Mugatoo Cruising to Victory

Jamie Spencer at Doncaster absolutely cruising to victory in May on Mugatoo. He drifted from 13/8 out to 4/1 prior to the race. I wouldn't have wanted to be laying this one!

Favourite Jockey – Lester Piggott

It may have been a few years since Lester Piggott, who turned 83 in November, 2018, was known as the “Housewives’ Choice” but, in his heyday, he was not so much a jockey as a phenomenon. In a riding career which lasted nearly half a century – including a five-year hiatus between 1985 and 1990, a year of which he spent under lock and key for income tax…

Favourite Horse – Desert Orchid

Aside from his innate ability, over hurdles and fences, ‘Dessie’, as he was affectionately known to his legions of followers, always looked like a winner. His grey coat became lighter with age – in fact, always white – such that, in the latter part of his career, he created the impression of a ghostly apparition being pursued across the landscape by lesser, mortal horses. No mean hurdler –…

Favourite Jockey – Frankie Dettori

Milanese jockey Lanfranco ‘Frankie’ Dettori, 48, has been riding winners in Britain since 1987 and in 2016 reached the milestone of 3,000 winners in this country. Originally apprenticed to Luca Cumani, Dettori won the Apprentice Jockeys’ Championship in 1989 and in 1990 became the first teenager since Lester Piggott to ride over 100 winners – 141, to be precise – in a season. Four years later, in 1994,…

The Kelpies, Scotland

This impressive sculpture in Falkirk, Scotland is known as The Kelpies. Construction of this 30 metre horse head creation was complete in 2013. It's situated next to Forth and Clyde canal, and is a feature of The Helix - a canal extension that connects and improves transport links between the East and West of Scotland. For some stunning pictures of The Kelpies visit outdoor photograhper John Messingham's website.