Timpsonian June 2009: THE NAME GAME

John Timpson's owner's blog...

There was a lot at stake when Cobblers Queen went out for our last run of the season at Huntingdon.  She is our only mare and the only horse, apart from bumper runner, Llama Farmer, who had not been placed this season. 

With that race over all our horses were put out to grass and we were ready for a summer break from racing.  No Racing Post, no diary changes to get to a meeting at short notice and, the best part, much lower training bills.  We did go to Goodwood and enjoyed the spectacle but flat racing just doesn’t seem the same.  There’s no jumps and each race is over in no time at all.

Just when the racing scene had gone out of my mind, Paul Webber rang.  “I’m going to Doncaster next week,” he said, “for the sales.  Prices are bound to be well down this year, I reckon there’s a few bargains. I’ve picked out a few prospects – all greys, I’m sure Alex would be interested.” Alex was interested and on the second day of the sales I was at the other end of Paul’s ‘phone listening to him bidding successfully for our next horse.

By the time we went to Paul’s yard to view our latest acquisition and have an excellent breakfast (full English with sensational sizzling sausages) I had a list of new names, which we fed into Paul’s computer to see if any were available.  My favourite, ‘Photo Finish’, (in recognition of the Max Spielmann/Klick photo shops we’ve just purchased) was already taken.  I was particularly disappointed to find that someone had already got there first and used the name ‘Sole Trader’ so our new horse will be called ‘The Crafty Cobbler’.  After all, the name hasn’t done Cobblers Queen much harm and perhaps we can create a winning line of horses known throughout the racing world as ‘The Cobblers Collection’.

More from John Timpson:

Timpsonian May 2009: END OF THE SEASON

Alex doesn’t want to meet Clare Balding. She’s terrified that if persuaded to do an interview she would fail to match those confident owners who give expert comments before the race and in the Winner’s Enclosure...

Timpsonian April 2009: LADY LUCK

Having whinged all season about the inconvenience of getting short notice about horses that ran miles away from our home on dates that don’t fit our diary, we have had a purple patch...

Timpsonian March 2009: CHELTENHAM REPORT

Every time we’ve acquired a new horse we think we’ve just bought a future superstar...

Timpsonian February 2009: THE OTHER SIDE OF RACING

“It will be fun,” we were told by a few horse racing friends when we talked about buying our first racehorse... 

Timpsonian January 2009: IN THE FRAME

Since Alex became a racehorse owner I’ve had a new theme for Christmas presents and the on-course photographers make my job pretty easy...

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