October 21, 2025 by Mike Madden

Once In A Lifetime

When I Get Older…

As usually happens at this time of year, it was my birthday. This year, I have now come to loathe the song “When I’m Sixty-Four”. In years gone by I would have either woken up with a hangover, or been preparing myself for a hangover. This year we went for a walk around Chatsworth. We had a relaxing coffee in the cafe, though I declined the offer of cake. It was certainly a lot more expensive than Marseille where I had been the previous week, and not as appetising.

In the evening we sampled steak and burger night at the Royal Oak in Hurdlow. The burger was good, or at least ok to good, but I honestly think I can do better myself. The Stilton gave it a nice flavour, but for me a burger should be an explosion of flavours.

Burgerology

I start with a brioche bun, browned in the skillet that the burger has been cooked in. The bottom of the bun is smeared with chilli jam, followed by a layer of gherkins and a slice of beef tomato. The patty goes on next. Beef or steak flavoured with nothing more than salt and pepper, or turkey with a little onion, cayenne and fresh chilli to pep it up. The cheese is usually Red Leicester and Cheddar, melted on top the patty under a dome. On top of this goes a layer of blanched onions. Its important to blanche the onions so that they do not overpower the other flavours. Next is lettuce for a bit of crunch. Finally, burger sauce is smeared on to the top half of the bun. The burger sauce is made from ketchup, mayo, American mustard and some juice from the gherkin jar.

Delicious!

A couple of weeks later it was Zac’s birthday, and we returned to old favourite Hickory’s. Their Oklahoma smash burger was similar to that at the Royal Oak. Perfectly adequate, but lacking a certain something.

Funky Fungus

The garden is coming to an end, and we have bucket loads of apples from our orchard of five trees. A farmer might tell you that means we are in for a tough winter. I just think we’re in for an autumn of apple-based pastries.

The broccoli, lettuce and spinach has long since been pulled up, but in their place we have some interesting mushrooms. Don’t think I’ll be having these with eggs and bacon any time soon.

   

Not for breakfast

Breakfast

I’ve not spent much time in the kitchen with birthdays and trips to France, though I did make the breakfast favourite with rice, vegetables and egg.

Breakfast

Longing For Longchamp

The trip to Scotland was a dim and distant memory, apart from Sally’s attempt to speak Scottish by adding “wee” before every noun. Now we had other things to think about.

David called and discussed the weather at Longchamp. It had given a remote chance of rain on all forecasts for the past week or so. However, David had a radar weather map that showed two bands of rain due to hit the racecourse at the weekend. He was not suggesting that we did not run. He simply wanted me to be aware before he put Star Of Lady M in the wagon for her continental adventure. It did not take long for me to decide. I said that if we did not run, and the rain did not arrive, we would be kicking ourselves. He was expecting that response, and she was prepared for travel.

France-Galop First Class

Of course, stress is not just restricted to race day. At Royal Ascot the lack of response to any of my emails or telephone calls throughout the week was an increasing factor on my nerves on the day. For Longchamp it was not easy to ascertain what the arrangements would be for badges and owners. So, I emailed France-Galop. I was delighted when I got a very swift response indicating that we would get five parade ring badges, plus two tickets to the runners cocktail party. I had heard that guest tickets were restricted to twelve, but that might have been for syndicates. So, I replied asking for further clarification.

The ticket that money can’t buy

I was going to be accompanied by Sally, Ole and his girlfriend Abbie, Zac, and my sisters Jane and Fiona. Added to this was Kenny, a friend from Middleham Park Racing.

They were very helpful, confirming that all would be revealed once declarations were made, and thanking me for my initial list of guests as it would make their job easier. They also said that they would apply for eight parade ring badges, the total number in our party. However, these could not be guaranteed. It was a far cry from the silence received from Ascot, and I could forget about it for a few days.

Ryanwhere?

We set about making travel arrangements, and opted for flights to Paris Beauvais. This is actually what Ryanair call Paris, but in truth it is nowhere near the French capital. The flights were convenient and cheap, but the transfer to Longchamp was 90 minutes. We booked a hotel in Saint-Cloud, just a short taxi ride from the course. If things conspired against us it was not too far to walk.

