Nice Guys Finish First

Footstepsinthesand has just won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Well done Aidan O'Brien, Kieran Fallon and the Ballydoyle team.

I've just watched Fallon being interviewed on Channel 4, and clearly this victory takes a lot of pressure off him in the new job. TV pictures show Aidan with a big smile on his face, which is a change from his usual worried/concerned look.

The man from Clare kept the horse on the outside, but I admit I was watching the nearside , where Dubawi and Democratic Deficit came with their runs. In fact, Dubawi swerved left and checked DD for a few strides.

One minute 36.10, over a second slower than the record set by Mister Baileys. But well done to all concerned.

Benedict XVI - the REALLY big question is (almost) answered!

And the REALLY big question is, of course, what's his favourite football team?

Go to the ZENIT link on the left, and look up April 25th, and find a story titled "Benedict XVI: Lover of Nature and Sports". It's an interview with Cardinal Bertone, who worked with the new Pope at the CDF; and he spills the beans!!

So after this, this leaves only two more questions:

one, will he be going to the World Cup in Germany next year?

Two, if not, can I have his tickets?

POPE BENEDICT XVI

Okay, I'll admit it; I wasn't expecting him, mainly because of his age.

I'm trying to imagine what thoughts were going through his head in that 45 minute spell from election to his appearance on the balcony.

Previously, he ran a department. Now he has the whole world on his shoulders.

Needless to say, not everybody is happy; frankly, I suspect that the critical voices would have being saying much the same no matter who was elected.

But overall, I am happy. Let us all remember in our prayers Pope Benedict XVI and may God and His Blessed Mother be with him every day and in everything that he does.

Meanwhile, some very enterprising people have been very quickly into action.

Good news for West Brits!!!

Photo taken Glasgow Airport Monday 4th April 2005. 

Well, this photo should make some people happy!

Make sure to click on the photo and bring it to full size. I haven't got used to the Picasa yet.

There's no such thing as bad publicity!

Or as Brendan Behan put it, "There's no such thing as bad publicity, except your obituary."

Whoever in Paddy Power's bookmakers thought up the idea of a market on the Papal election, it is doubtful they ever dreamed of the amount of publicity it would generate. Even American-based Catholic blogs, such as Amy Welborn's Open Book, has a link to the market page. Paddy Power himself actually went to Rome at the weekend, and got coverage on CNN!! Not to mention whatever new accounts and new clients they've received.

Now as I write this, Francis Arinze is favourite at 3-1. I was present at Croke Park in 1999 at a rally of the Pioneer Association, where he gave a homily on the subject of temperance. What struck me was his explanation of temperance as a virtue not just in Christianity, but in Eastern cultures.

Not long ago, the first black smoke came from the chimney; this brings up the question. Suppose they fail to elect a candidate, then put the ballot papers in the furnace, but someone forgets to put in the wet straw or whatever they use to make the smoke black?? Actually, can the cardinals themselves in the Sistine Chapel actually see the top of the chimney to make sure they smoke is black?? Just a thought.

John Paul II: 1920-2005

It may be a cliche, but it really is the end of an era.

I got to see him briefly when he said Mass at the Phoenix Park in Dublin, 29th September, 1979. The altar was a long way away, so we couldn't see him except through binoculars (though I didn't have binoculars in those days!). But after Mass, he came around the crowds in his Popemobile, and I did actually get to see him for about one second.

When I heard the news Saturday evening, I was in a hotel in Edinburgh. I really feel privileged for the fact that I grew up during his pontificate, and I doubt I will experience a Pope like him; I also know that every Pope we have for the next twenty years or so will be in his shadow, so to speak.

For what will he be remembered most in future? My prediction is two items: first, the adding of the five Luminous Mysteries to the Rosary; second, the growth of the promotion of the devotion of Divine Mercy.

May God and his Mother welcome him into his eternal reward.

Born in Cheltenham. . .

