It was a sartorially perfect day for racing as I waited in a winding queue at Waterloo train station to get my ticket to Ascot. There was a large contingent of race fans. It was a Saturday and the feature, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, was one of the few Group I races left in the British racing season. I had not slept at all through Friday night and was hard pressed to complete my column for my Chicago newspaper. Groggy and tired beyond words, I was happy to take the load off my feet when I found a comfortable seat in the train. I opened the Racing Post (the English past performance paper) and wanted to catch up on what lay ahead at Ascot. I could not have lasted for more than two or three minutes as my eyes refused to cooperate. Then on, it was closing and opening my eyes every few minutes. It is a 50-minute ride. From Ascot, the ‘traditional’ walk to the course started. I have enjoyed it over the years but Saturday was different. The uphill part of the trek forced me to draw on my reserves. I stopped for a minute to catch my breath.

I stopped at the front office. Karen Smith, wife of Nick Smith, Ascot’s public relations guru, greeted me. I got a daily media pass. As I stepped into Ascot territory, my fatigue began to melt. I walked to the weighing room to pick up a couple of racecards. Now, it was time for old fashioned courtesy and meeting friends.

Olivier Peslier, impeccably dressed, was making his way to the weighing room. A two-minute conversation and you come away with a great impression anytime you speak to the articulate Peslier. “I hope I will see you at Longchamp next Sunday. Yes, I will be in America. I am looking forward to it.”

Minutes later, Christophe Lemaire followed. A jockey with uncommon composure. Lemaire carries modesty to extremes. “Tom, my friend, how are you?”

“I do not know if I will have a mount in the Breeders’ Cup. Everything is up in the air,” Lemaire said.

I asked him about his children. “They are growing up. You have seen them. The first is three and the second is a year old. They keep me going, Especially when I have a bad day at the track, they make me forget everything. I cannot be happier.”

The highpoint of the afternoon came soon after. From a distance, I spotted a gentleman just outside the paddock who looked like a jockey. I got closer and it was Jerry Bailey. It was the perfect time for a chat. I introduced myself.

“I am here to promote the BC races. You may say I’m the ambassador for the BC. The three Group races at Ascot today are linked to the BC. It is’ you win and you’re in.’ Winners of these races get a berth in the BC. ESPN is not carrying the Grade I races in America. It was convenient for me to make this trip.”

“I don’t miss riding. When I see those big purses, now and then I think for a moment or two. I will not come back. One exception though, I will be in the Legends race at Santa Anita the week before the BC. I am eating better and eating what I want. I am enjoying myself.”

I made a reference to his book. “Yes, I did it for the younger people. My life was ruined. I was an average rider and did not care about my future. God helped me and my life got better only when I put the bottle down. It is a story that I want to tell everybody.”

I mentioned that a lot of courage was demanded to make a confession of private problems and expressed my admiration. “Thank you and you are gracious.”

I wanted a word from Jerry Bailey about Curlin and Cigar. “Curlin is a great horse. He deserves all the attention. He deserves to break Cigar’s money record. Cigar was the best I rode.”

“I am going to Paris but will not be there for the Arc. I will miss it. I will be back in America doing work for ESPN next Saturday.  Hope to see you there.”

The Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes was the second race. Cityscape, Steve Drowne up and the 2-1 favourite, was held up and struck the front with 200 metres left. As the favorite looked like a winner, Jukebox Jury, Royston Ffrench aboard, came calling. A brief duel ensued and as the post loomed large, Jukebox Jury charged ahead.

Rainbow View was all the rage in the third event, the Group I Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile. Half money was the order though 8-15 and 4-7 were obtainable with some effort. Jimmy Fortune had the John Gosden-trained freshman filly in middivision and called on her midway down the lane. The Dynaforner filly stretched out to win decisively. Rainbow View is four for four and is Santa Anita-bound.

Jockey (lady) Hayley Turner won the fourth race, the Totesport.com Challenge Cup, with Furnace. There were 29 horses in this 1400-metre contest. Three horses flashed past the post and Furnace got the nod.

As the jockeys walked to the paddock before the start of the Q E II Stakes,   I managed to say hello to Colm O’Donoghue.  He was riding Honoured Guest, a 200-1 chance. Henrythenavigator was 5-4 and if you tried hard enough, 6-4 was possible. Tamayuz, a 15-8 chance for the most part, drifted to 5-2 as post time approached. Raven’s Pass, my pick, was 10-3 and tightening to 11-4 as a steady stream of money came in.

Honoured Guest set out on a suicidal pace. Racinger tried to dispute the lead but jockey Peslier took back his mount fully cognizant of the futility of being part of the early duel.  Honoured Guest went into a long lead. Raven’s Pass raced ahead of Henry. Tamayuz, carrying France’s hopes, was sending out distress signals and as the race progressed, it was evident he won’t be involved at the finish.

Jimmy Fortune drew first blood with Raven’s Pass. The Elusive Quality colt shot to the front with 350 metres left. As jockey Fortune tried to keep his colt going, Henry and John Murtagh delivered their challenged. As menacing as Henry’s thrust was, Raven’s Pass, intent on shedding that ‘second fiddle’ label, was determined. Responding to Fortune’s call, Raven’s Pass maintained the margin to win by a length.

Three successive losses to Henry at the highest level and finally shaking off the nemesis is an accomplishment that should make John Gosden proud. “That was marvelous. Finally it all came together.”

I asked Gosden about BC plans. “Definitely. He’s going. He is coming up right. The Santa Anita (Pro-Ride) surface will pose no problems.”

“The psychological barrier has been broken,” I told Gosden.
“Yes, you should not forget that the trainer and the jockey played big parts in doing that.”

I presented an Arlington Park Cup to jockey Fortune. “Oh, thank you. It is from Chicago. I wanted to get first run. This colt is doing what he should have done sometime ago. I wanted Johnny (Murtagh) to catch me. My waiting tactics did not get me results.”

Rishi Persad, the amiable BBC analyst, found a moment to talk to me. “I won’t be at the Breeders’ Cup. May be, next year. I am sure our paths will cross again soon.”

Curlin won the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Saturday. He is now ahead of Cigar in earnings. Curlin has now gone past the 10-million dollar mark.

More on American action in my next report.