A Busy Few Weeks

October 1st was an important day in my  racing world. It was the day for forfeits in the Abbaye, and the initial entry stage for the Mercury Stakes at Dundalk. The Abbaye came down from 51 to 19 entries, about as many runners as there had ever been in the race. And that was without supplementary entries. Dundalk was also popular, with 28 entries in the Mercury. These included familiar faces such as Valiant Force, Beautiful Diamond, Lady With The Lamp, Night Raider and Powerful Nation. Night Raider was in the Abbaye, Beautiful Diamond had won the Beverley Bullet, and the other three all ran in the Mercury last year.

An Accurate Weather Forecast Anyone?

The weather was still changeable for Longchamp. A few more of the weather sites were now predicting rain, but others suggested it would not be enough to alter the going. A preview on RacingTV, which included an “expert” on French going, suggested that it would be no worse than good to soft. I finally persuaded myself to stop looking, as it was one factor that I could not affect. We were going to Longchamp, and that was that.

There were no supplementary entries, and so the field was set at 19. The Arc De Triomphe was also beginning to take shape, but David’s Estrange was drawn 18 of 18. She had two potential entries on the day, but she was withdrawn from the second and a short time later she was listed as a non runner in the Arc. Officially she had been coughing, and she would now head to the fillies and mares race at Ascot on Champions Day. The cynical racing population thought that it was suspicious that she had been withdrawn so close to being given the worst possible stall.

Danny On Board

So, Danny Tudhope would have his only ride on Arc day on Star Of Lady M. Would he still travel to France for one ride? Especially as he was due to ride in Canada the evening before. David confirmed that Danny was our jockey, which was a great relief. Unfortunately, there was some bad news when we were drawn in 12. This could have been worse, but not by much! Danny and David had won the Abbaye before in 2014 with Move In Time, and by coincidence they were drawn in 12. Perhaps there was hope and lightning would strike twice. On a positive note, the pace of JM Jungle and Night Raider were on either side of us, so we should get a good lead into the race.

True to their word, France-Galop sent the tickets by email on Friday morning. There was an email with six owners grandstand tickets, and two for the runners cocktail party, which also included access to the owners grandstand. Parade ring tickets needed to be collected from the weighing room next to the parade ring on the day of the race.

Star Of Lady M was priced at 33/1 and 50/1 reflecting her recent form and poor draw. Megarry was withdrawn the day before the race, meaning that we would effectively now be in stall 11. Still not particularly good, but better than it was twenty-four hours earlier. Twitter was full of stories of people arriving in Paris for the big event. The Arc De Triomphe day is by far the biggest event on the French racing calendar, and we were about to be a part of it. Unfortunately, most of the stories included videos of driving rain. It looked like David’s weather radar was accurate.

If It Looks Like Rain And It Sounds Like Rain It Must Be Rain

We set off for Paris via Manchester Airport on a day that did not start well. Abbie forgot her passport and had to return home to get it. Fortunately, her mum gave her a lift to the airport, and she actually arrived before us. We got to Terminal 3 where the prebooked parking was all full. It took around twenty minutes before we found a family that were leaving. We waited whilst they loaded their car and pulled away, as other drivers tried to sneak past us and steal the space. I have become used to this over the years, and with just a slight angle I made it impossible for them to pass. With that out of the way we headed through security.

Storm Amy was doing her best to disrupt travel, but our flight was relatively calm, and we landed in Paris earlier than scheduled. The weather forecast indicated that the rain had finished, and there would be no more before our race. This was quickly proven to be incorrect as we drove through the outskirts of Paris. Windscreen wipers flashed and the view across to the Eiffel Tower was blurred by heavy raindrops.

The Eiffel Tower looking for Hobbits

It was late evening when we arrived at our hotel, but we booked a taxi for the morning and ventured out to a French restaurant for dinner. Paris by night, even from Saint-Cloud, is spectacular, and we marvelled at the light emanating from the top of the Eiffel Tower, like the eye of Sauron in Mordor.

Paris by night

Never seen so much Martini

The Big Day

The following morning there came the news that Rayevka was a non runner. She was drawn 19 of 19, so her withdrawal did not affect our starting position, but she was one of the leading contenders. After breakfast, our taxi arrived and it was time to go. My nerves were surprisingly under control, and the taxi dropped us off at the gates 20 minutes before they were officially open at 11am. We waited by the VIP lane where the only people allowed through were jockeys and dignitaries. As the racegoers milled around, the rain had stopped and it was a dry, blustery day. A gust of wind rattled the metal barriers, and then a drama unfolded.

