It’s all systems go with Uttoxeter now. The launch is definitely on Sunday 22 November, when they have a race meeting. I was startled to hear last week that they wanted changes to the text. Fortunately there weren’t many and they were minor. They also wanted a new photo to go in but it was easy to nominate one to take out, enabling a straight swap.
Two days after I emailed the changes to my contact at the printers I had (untypically) heard nothing, so I rang them. I found my man had left. Fortunately others were dealing with the work. We are now at the stage where the amendments have been done but the revised proofs have fresh mistakes! (Or in one case, an error that occurred some time ago and wasn’t spotted, ie a single page mysteriously having no header or page number.) In order for the launch to go ahead we must have the proofs agreed and error-free by next Wednesday evening. I also have to supply a quote about my work on the book for a press release.
Two of my three lots sold at the auction a few weeks ago. I was surprised how few people attended. Most of the action came from bids made in advance and from internet and phone bidders. The main excitement came with the sale of the rights to register various sets of racing colours. Judging by the trouble they took to get international callers on the phone I suspect it was an overseas owner who secured the all-silver set for a whopping £120,000.
I had a very productive meeting at Windsor last week, bringing the management up to date with the progress of that book and inspecting the stands with my architect chum Neil. We wanted to investigate how much of the old stand is original from when the course was laid out in 1865-6. More about that when the book comes out! Gaining access to rooftops and peaking into the commentator’s box is always an exciting privilege at least once per racecourse researched. On the first floor of the stands, down some winding corridors I hadn’t been to before, I was surprised to come across an upmarket gentleman’s tailor operating out of a couple of rooms. They can’t get much passing trade, but it seems to suit them. Yes, I meant to say that.
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