My Olympic Tickets
I’ve still not heard, if I’ve got any Olympic tickets.
Has anybody else been notified yet?
Should The Queen Be Going To Ireland?
Probably Yes! But on a personal note, she’s probably a bit stressed and even a trifle excited about her horse Carlton House, which runs in the Derby on Saturday June 4th.
There is also this little story from horse racing gossip in the Guardian.
The Queen’s racing advisor, John Warren, told journalists an intriguing story as to how the monarch came to own Carlton House after the colt galloped into Derby favouritism with a victory in York’s Dante Stakes on Thursday. The three-year-old was apparently a present to Her Majesty from Sheikh Mohammed and there could be wry smiles all round if the royal colours are carried to victory at Epsom.
Despite more than 30 years of trying and hundreds of millions of pounds of investment, the sheikh has yet to have a Derby winner in his own name – now he could have given away a horse with a potential worth of tens of millions of pounds as a stallion.
Meanwhile, the Queen’s breeding empire suffered from what proved to be an error of judgement in the early 1980s when her mare Height Of Fashion was sold to Sheikh Mohammed’s brother, Hamdan. She went on to become one of the greatest mares of all time and produced the 1989 Derby winner Nashwan.
So perhaps she doesn’t beware of Arabs bearing gifts. On the other hand, it was quite an error of judgement over Height of Fashion.
I have a feeling I might go to the Derby. After all, if Carlton House does justify his favouritism and win, it will be one of those truly I was there moments.
Remember though that the last Royal Derby winner was Diamond Jubilee owned by Edward, the Price of Wales, in 1900. That was the year before his mother, Queen Victoria, celebrated her diamond jubilee in 1901.
And Queen Elizabeth the Second celebrates her diamond jubilee next year!
Blatter Sat on Bribe Claims
The Sunday Times also has an article claiming that Sep Blatter ignored the bribery claims over the World Cup bids.
Of course he didn’t. He’s after all one of the most honest and trustworthy men in the world!
What Will Sepp Blatter Do Now?
Lord Triesman didn’t hold his punches when in front of a parliamentary committee, he accused four FIFA members of improper behaviour over the bidding for the 2018 World Cup.
If I was Lord Triesman, I would take a few places of the list of where I might go for a holiday.
Roy Keane’s Worst Judgment
Tony Cascarino in The Times says this under the heading of Worst Judgment.
When he was Ipswich Town manager, Roy Keane sounded as if he could not wait to sell Jonathan Walters. The Stoke City striker scored against Arsenal yesterday and has developed into an excellent buy. He causes so many problems with his sheer desire to score.
I would agree. Good luck to Jonathan.
Is This Why We Didn’t Get the 2018 World Cup?
The Sunday Times is claiming that Nicholas Leoz of Paraguay wanted a knighthood to vote for England to be given the 2018 World Cup. So how many other of the world’s bad and nasty, who have the power in FIFA did we turn down? Obviously, Russia and Qatar, put a much better case to these idiots. Probably stuffed with used euros or dollars.
Paul Gascoigne
I’m just listening to Gazza’s teammates talking about the footballer and winning the cup in 1991.
Someone texted in a quote of Aristotle.
No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness.
Let’s hope he overcomes his problems, as he still has a lot to offer.
One of his teammates, Justin Edinburgh, said that after they’d finished training at Spurs, Gazza would often take the youth teams and train with them for another ninety minutes. If he can pass on his enthusiasm and a few of his skills, he might yet make a substantial positive contribution to football.
An aside for Liz: he talked about how the twelve steps had been a great help to him.
Strength Through Adversity
Sarah Stevenson has just become World Champion at her weight in taekwondo in South Korea.
The 28-year-old from Doncaster only made a belated decision to compete in South Korea as both her parents are seriously ill – her mother Diane has terminal cancer and her father, Roy, a brain tumour.
But she still won. Well done, Sarah!
Stories like this give me the strength to continue my fight!
Farewell – Sir Henry Cooper
Sir Henry Cooper was a gentleman in a sport that doesn’t have too many. Although one wonders if recent British boxers have taken their lead from the way Our Enry behaved.
I saw him once, as he had been asked to open a new shop opposite our offices in Ipswich. He was just strolling down the street confidently towards the shop, people were calling and talking to him in a friendly way and he was signing autographs and chatting to the crowd like only real celebrities do.
He’ll be sadly missed by all.
Visiting the Lee Valley Park
Today, I needed to get to Blackhorse Road station for lunch nearby, and as Arsenal were at home around the same time, and this would mean a lot of people at Highbury and Islington station, I decided to take a more roundabout route.
The plan was essentially simple.
- Take a 73 or more preferably a 476 bus, as I hate the bendy ones, to Seven Sisters station.
- Take a National Express train from that station to Cheshunt.
- Walk through the Lee Valley Park, looking at the new Lee Valley White Water Centre for the London Olympics.
- Walk to Waltham Cross station for a train to Tottenham Hale and then to Blackhorse Road.
It wasn’t as easy as it should have been, as although the park was pleasant, there was an event going on and the public weren’t allowed into the White Water Centre.
But I was running late, so I had to get to Waltham Cross station. But don’t go there on a Sunday, as trains are only one an hour. I’d also been sold the wrong ticket at Seven Sisters, so I had to buy another. but it was only £1.30, so it wasn’t a problem.
It does look though, that they’ve got a good venue for the Olympics, as set where it is, you could take a picnic there on a train from Central London. I’ve put in for some tickets.
The Anonymous Widower 