The Cheltenham Tourist office will not like me to say this, but if it wasn't for the racing, frankly I can't see any reason why I would have ever visited Cheltenham!

But yes there is one place I am glad I visited during race week in 2002. A house not far from the Cotswold Grange Hotel, which was the birthplace of the composer Gustav Holst, of The Planets Suite fame.

It's a simple late nineteenth century terraced house, of about three floors. It has been restored in the style of what a house would have looked like around the beginning of the twentieth century. There is a grand piano in the sitting room, and there are occasional concerts there.

But the most interesting item in the house is on one of the upstairs landings; it is in a frame on the wall. It is a legal document allowing the man himself to change his name, and is dated September 1918 (definitely late 1918 - I think it was September!).

It's true - Gustav Holst was NOT his real name.

Guess what his REAL name was?? Remember he changed it in 1918!

His real name was GUSTAV VON HOLST.

Can you imagine why he changed it???

Cheltenham Festival 2005

I am in Dublin, watching the racing on the box this week; it's far less expensive, it's much warmer, more comfortable, plus I don't have to queue to get a drink, a bite to eat, or visit the bathroom. I was able to actually sit down while eating my (home-made) lunch.

So do I miss not being there in the flesh? Yes!!

I used to go regularly. In 2002, I decided to actually stay, for the first time, in the town of Cheltenham itself, and I was lucky that Walter Greacen arranged the Cotswold Grange Hotel for me. I can honestly say that next time I go to the Festival, if I cannot get the CGH, I will seriously consider not going. It's only about half an hour walk from the course. My preference would be to get the bus up the hill to the course, and walk back in the evening - weather permitting of course!!

So within 40/45 minutes of leaving the course, I can be sitting down enjoying the first course of dinner!! In previous years, staying in farther away (and cheaper) places, it could take an hour and a half to get back to base.

I have gone back to the CGH since then; I have always had an enthusiastic welcome from Paul Weaver and his friendly team; there's porridge on the menu in the morning, and it's a reasonably walk to the Prom and the town centre. The only disadvantage is that it is a good distance from the train station.

After the 2002 Festival, when I backed See More Business each way for the Gold Cup and got a return, I knew this had been the best and most enjoyable Festival for me. But demand drives up prices, and as I was paying a mortgage within four months of the Festival, circumstances have changed.

I must add I do not own shares in the Cotswold Grange Hotel!! And I am not being paid to write this!!

Now I admit in advance that I did nap Spot The Difference (witnesses to this were at the preview evening in the Mansion House last Saturday night!), though I did not have my money on!! Unfortunately, my cash is too big a weight for any horse to carry.

Yes, I did get a great buzz from watching Moscow Flyer win today - it would have made interesting reading to have a machine beside me measuring my pulse rate.

But we must admit that, in the general scheme of world sport, National Hunt racing is a small player. I did notice Tuesday evening, on CNN's World Sport programme, that coverage was given to Hardy Eustace, and a clip of him was used to close the programme.

When you watch CNN, they have a running news ticker along the bottom of the screen displaying news, sports, and business headlines; about two weeks ago an English horseracing story made what they call the "Sportbar". No, it wasn't a big race result; it was reference to the arrest of Giles Parkin on suspicion of race-fixing!!

Friday we will have the Gold Cup, if there are any horses left in the field!! My tip? Up until Monday I would have said Kingscliff. Let's wait until Friday to see which horses actually make it to the starting gate!!

Grand National 2005

Saturday 9th April sees what is, for me, probably the biggest sporting event of the year - the Grand National at Liverpool.

I have never been to Aintree - not yet. I am worried that I might enjoy the race far less live than on TV; and I fear I could be right.

Let me state here and now that I have never backed the winner of the race, because I have never had a bet on it. However, I did tip both West Tip and Maori Venture in advance.

When the weights originally came out, the first horse to catch my eye was Silver Birch. Now that he is out my next fancies are Forest Gunner and Hedgehunter.

