Momentous day in the old racing world tomorrow as its Mr Henderson’s birthday. And a notable one at that as the great man is 65. No, I haven’t made a typing error, the forum’s favourite trainer may look no older than late thirties, but he’s actually 65 of the morrow. I’m sure I speak for everyone, and I do mean everyone, when I say ‘Happy Birthday, Mr Henderson’. I had hoped that a Public Holiday would have been the order of the day but apparently that isn’t going to be the case. However, that shouldn’t stop us all celebrating the special day of the man who is our sports shining star, its most instantly recognisable figure, its greatest icon, a true legend and a man who has both a brilliant brain and ‘magic hands’. Apart from the skills and attributes that make him the greatest trainer of all time he also endears himself to everyone by being the perfect gentleman, Modest with a capital ‘M’, unassuming both in victory and defeat, open and approachable at all times and totally, totally honest. Re this last point it’s a well known fact that Mr Henderson has the straightest bat in racing. Members, feel free to add your own tributes to the great man. Hopefully, these can all then be dispatched to Seven Barrows by one of the mods in time for the ‘big day’. And then the forum’s favourite trainer can peruse them whilst sipping his mid morning / lunchtime / early afternoon / late afternoon / dinner time / early evening / late evening (delete as appropriate) birthday GnT.
Yes I had a titter at the "...totally, totally honest..." sentence Barney, is it true that Hendo will be seen dressed as Santa at the Kempton meeting on Boxing Day? One could say that he's certainly looking 'jolly/festively plump' these days. I've heard that Paul Nicholls is booked in at Morrison's over Crimbo for the same reason.
I hope Bess had him take lodgings in the "Tower" for what he did to poor old Moonlit Path on that terrible day at Huntingdon. As a lover of all things sentient, I still find myself waking all a sweat in the wee hours of the morning, for what horrible Hendo's crew inflicted upon that helpless, all trusting creature. I'll let not a single drop of amber fluid pass my lips in salute of such a blackguard. The only positive I can take from this whole sordid affair, is the thankful knowledge that the miserable person spends most of his time consorting with the the others of his ilk, in what is frequently referred as the hunt scene. A bunch of shiftless, loafers the likes of which have never been seen before.
Happy birthday old chap- good to see Aswell some older guard coming back out Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig, My Tent Or Yours is scheduled to run over xmas all we need is Long Run and everything will be back to normal!
Hear,hear Barney. Great trainer,humanitarian and all round (ovoid even) good egg. Long may he conduct his magic.
I must say that I was shocked (so shocked in fact that when I got to the coalface I had to have a lie down, in the sick bay, for half an hour while the nurse soothed my furrowed brow), and quite frankly appalled, that the ‘Racing Post’ didn’t dedicate the first 30 pages or so to Mr Henderson’s ‘special day’. In fact all they did was mention that he was 65 in their birthday column! And that was it together with a tiny thumbnail picture above it. DIS-GRACE-FUL. Meanwhile, the national dailies are just as bad with not one special 16, or even 8, page ‘commemorative pullout’. Not even the pair of papers who commission such a publication, when a Minor Royal opens a Library or sneezes, had anything. TERRY-BELL. Let's hope that Sky News deploy a reporter, to the gates of Seven Barrows, later this evening, to report on the arrivals at the birthday bash. That is the least that we deserve.
Fun fact: JK Rowling was inspired to write the Harry Potter series after hearing about Nicky's famous exploits with magic potions.
I sent him a card with a fair few £50 notes in it..a drop in the ocean compared to the money the great man has won me over the decades and the very least I could do.
SBC on his knees again I see waxing lyrical about Nicky the needle - no surprise there - quite disturbing to say the least !!
