THROUGH THE EYES OF THE OWNERS SON
It was like an execution in the end
But that’s not how you’d have seen it
When they took the final bend
And that’s not how you’d have seen it
When they levelled out for home
With a wall of Stayers charging
With the outcome far from known
And the Senior Steward cowering
At his Jockey, maybe glowering
Wishing he could be alone
Seeking sins to very hastily atone
Yet it nearly didn’t happen don’t you see
When the Heaven’s chose to open
Home was not the place to be
When the Heaven’s chose to open
Spence and Morley both looked broken
On the eve of Gold Cup day you won’t believe
That the ground now suited swimmers
Not exclusive firm ground winners
And for all of us, it looked like no reprieve
Now’s the time for him to show us
What he’d hidden up his sleeve
Ahead there lay a challenge sure enough
And the time had come for action
No more talk, however tough
And the time had come for action
No excuses, no distractions,
When the race begins, so ends the game of bluff
And if hindsight gives us wisdom, I surmise
That however much you see it
You will always be surprised
By a race containing more than can be told
By a Jockey worth ten times his weight in Gold
So the coolest man kept waiting
Whilst the Ascot roar was raging
A directionless crescendo
There was no-one in the know
And yet none of us were dreaming
That the father’s horse was staging
A finale worth the screaming
Amber, Green, then Pat said Go!
It was like an execution on that day
When Celeric and the Veteran
Swooped to have the final say
Now retirement sees our Champion in the field
With the glory days behind him
He still seeks his sword and shield
With the glory days behind him
And a Gold Cup crown to bind him
Teaching yearlings that to bow, is so to yield
If this horse can deign to teach one half as good
One who’ll give us half the rush, we won’t pretend
What we get from his apprentice can compare
To the dream that was delivered by our friend
It was like an execution in the end
©Henry Birtles