But don't blame me if you don't pick the winner!

Apologies!

It's been a long time since I posted anything here, but things have been hectic. For example, I have been having problems with my PC at home.

Also, I have changed the title to a line from Chapter 9 of Wisdom.

Longchamp, last Sunday

Last Sunday, I went out to Tallaght on the LUAS (see post below), but because of the long queue, I decided to get the bus back. Delayed by a running race in the Terenure area, I barely got home in time before the BBC coverage of the racing from Longchamp started. Quite simply, this is one of the best days of horse racing in the world all year.

I have not been to Longchamp since my one and (so far) only visit there for the weekend in 1994, when Carnegie won the big race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. It was also my first visit to Paris.

But I admit I felt a huge feeling of inner satisfaction when Jim Bolger's Alexander Goldrun won the Prix de l'Opera. And I didn't have a bet on the winner, in case you're wondering.

Especially when the camera got a shot in the unsaddling enclosure of Aidan O'Brien and Jamie Spencer breaking off their post-race discussions to applaud the winner into the number one spot.

Aidan learned his trade from working for Jim, another native of Co Wexford. I have met Jim Bolger a few times, and he was never anything but polite and courteous to me. Nice guys sometimes finish first.

Jim is probably not too far off getting his bus pass, but he is a testament to what anybody can achieve through hard work and determination. He did not come from a racing family, and effectively had to start from scratch. Incidentally, he was born on December 25th!

So Jim's success put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. Thanks Jim for putting a smile on my face!

SEVEN MORE YEARS!!!

We good citizens of Ireland will have Mary McAleese as our President for another seven years.

Now I admit I have nothing against the lady from Rostrevor; I'm just sorry we're not going to have a Presidential election. Because elections are my favourite blood sport.

If Dana had been allowed to run as a candidate, I would have voted for her, just as I did seven years ago. But I'm not making sour grapes. The key point is that the political establishment have basically decided that we will not have a election, and therefore we do not get the chance to choose our Head of State.

But I wouldn't have voted for her this year anyway - election day would have been October 22nd, and I'll be out of the country!

Would I like to be President? Well, you can't make a public statement without permission of the Government; you can't leave the country without permission of the Government; you must sign every piece of legislation passed by the Oireachtas, though you can send a Bill to the Supreme Court for a ruling whether or not it is constitutional. That's about the only real decision you can make.

The wages are good - over a hundred grand a year! And a nice pension at the end of seven years!

Hmmm, if I start now I should have 20,000 signatures on the petition by 2011!!

LUAS Red Line

This evening I made my first trip on the new LUAS Red line, which is the line from Connolly Station to Tallaght.

I got on at Four Courts, and got off at Kylemore. On the way back, I got off at Abbey. In both directions, the tram was jam-packed. Obviously that will change from Monday next, when we will all have to pay our fare (except all those with the Dept of Social & Family Affairs passes). It was noticeable how many pre-teenagers were travelling. Overall, I did not get the impression that it was much faster than taking the bus. This is probably because, at the stops, no doubt the drivers were taking care with the doors so that nobody was travelling with one of their hands or limbs on the outside.

Studying and travelling on metros and tramway systems brings home to me how much a transport network can really change and affect how we view a city. In other words, the transport map almost becomes the real city map from our point of view. We tend to look at places from the point of view of how to get there.,

In London and Paris, it is standard practice for a hotel, shop, or public building to publicise itself by stating which is the nearest Metro/Tube station. In Dublin, it is not a ubiquitous custom to see bus numbers on advertisements, but I can see businesses in Dublin using the LUAS as a marketing tool, and advertising how far they are from the nearest platform, etcetera.

It was not cheap to build, and it will not be cheap to use it, but now that we have it, most of us will make the most of it.

Hello from Dublin

So this is it. Inspired by others, I have decided to set up my own blog.

I will be posting here on the subjects that interest me most - it is my blog after all!