Taunton Barr

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

  Was early next morning that Winston had a war party from the stables in his office, Kalika and Lindy strode in unannounced and without knocking. They had been in Bristol until late the previous night, Kalika was less than happy. 'Okay, out with it, you put him up to it.'

  'Winston took off the magnifier glasses he was wearing. 'I beg your pardon.'

  'Graham, you put him up to it.'

  Winston's eyes darted round the room looking for nothing. 'My ears are working fine but my ESP is down this morning.'

  'Towcester, you want Taunton to run at Towcester, you told us Aintree.'

  Winston stood up carrying on like Basil Faulty. 'Oh have I changed my mind well so sorry know exactly how frustrating that can be. I can't remember ever telling you girls anything, strongly suggested things but.'

  'We'd like to know what's going on, it's all Graham was concerned about when I met him outside the station yesterday.'

  'Sort it out with him I'm happy to go either way.'

  Lindy and Kalika looked at each other open eyed. 'What.'

  'I said go and sort it out with him, you know discuss problems, preferences, options.'

  'What.'

  'Yes I realise will be something new discussing something with someone and making a neutral decision based on fact, but I'm sure your up to it.'

  'You want Lindy and I to discuss where Flaxy runs with Graham.'

  'Yes, did he want to discuss anything else.'

  'No he was very concerned about where Flaxy ran.'

  Winston sat down and put his magnifiers back on and went back to casually writing. 'Well go and sort it our, quite a few people round here need sorting out.'

  Kalika stamped her foot. 'That's really weird, for Graham to be involved in such a decision makes it difficult for us.'

  Winston looked up with a smile. 'Not unusual for a man to show concern about the safety of his wife. Congratulations love.'

  Kalika put her hands over her checks. 'Oh my god, he spoke to you.'

  'About the week after the national yes.'

  'Oh my god and he's in.'

  Winston stopped writing and put down his pen. 'Being in is not the issue, the issue is he loves you very much, that's the issue.'

  She started jumping up and down and grabbed Lindy, they embraced shouting and screaming. 'I thought you wouldn't approve because of who he is.'

  'Ah but that's exactly why I do approve, time for you to discuss things with him.' She ran round the desk and hugged him, then back to Lindy and hugged her again. They scuttled toward the door, just before they left. 'Lindy.'

  She turned and looked at him. 'You can't ride Flaxmead for ever, after the national win or loose I hope you find as much happiness as Kalika.'

  'I can't find it in my heart to move on at present.'

  'I understand, we're always here.' She smiled and they left.

  Beneath the surface Winston was checking on some concerning developments, some very powerful horses had been brought into the country, unknowns of foreign origin tested only on their home turf. Two horses had form that showed a threat to Flaxmead's dominance, he searched memory banks of foreign controlling bodies. A mount from the Indian province of Uttar Pradesh, Allahabad, named after the town in which it was sired, if the records were correct the horse had dominance in India but was a flat racer, it's race times were staggeringly close to Flaxmead's. The Indian syndicate that owned the horse had failed to beat Flaxmead in a group one British derby some years ago. The French charger Moet, owned by a rival wine syndicate, it's times would propose Flaxmead would have only four lengths on this champion. They had run four miles in record time albeit on their own turf. Their times were faster than Crimson Tide, Backfire and Saracen, but could they jump. All other contenders Winston had extensive information for Lindy to study, these two horses he had nothing, no one he knew had seen them run. Winston knew how dangerous this could be, he didn't even know where they had been stabled in the UK, both had been in the country for a few months. He realised he felt like the people that had to deal with Flaxmead when he suddenly hit the scene. He paced his office thinking, there were eight horses that could challenge Flaxmead at Aintree, Lindy even knew their jockeys tactics, these two had been brought to the country for one purpose from the writings of Lee Hayford, to run the Grand National, why. Why would conglomerate commercial entities bring champion stud horses to the most dangerous horse race on the planet, money nor prestige were the motives, they already had that, he had a gut feeling and it wasn't pleasant. He was about to call Lindy when mechanic came in. 'Beaker and a lady called June Williams are at the gate.'

