Over the past month, I have managed to persuade myself that maybe I misunderstood what I was told the day that Poptastic’s owner visited last year. Or that there has been a change of plan. It would be a race like any other. We shall be there to win. ‘Jay. Come. Race tomorrow. Talk.’ It is Mr Wilkinson who opens the front door. He trudges down the corridor, and I follow. In the sitting room, he slumps into his usual chair beside a blazing fire. A glass of whisky is on the table beside him. He waves vaguely towards the sofa. I sit down. Mr Wilkinson reaches for a copy of today’s Racing Post on the table beside him, and tosses it onto the sofa. It is open on tomorrow’s racecard at Lingfield. The name of one race has been highlighted in red. The Albright Apprentice Handicap. And a line of blue is through one runner. POPTASTIC (C. Wilkinson) 3 8-12 J. Barton (7) ‘Look good?’ The trainer actually smiles at me. ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Now. Need to talk about the race. Tomorrow.’ Mr Wilkinson takes a sip of whisky and looks at the glass in his hand.
