The annual jaunt to the local bookies was made on Saturday; an endeavor which ended the same way it usually does (damn yoooou, BLACK AAPALACHIII!!!! *slams clenched fist on desk*). It was bad enough clutching twenty quids worth (last of the big spenders, me) of defunct betting slips, but having to endure Claire Balding's "interview" with the winning jockey afterwards was the icing on the proberbial. Sure, she might know a fair bit about the horses, but she's utterly shafted in all other departments.
Her conversation with Liam Treadwell, the rider of 100-1 outsider Mon Mome (which can be viewed here) went something like this: "Give us a big grin to the camera. No, no - let us see your teeth... He hasn't got the best teeth in the world but you can afford to go and get them done now if you like."
As has become customary, the BBC has been inundated with complaints from viewers, one of which wrote on the broadcaster's website: "When Liam Treadwell has just won one of the most dangerous horse races it is incredible that all Clare Balding could do was comment about his teeth - how about a simple congratulation?"
Liam's finance, Emily, said: "I love him whatever Clare Balding says. Any other day those comments would have really upset him but I think he was just so happy to have won, he wasn't that fussed."
Yeah, but I bet it was a comment which dragged him through the memory mud to the playground of his youth.