ONE of the more amusing sights over the past week’s racing was in the four-year-old novice hurdle at Fairyhouse. As Proactif and Macho Man were heading to fight out the finish, coming to the second last and quite a way behind, we had It’s Bobsled Time. The gelding had won one of the new academy hurdles, devised to rival the French youngsters in getting horses to learn to jump earlier to improve that ability.

Well, It’s Bobsled Time had his own ideas about that and, despite having an academy ‘win’ to his name, he promptly said ‘I’ve had enough of this lark’, put on the brakes and tried to refuse. He finally screwed over the hurdle and ended up on the ground! So much for that idea that an earlier start makes better jumpers!