Gold Cup Day

Katherine is taking the afternoon off to watch the racing on TV, so I thought I’d trot over here to write this. She used to work with racehorses, and it’s Cheltenham Gold Cup day (the most important jump race of the season) so I’ll forgive her for abandoning me – though I can’t help thinking it would be more exciting if unicorns were allowed to race! I’d soon see off that favourite Kauto Star with my golden hooves.

Anyway, I'll tell you a secret. My author used to look after a horse called Third in Line who won at Cheltenham. She’s got a photo on her bookshelf showing her leading him into the winner’s enclosure. He wouldn’t have been good enough to win the Gold Cup, but the trainer she used to work for – Venetia Williams – has got a runner in the race today called Mon Mome, who won last year’s Grand National. He’s 100-1 in the betting, which the Muse thinks is brilliantly good odds since it is now raining and the ground is getting heavy. So don't tell anyone, but I'm just off to put my author's mortgage on him...