galileo but there is a doubt about his stamina
Fame And Glory has moved out to 7/2 he had a stunning win, at Leopardstown in Ireland, on 10th May coming home at 9/4. He is the grandson of Shirley Heights and great grandson of Mill Reef both former Derby winners. Shirley Heights sired the 1985 Derby winner Slip Anchor. So he has the blood line. He is one of six trained in Ireland at Coolmore by Aiden O'brien.
Johnny Murtagh the Ballydoyle stable jockey has chosen to ride third favourite Rip Van Winkle 4/1 the son of 2001 Derby winner Galileo. This was something of a surprise as Murtagh had the choice of all six of O'brien's runners. On his last outing he was fourth in the Guineas. But he has ridden Rip on his last four outings.


There are four other horses from the Ballydoyle stable in the top ten of the betting. They are Black Bear Island 7/1 winner of the Dante at York in May Masterofthehorse 14/1 2nd in the Chester Vase Age of Aquarius 22/1 winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial and Golden Sword 40/1 winner of the Chester Vase.



Crowded House 25/1 has slipped to eighth in the betting following his poor showing in The Dante Stakes at York last time out (see my previous blog). Trainer Brian Meehan confirmed the horse would run on Saturday unless the going became heavy. In that case he would go to Chantilly on Sunday to run in the French Derby.

Gan Amhras 7/1 has a connection to Coolmore his sire Galileo who won the Derby in 2001 was trained by Aiden O'brien.



Kite Wood 20/1 is trained at the Godolphin stables by Saeed Bin Suroor. Despite being beaten into fifth in the Dante Stakes he remains a good each way bet. That completes the top ten in the betting.

Montaff 50/1 trained by Mick Channon South Easter 40/1 another son of Galileo and John Gosden's Debussy 50/1 complete the field. Eight of the thirteen runners are trained in Ireland the other five are trained in England. The odds are 5/1 for Aiden O'Brien to train First Second and Third.

Follow my tweets on the race from 4pm GMT on Saturday

The Dante Stakes

The Dante Stakes will be run over 1 mile and 2 furlongs at 2.40 GMT today. The race takes place at York race course on the famous Knavesmire. The course within the city boundaries is unusual as this area is unsuitable for development being a large marshy area. Historicaly it was a place of execution, Dick Turpin was the most famous criminal to be hanged there.

The Dante has been a Derby trial since 1958. It is run over a distance only 2 furlongs shorter than the Epsom classic. Several winners of the Dante have gone on to win The Derby. Running as it is barely three weeks before The Derby this race is going to be a good guide to form. Moreover no fewer than 9 out of the 10 runners are Derby hopefuls. Chief among these is Crowded House currently third favourite for The Derby at 11/2. He goes off at 6/4 favourite for the Dante and will greatly enhance his chances should he win today.

My fancy is Redwood his odds of 8/1 today belie a career of 5 wins from 5 starts. The formidable in form team of trainer Barry Hills and jockey Michael Hills could prove too strong for this quality field. So put your money on now I have a feeling his odds of 33/1 will shorten after today's race.

The other runners are Black Bear Island, Glass Harmonium, Freemantle, Kite Wood, Neeham, Sans Frontieres, and Native Ruler all declared for The Derby Monitor Closely is not.

The final field for The Derby is likely to be around 20 runners so today's race is vital for these contenders chances. I will post the results here later

Black Bear Island 6/1 won by a head from the long time leader Freemantle 13/2 Sans Frontiere 12/1 was third. Crowded House was never in the frame. Well what does this tell us about The Derby? Its going to be as difficult as always to predict the winner. What of Redwood well he never showed so I suppose its back to the drawing board. Where's that pin of mine.....................

Hi folks having been an avid twitterer for several weeks I became fascinated by my fellow tweeters who had blogs. Chief among these Kimmy Thomas inspired me to start my own blog. I only hope Kimmy I can be half as successful as you are.

Today I tweeted the Grand National hoping to bring the greatest steeplechase in the world to those, not as fortunate as we in the UK, who were unable to see the great specatcle live. I am fully aware that the race engenders deep emotions both for and against the sport of kings. However growing up in a sporting household I also know it is one of those sporting occasions that bring families together. You maybe surprised to know Rory Cellan-Jones (ruskin147 on twitter) BBC reporter gave us a wonderful insight into his family's afternoon viewing the race.

The F1 season is upon us and its clear the form book has gone out of the window much as it did for the Grand National. But this is great for the sport and for new converts to F1. However the stewards continue to interfere which is confusing for both devotees of the sport and new converts alike. I fear greatly that Lewis Hamilton who swept to the championship last season may leave F1 for the USA. I know that he would be loved across the pond and would find racing in Champcar or Nascar liberating. Let's hope it won't happen.

But football is my main passion my beloved Birmingham City meet top of the Championship Wolves on Monday night. Sky enables me to watch the match live. A win will take us six points clear of third placed Reading and to within two points of Wolves. We will see.

Well that's my first offering I hope you like it......more soon I hope.