9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2002 - Page 0065
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2002 |
| Transcription |
REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9‘l‘H/121H ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES'S) 63 The Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown Park 8 Mar 02 his year I “:h‘ l'orrunare cnmigh iii he asked by ihe Ruglmcm in ride a harm: in the Grand Military Gold Cup 'I'h: horse. called Hidden \‘allc IS owned by Mr Georrrey Grcgsun A n ex 91h Lancer whn .cn‘ed in the war. Hidden Valley was in iraining, and sllll is, wnh Jimmy Final in Devon. Jimmy a very successful jockey, having won ihc (irand Narional among orher raceo in his lung career, has around 30 lulrscs in irainiiig ai any one lime. Hidden \"dllcy's training. allhnugh lmpunanl, wasn'l hall as pressing a.» my lmmilig. This was due to (he {an lhal hc knew what he was doing and I hadn‘t a clue. My naming slancd after Chnb’lmas whcn I .sl'drled working l'ur Emma Lavelle who has a yard near Andnvcr. In the 3 wcckk I worked (here I lcarnl ll 10!, bur rhe milsl worrying discovery was how liiile I knew ahoui racc riding. Allhnugh I had ridden all my life I had never bar lln a saddle mhling a packer ol’cigareiiex, uirli my kmcs up around my chin. having my arms pulled our by some psychollc horsei Towards ihe end or January I siaried work ai Jimmy‘s. Hie vard IS iln (h: cdgc lil’lixmnnr surrounded by beautiful counlr ldc A: my room way above rhe iaak room on ihe yard ii only and me abour 30 seconds io go from bed io mucking uul aldhlcs and [0 thus: of yuu \vlm knn“ mu “'Ill realise, this was a lull of a bonus. The average day was :nnrmllus lun, mucking our Marl- cd an 6.30 am. Wlll'l riding nul 4 Into hrluri: lunch. (Cllnslbllng Dl (Int: piccc ul'lllilall) Thc afrcrnlllln » pcm grooming (he hfll’S' es and exlra iumplng Iminlng in lhc achunling ficldi My d diet was mast. Ic'A and Clgarellrs. liven ihiiugh my welghl nol [on much ul‘ an Issue I sull had in gel down In amund [0 P slonei LI 1035 of l slune. The day of ihe race wae approaching fabl and I snll reli very inexperienced. To give me an idea or things io eonie Jimmy enicred mcinaZmilc hurdle ra Excrcronahur. lled Mr Ben Gunn, 4 d ,. Thia was an lncredlhlc cvper nee, bar one which I ma worried ihni l would nor recover from by ihc Bib. li would have been far easier ro run around ihe cnursc carrying a large Bergen rhan ride. The day or die race was one long blur There were 14 minus fnr [he racca wiih ihc rxpcncnce ol'lhe iilckcvs ranging {mm almosl profesoillnal in lUl'dl nnvicea, ouch an mynL I, Bzfnre the race I visited lhe Regimcmal rem where lhc Officer‘s Mess had lumcd flu! in l'orco ll was faniasuc ro lune ihis suppori hai slightly re _ daunimg ai ihe bamc iime. During ihe morning I had managed io keep my nerves in chi-ck ihelped by halia packei or ciga» reiieszi ll was only when ihe lirsr iump waa approaching ai break neck .spctd Lhal l realiied quire whar I had lI:| myself in for. Al‘ier wha| seemed like an crerniiy in rhe air I landed and reh much happier. The priupeci ol'ralling olrover lhc first fence in from orihe enrire Officers Mesa and preiiy much everyone I knew was one ihar had given In: many blccplusa nlghISi The only drama or ihe race came ai ihe fourlli ranci- ivhere Hidden Valley and I momcnrarily parred company: luckily he caughr me on ihc iiiherside and on ’chI. Alier iivo lap: ol‘Sandown we crosacd ihe line 7ih, pleased or have compleied ihe eourse I feel very privileged io have been given rhis famasllc opporru- niry in which so many people gave me iheir help and Support. In pariicular I would like io ihank Geolirey Grcgbnn {or giving me ihe ride on Hiddcn \‘allcl'. io Jimmy Pros! and hia ramily {or uaining me and ireaiing me ab one ol ihe l'arnih or x weeka and finally io ihc kegimeni [or allowing me rhe iiine oil This has given me a malt ofrace riding and um: which 1 hope io build on in ihe l'uiiire. M G 5.3 |
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