  'Joan.'

  'You know her.'

  'I know of her, met her a couple of times, let them in.' Winston remained standing in deep thought looking out the window to the complex. Mechanic brought the visitors in, formalities were interrupted by Mavis as she enquired as to the guests culinary preferences. Once seated in front of Winston's desk, Winston continued to stand behind his desk. 'To what do we owe the pleasure.'

  Joan was frustrated. 'For goodness sake Winston we have been trying to talk to you for ages, we have kayos in this lead up to the national and you haven't helped.'

  Winston frowned. 'I don't work for the HBA, fail to see where my responsibility covers decisions you make.'

  'The national tends to find it's forty runners from entrants based on attrition during the lead up after entries received in January.'

  'Taunton Barr has yet to place in a race over three miles.'

  'Oh come on Winston if the thing doesn't run in the national and you run somewhere else Aintree will be deserted.'

  'Nice thought but a few developments are concerning.'

  'Tell me about it, poisonings, missing persons, commercial entities clambering to back the race. Some stability would be nice.'

  'Taunton will run a three mile plus within the next few days.'

  'Where.'

  'A decision will be made in good time.'

  'Only two places have a three mile in the next two weeks, Towcester and Aintree.'

  'Where we run our horses is out business.'

  'If Taunton doesn't run before entires close he may not qualify, you would then run him somewhere else according to Lindy Cumberland.'

  'He can run after entries are accepted as long as he places in a plus three miler.'

  'That is not the path.'

  'Hasn't been tested yet and besides it won't happen, Taunton will run within the time frame.'

  'What do we have to do to find out before we leave.'

  'Decision is out of my hands.'

  'Oh please Winston.'

  'I'm telling you it's out of my hands but will be the courses you mentioned.'

  'We are just here to try and get some direction and stability for everyone Winston, you must be concerned about some things yourself, some cards on the table would be nice.'

  'There is something I would like to know.'

  Beaker spoke for the first time. 'If it's in our power to be able to comment so be it.'

  'About three months ago two horses entered the country, one from India and the other France.'

  'You'd have to be a bit more specific, the list is colossal.'

  'Allahabad from India and Moet France.'

  Beaker raised one eyebrow. 'Mmm, Moet has been here before, Allahabad that I remember, I agree strange, commercial entities rarely take risk like that.'

  'Unless the payoff is astronomical.'

  'If they want big payoffs they could run the Melbourne Cup in Australia with far less risk.'

  'Exactly what I was thinking. Can I be so forward as to ask where the stabling arrangements are listed.'

  'Chalkwall Park Devon for both far as I remember, do you honestly think those horses can take it to Taunton Barr.'

  'As I mentioned before, Taunton hasn't qualified for the national as yet, but these two horses have, running places in several trials in quiet places. No firsts just places.'

  'Well i
n that sense all this drama elsewhere has kept the press off everyone's back bar your own Winston.'

  Winston's phone vibrated on the table surface. 'Excuse me,' he answered it, 'Graham..............really, still alive are you,' he chuckled............'good man just in time to make some people here a bit happier than they are, will see you this evening.' He hung up put his phone gently on the table and looked at his visitors. 'Towcester.'

  Joan expressed relief. 'Well thank goodness for small mercies.'

  Beaker jumped in. 'Tight has sharp turns I know who likes them, will be the biggest crowd they've seen for ever.'

  Joan interrupted. 'At least we can inform affected interests and they can make the necessary preparations, some will be happy.'

  'An entry will still be forwarded regardless of if he runs at Towcester or fails to place.'

  'Nor really an issue.'

  'Is if your at the Old Bailey.'

  'Indeed.' There was a knock on the door and Mavis brought in a tray.