Is There A Doctor In The House?

One of the barriers fell on to the legs of a woman in a wheelchair. It sliced through her skin and blood flowed. Sally rushed over and started to administer first aid, elevating her legs and trying to stop the bleeding. My sister Jane said that it was just a skin tear, but they can bleed profusely. The paramedics were nowhere to be found, and the Longchamp gate staff were clearly unqualified to deal with such a situation. Sally called for tissues, and a gentleman handed some to her. She noticed the word “Occidental” emblazoned on the tissues, and she had time to think to herself that these have come from a good quality hotel.

VIP of course

In Praise Of The French

Eventually the paramedics arrived, the lady was taken away, and we were allowed inside. This is where Longchamp really excelled. The France-Galop staff held up signs indicating “Owners”, or “Salon-Ribot”, or a variety of other destinations. This was exactly what we needed. Sally stopped to clean her hands of all of the blood, then we followed the Salon-Ribot sign.

The hall of fame at Longchamp

The rest of our party followed the Owners sign. We were taken to a huge marquee, and at the front of the marquee were several desks. Some were for officials, some were for other dignitaries, and some were for the runners cocktail party. We registered, got our pink wristbands and gift vouchers, and headed back towards the entrance as it would not actually open until 12. On the lawn in front of the marquee we met Benjamin, the man who had handed over the tissues at the front gates. He did not have a runner, he had simply paid the sum of 350 Euros to attend the cocktail party. We promised to meet him later, and we headed off.

   

Salon-Ribot and the Arc De Triomphe

Badges To Spare

Turning left we found our way into the parade ring which was deserted at that time. On the edge of the ring was the weighing room where we needed to collect our parade ring badges. This was surprisingly simple, as they just asked for the name of our horse and the number of badges. They had me down for six, but when I said that there were eight of us there was no great drama. Maybe because I had been proactive, or maybe because we were there early, they simply handed over eight badges. It was a nice touch, and really one borne out of common sense, and them realising that the parade ring experience was one that money simply could not buy. 

Champagne And The Arc

We found the rest of our party in the owners bar and grandstand. The view out there was amazing. We could see right across the track from an elevated position. The ceremonial side of the race was already under way, with the jockey colours for the Arc runners being laid out in order. I had a couple of beers, and nerves were still under control when we headed back for the early part of the cocktail party.

     

The huge grandstand

French Hospitality

Inside the marquee there were already a few groups enjoying the day. We met the owners of JM Jungle who I have become increasingly familiar with. They were surprised at the arrangements that I had managed to make with France-Galop for our ticket allocation, as one of the major shareholders had had to pay for the cocktail party and did not even have a parade ring badge. I wished them well as I enjoyed a couple more beers, as if we were not going to win I would have loved them to triumph.

   

Runners’ cocktail party

There were tables laid out, bars serving champagne, beers and wines, and waiters and waitresses handing out canapes. It was like a very fancy wedding, and it made for a very relaxing preamble to the day. There was also a seating area outside, where we once again bumped in to Benjamin. He did not yet own horses, but it seemed that he might like to get involved at some point. I gave him a business card and told him that I would be happy to make some introductions.

Race Time

Back in the owners bar we had a grandstand view of the opening ceremony. Races followed quickly, and it was soon time to go.

The opening ceremony

TV Stars

We made our way into the parade ring which was packed. There seemed to be as many film crews as owners, and we were approached by Bein Sports for an interview. Sally saw what was going on and immediately stalled her conversation so that she could join in.

Sally spots a TV camera

Priceless

They did not seem particularly knowledgeable about Star Of Lady M, hopefully that would change a few minutes later. We spoke to Ruby Walsh who was having a few moments away from the camera. We explained about the going and the draw, but he said that it does not really matter whether we finish first or last. He pointed up to the packed steps surrounding the parade ring.

Star Of Lady M in the parade ring at Longchamp

Normally I do not see anything outside of the parade ring as I am too wrapped up with the events that are about to unfold. On this occasion I saw multiple rows of people all peering down at us. It was like a goldfish bowl. Ruby pointed out that every single one of those people looking down at us would pay a fortune to be where we were in that moment, and he was right. We were so privileged that our journey had taken us to one of the biggest horse racing events on the global calendar.

