As a massive racing geek and given the opportunity to see one of sports oldest contested prizes, myself and some pals jumped at the chance for a day at the races.
The Carlisle Bell was first raced in 1599 and has been providing the biggest race day in the track's calendar every year since. The trophy is the oldest still contested in sport and has been awarded to the winning connections for the past 418 years!
Carlisle Racecourse were hopeful of attracting a bumper crowd of four thousand for the meeting on Wednesday and despite rain engulfing most of the country, the Cumbrian micro-climate meant that we didn't see a drop all day. Despite this and almost baltic conditions the crowds flocked and were treated to a great day's racing that included the Cumberland Plate and the Listed "Eternal Stakes".
Carlisle is just an hour and a half on the train from my home town Warrington and following some refreshments upon arrival in a couple of Carlisle's finest hostelries we crammed on the bus up to the racecourse where we were welcomed by punters queueing to get in.
A winner in the first was most welcomed in what turned out to be the first of three straight victories for jockey Paul Mulrennan, landing a 224/1 treble in the process (alas not for this punter!).
Attention then turned to the Carlisle Bell Handicap. We'd been fortunate enough to get a close up look at the trophies, two bells first presented in 1599 that had also made the trip north from their home in the Racing museum in Newmarket.
The larger of the two bells is engraved with the words...
"The sweftes horse thes bel tak for mi lade Daker sake"
(The swiftest horse this bell to take for my lady Dacre's sake).
The Lady Dacre in question was most probably the wife of Sir Thomas Dacre of Naworth and both bells remain in terrific condition.
A fiendishly difficult race to predict the winner, it was more luck than judgement that I managed to pick out the 13/2 joint favourite Carnageo trained by Richard Fahy, royally roared on from the lawn whilst nursing a delicious Cumberland pasty!
Joy was short lived after the well backed Ralph Beckett filly Bletchley was denied in the following Eternal Stakes.
As the temperature dipped further the crowds flocked into the town centre following the last race of the day and as we headed south to wetter climes and reflected on a good day's racing.
