MORSE CODE
MORSE CODE
Best Read The Gift Shop is now accepting donations of racing themed books which will be sold with all proceeds going to the Gold Cup Centenary Fund. If you have some you wish to give away, please drop them off on any race day. The best read recommendation for this edition of Morse Code is a truly fascinating new book by racing historian, John Slusar. “The Evolution of the Cheltenham Festival” traces the heritage of every race ever run at the Festival from 1911 onwards from the Birdlip Selling Hurdle to the United Services Hunt Cup….and everything in between. Want to bluff your way to a spot on Mastermind….chosen subject Cheltenham Festival? This book is all you will ever need!
The Preview Show is back for the 24/25 season with our regular presenters Aly Vance, Martin Kelly and Hayley Moore. The team are raring to go for the season, so make sure you join the team at the winners’ enclosure 45 minutes before the first race at every meeting. They will be joined by racing greats and special guests, previewing the afternoon’s racing and providing exclusive information, insight, entertainment and hopefully some winners! THE PREVIEW SHOW
Best Watch A copy of John McCririck’s Racing Out Control DVD turned up in the racecourse office and the gags, jokes and racing content made for an enjoyable hour but it is not this edition’s Best Watch recommendation! We head back in time to 1944 and suggest watching National Velvet, the film based on the book of the same name by Enid Bagnold. Mickey Rooney, Donald Crisp, Angela Lansbury and a young Elizabeth Taylor star in a film often ranked amongst the most inspirational of all time. The story follows Velvet Brown, as she trains a horse she won in a raffle, The Pie, with a vision to running him in the Grand National. Anyone with a vaguely romantic passion for horse racing should have already seen this. If not this is a reminder to do so!
Horses to follow from our Racecourse TV Presenters
ALY VANCE CELTIC DINO
HAYLEY MOORE DIVA LUNA It was a low-key start to the new season on a quiet Monday at Lingfield for the Ben Pauling trained Diva Luna and even though she was beaten at short odds, in the mares novice hurdle, I think there will be plenty more to come from her, now she’s had her first run back. I think this race is going to work out well, the winner Metkayina is a decent horse that had race fitness on her side. That’s Nice is probably the most impressive mare in the novice division so far this season but don’t give up on Diva Luna who often just needs her first run back.
MARTIN KELLY JANGO BAIE Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old was smart over hurdles and managed to snare a Grade One on just his second outing over timber. The point-to-point recruit was always going to further excel over fences and he proved the point when lowering the colours of the highly-regarded Springwell Bay and Caldwell Potter at Cheltenham’s Christmas meeting on chase debut. Further top-flight success awaits in the spring.
Trained by Sam Thomas, he’s has been very green on his two starts this season, but still managed to win. The penny is starting to drop so there are some big races in him. He's a top of the ground horse so there could be some big spring targets for him.
Best Listen Josh Stacey, our 18-28 Young Member ambassador recently won the Alan Lee Emerging Talent Award at Horse Racing Writers and Photographers Awards. This is a highly deserved accolade for the great work he is doing. If you’ve not listened to his podcast Let’s Talk Racing you are missing out. Easiest way to tune in is on YouTube. An hour with Josh and his partner on-line, Andrew Blair-White is a guaranteed to be a pleasurable one.
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