![Statue of Desert Orchid in the snow. Photo: Brian Henman [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://markavery.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Kempton_Park_Racecourse_-_geograph.org_.uk_-_1145906.jpg)
Boxing Day is absolutely associated, in my mind, with National Hunt racing. The ‘alternative Cheltenham Gold Cup’, otherwise known as the ‘King George VI Chase’ is held at Kempton today. This three mile steeplechase at Kempton’s flat, right-handed (clockwise) track is very different from March’s contest overlooked by the Cotswold escarpment on Prestbury Park’s left-handed undulating course over three and a quarter miles, but the best horses of their generations have sometimes won both races.
In the late 1980s one could settle in front of the TV on Boxing Day pretty secure in the knowledge that the great Desert Orchid would romp around Kempton, flying the fences with obvious glee, and win the race. Dessie mostly triumphed on right-handed courses such as Kempton, Ascot and Sandown (or maybe he just liked southwest London a lot) and struggled on left-handed courses like Cheltenham, which makes his winning of the 1989 Gold Cup all the more worthy of celebration.
There is no horse in today’s running of the race that has stirred the emotions as Dessie could, and did. I’m sure I will care who wins when it comes to it, but at the moment, I am slightly more, and more cerebrally, interested in how the previous two races shape up. The 3-mile novice chase will be a useful pointer to the rest of the season and the Christmas Hurdle will tell us whether the Irish have a world-beater, or at least an English-beater, in Faugheen.
Happy Christmas (still)!
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Disappointing you support horse racing, as I feel it is cruel activity, with links to the bloodsports lobby. So many horses die in the name of this industry, a so-called sport, or suffer debilitating injury. I can’t separate out my compassion and concern for wildlife with wider concerns for all animals. I am pleased you do what you do against wildlife crime, but wish you would extend that to other animals who do not deserve to be used as fodder for gamblers and this tawdry industry.
Chris – thanks for your comment
Heartwarming to see the Downtown Abbey Christmas special last night including a scene where His Lordship & co all go grouse shooting – a nostalgic look back to the last time there were almost no breeding hen harriers in England?
All the best for the festive season everyone! (not Mark unfortunately I’d like to wish him that but the police would jail me if I did because a member of LACS and might mention to another LACS member I had done so who might mention it to ‘el presidente’ who would get upset and report me)
Let’s try and focus on building bridges at this festive time. How about starting with pros and antis both supporting ways of managing wildlife that DON’T kill it. Rather than trying to suppress people who campaign for that.
I’ve carried on using dogs to manage deer ever since the absurd ban and I’ve not killed or injured a single one. I’ve killed far less animals than horses have died during racing. I don’t want to ban National Hunt but it like my actions should obviously be regulated on the basis of cruelty.
Personally I would like to see Boxing day dedicated to the illegal refusal by hunts to kill wildlife.
MK – not ‘almost no breeding Hen harriers in England’ – actually, no breeding Hen harriers in mainland GB – the nearest were on Orkney.
It was the game keepers going to WW1 that allowed them back – and upland afforestation then played a key subsidiary role in their spread – providing good habitat, yes, but more importantly large scale & no persecution.