In front of the crowds

Ready For Action

The horses started to appear in the ring, so we bade Ruby farewell. He really was one of the nicest people that you could ever wish to meet. Star Of Lady M was relaxed a she walked around the ring. I spotted David and Char-Lee, and then Danny appeared. Tactics were fairly simple. We should try to get out quickly, and ride her for her best possible finish. Danny knew her well, and we did not need to tell him how to ride a race, even one as important as this.

After he mounted they had to do another circuit around the path, and Star Of Lady M started to get anxious. It was a relief when they left for the start. She had drifted to 80/1, but who cared?

The Abbaye is on a different track to the rest of the action on Arc day. It runs through the middle of the course, and so the finishing line is quite some distance away. We decided to watch on a large screen at one end of the parade ring, then at least we could guarantee getting back to the ring afterwards.

The Race Unfolds

Before we had time to think much more about it they were off. She missed the break, but Danny stayed calm and navigated her across to the rail. The ground was cutting up as she dropped to last place, but the furious pace started to tell on some of our opposition. She passed the tail-enders and continued to run on. From her slow start she was never going to trouble the leaders, but she finished a brilliant 9th behind Australian star sprinter Asfoora.

She was the leader of all of those drawn above 10, and to be in single figures in her first Group 1 with so many factors against her was remarkable. She might just be ready to start showing her best form again, just as many of her rivals are coming to the end of a long season.

Planning session

A Brilliant Performance

Danny was as honest as ever in his explanation. She was keen to get on with it in the stalls but when they finally opened she was on her back foot. She did not really travel well in the rain-softened ground, but she ran on at the end, showing her resilience and toughness. Overall it was a fantastic effort, and we looked forward to a return to Dundalk.

Looking a picture after the Abbaye

After the race we headed to the owners grandstand. David and Char-Lee could have headed to the Salon-Ribot cocktail party, but they decided to join us. Champagne and beer continued to flow, and we watched the magnificence of the Arc from our grandstand view. The spectacle was something to behold, with the presentation taking place on the track, and the winners being escorted in a carriage.

Champagne And Caviar

It seemed like we would be in the grandstand for the rest of the day, so Sally and Char-Lee went to the Salon-Ribot to collect our gifts. David had a winner at Kelso as we waited for another Parisian race, then we got a phone call. Sally had met Benjamin again, and he had free tickets for all of our group. So, we all headed to Salon-Ribot to spend the rest of the day with more champagne, beers, canapes, and entertainment. Chocolate treats arrived and were quickly consumed, whilst Sally disappeared for a caviar tasting experience. I grabbed an apple from one of the bars, realising that I had not eaten very much at all since breakfast.

   

Umbrellas or parasols?

David and Char-Lee said farewell and we were not too far behind them. Outside, we once again met Benjamin, and he took us to La Grande Cascade, a very fancy French restaurant within walking distance of the course. We had a pleasant evening, with Zac delighting in the blue lobster. However, several of our party were looking forward to Uber Eats back at the hotel. Sadly that was not to be. We retired for the night and prepared for a very early start to get us back to Paris Beauvais.

Not quite Uber Eats

Homeward Bound

The following morning we had one obvious problem. The gift vouchers were for umbrellas, and we now had five of them. Sally had a cunning plan to smuggle them on to the plane, covered by her long coat. There was a police incident as we arrived at Beauvais, and when we finally got through security there was another incident. Zac had, for some reason, taken his golf swing trainer with him. This is a small metal pole with a weight on the end that extends when it is swung. The security staff decided that it could be used as a weapon, and so he had to discard it. Needless to say he was fuming.

We had coffee and a sandwich before boarding, then Sally put her smuggling plan into action. She need not have worried. Apparently Ryanair allow small umbrellas anyway. So, we arrived home what seemed like a week after setting off, but which was actually less than 48 hours.

We may never again have a horse good enough to race at Longchamp on Arc day, but we will never forget our experience.

Back Home

The following weekend we spent a very relaxed morning at Willow Farm, chatting to staff and fellow-owners about future plans. First on the agenda was a trip to Dundalk for the Group 3 Mercury Stakes, and there is still the tantalising possibility of racing in Dubai. Percy’s Daydream was as soft as a kitten in her stable, whilst Star Of Lady M was still just hacking around the gallop after her trip to France. She will be stepped up in plenty of time for her race in Ireland.

Percy’s Daydream loves being fussed

Star Of Lady M being put through her paces and washed down by Cian Horgan

You can read the previous edition here

Autumn In Paris?