“Another fantastic day here at Hickstead with Geoff Luckett and Shane Breen firmly dominating the leader board once again. Geoff rode the Old Lodge’s R Little Lefanie to another stunning victory in the Stoner Jewellers Vase and Shane very nearly managed another victory in the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial. However, he was pipped to the post by two fantastic rounds from Jo Pay. The only two clear rounds after Kelvin Bywater’s course proved particularly challenging this year, Jo inched ahead with a stunning clear in the jump off - a particularly impressive feat from a lady who suffered a nasty fall just yesterday and whose doctor tried to sign off for the week!

Elsewhere on the showground has been a veritable hive of activity as the crowds poured in at opening time. Honestly, I’m certain a huge number of our visitors come just for the shopping! Catherine and I managed to squeeze a quick five minute ‘walkabout’ into our hectic day - to check on our sponsors tradestands of course (code word: shopping), not just a good excuse for a quick nose around the shops!

The press descended on mass today as the stories begin to hot up and the rivalry heightens, and our broadcasters arrived for their first interviews. This year, instead of the usual Derby related feature or montage, they plan to do a special piece on dad, and interviewed a few of the old favourites about what dad meant to them and his contribution to the sport. Poor Ellen (Whitaker) got a wee bit tearful recalling all her memories of dad and banished me from sight so she could concentrate! Geoffrey Billington on the other hand, fresh from a comedy fall in the main ring (sorry Geoff, but it was quite spectacular, and you are absolutely fine!) spent the entire interview reminiscing about wild nights out on the town with dad at various shows around the world, and had to be tactfully guided back to the subject in hand.

Despite heavy rain in the early hours of this morning (those ordinarily sacred hours of sleep before the hours of 7am that seem a distant memory to show organisers during an event), it proved welcome relief from the dust and we were very lucky all day. Glorious sunshine is predicted for the rest of the weekend, so everyone has everything kept crossed.

Time for me to sign off, I’m a wee bit late tonight, but I’m hoping to make it just in time to catch the end of the live band in the stablefield bar.”