Spot The Champ & No I Ain't Dead - Honest!

One of my favourite horses in training, grand old boy (he's 14) Spot Thedifference added yet another Sporting Index XC Chase to his win tally despite being out in front from a long way out which he doesn't overly like after the three horses ahead of him took the wrong course. He's now won over this unique course seven times. Surely its got to be time to rename the race "Spot Thedifference Sporting Index XC Chase".

Of course my absolute joy so nearly turned to devastation when he seemingly collapsed after the winning post whilst being pulled up. However although the screens went up around him & a deadly hush settled over the CHeltenham crowd, he was back on his feet in a few minutes.

It turned out he didn't collapse or as I suspected had a heart attack (wouldn't you having just completed nearly four miles as an old man?!) but he'd slipped on muddy ground while trying to pull up. It wasn't the biggest race of the year by any means but even at the Festival proper in March you'll be hard pushed to find a louder cheer or emphatic clapping as a horse makes its way into the winner's enclosure. I could go on forever about Spot but I'll save it for my other Greatest Racehorse blog sometime!

Ciao for now

TJ