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A couple of weekends ago I was lucky enough to be invited by a very kind owner of mine to fly to Hungary to watch Overdose make his seasonal return to the racetrack. Overdose is probably best
known for 'winning' the voided Group 1 Prix de L'Abbaye at Longchamp last season, but the hard fact remains that the horse is still unbeaten in 13 starts.
As a nation Hungary is suffering badly with the global economics.. I have no idea of Sandor Ribarszki and Zoltan Mikoczsy's personal finances, but the fact that the winning bid of 2000gns for a Starborough colt at Tattersalls would suggest either extreme shrewdness or an extreme budget.
Either or both must be applauded.
Kincsem Park race course, Hungary's only race course, with an honourable statue of the multi winning Kincsem of yesteryear greeting race goers before passing through the grandstand of 200 years ago into the 'new' Ascot inspired hall, before out to the track to see the dirt, and that's what it is, track and the grass, with lots and lots of dandelions adding a bit of colour to the occasion.
Kincsem Park races regularly, make no mistake and regularly around 200 race goers arrive to watch proceedings. The only betting is on track (a Tote like system) so they have to go to the racetrack if they want to have a bet.
On the day Overdose raced there were upwards of 20,000 people in attendance, who is of course now 'their' horse. Three million people evidently watched the race at home on TV. OK more people here watch Eastenders, but you have to understand the population of non racing Hungary is 9 million. A little like the UK getting behind Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards all those years ago. Like Eddie, Overdose is the best the country has to offer, unlike Eddie that will do just fine to tackle the rest of the world.
I met Christophe Soumillon and Sandor Ribasrzki before the race. Both were very polite but neither of them recognised me. I'll get over that in time possibly with the help of a bit of counselling! :0)
The anticipation is tangible. I could sense the "bring it on" feeling coupled with the "I wish this was all over" feeling and all the time a few seats down Lester Piggot was concentrating on nothing but his dessert. Apparently he goes to a barber who doesn't talk.
There is no betting on Overdose, it would seem he is home and hosed. He is a beautiful, big bay made for sprinting. You have to wonder how this middle distance, moderately bred horse slipped through so many nets, including his breeders, but George has no regrets, there are always breeders prizes and he still has the mare and the fillies from her, but the biggest slip up surely must be from the under bidders? who knows?
What we are seeing is the way it is and it just wouldn't have the same romance any other way.
The band and the dancers that have been entertaining the crowd between races and even the barbecued suckling pigs all stop as this National hope hacks away on to the start.
The jockey promised for the season hasn't ridden him before, how will they get on together? How well do they have to get on to gallop in a straight line? What if the horse isn't right? What if one of the opposition suddenly finds a stone and a half?
From my limited experience of Hungarian racing there are no tactics, just first to the finish, if there were tactics it would make no difference.
Overdose breaks well and establishes a lead and it's then all over.........just like that. He breaks the track record........I don't know which horse set the track record.
The crowd go absolutely wild and someone was lucky enough to catch Soumillon's goggles and now all is geared up for Overdose to come to Haydock at the end of May. In the meantime, I pay a very quick visit to Mike Moriarty's (I think rather excellent) restaurant in Budapest before departing to the airport to home. The end to an excellent day.
I do hope that this horse can do all he promises to. All over the world smaller trainers and owners are looking for the horse that can change their lives and those around it and that is the wonderful thing about racing in today's world is that it can still happen. Money talks big time, but with a bit of luck dreams can become reality for anyone involved in a racehorse.
It was a wonderful experience and one I will never forget. Thanks again to Mike for his kind hospitality and for giving me the opportunity to share first hand in the dream racehorse that is Overdose!
OVERDOSE - "THE BUDAPEST BULLET" - the race on YOUTUBE
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Sir Clement Freud R.I.P
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You would have to be on a different planet not to have known of Sir Clement's death last month, He was a curate's egg, good in parts and as everyone knows not always the easiest of people to get along with.
We sort of fell out as he was very upset that a jockey and my stable lass didn't send him a note thanking him personally for his £50 and £40 respectively "thank you" after Last one Standing won at Southwell at the 50/1 he managed to obtain.
It would seem that Sir Clement having £100 (£50 e/w) on the horse himself wasn't enough.
I will remember him mostly though for what I think is a classic Sir Clement quote, when after he cooked me an excellent meal, with a rather excellent red wine and as I was politely reminding him of his age while reminded that my mother had warned me that in every old man was a younger man desperately trying to get out....He said "My Dear, if I drop dead tonight, just wash up 1 glass, 1 plate, 1 knife and 1 fork and then just leave".
Fortunately, it was not a instruction I actually had to act upon.
Sheena West - May 2009
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