OpinionDavid Ashforth
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I might have discovered the unlikely secret to Venetia Williams' success

David Ashforth suggests it might pay for racegoers to shift their focus in the parade ring

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Features writer
Venetia Williams:
Venetia Williams: suited by practice of starting races when runners are still half a furlong from the startCredit: Edward Whitaker

One of the drawbacks of ageing is you tend to look backwards rather than forwards. It’s fair enough, as there’s more backwards to look at.

Anyway, there’s no reason why you should be interested in my Uncle George, who made custard pies for the Doncaster Co-op, while my grandfather, who lived next door, was a coal miner at the Bentley Colliery, proud of having stuck it out for the duration during the 1926 General Strike. 

My grandfather had a habit of donating part of his wage packets to a street bookmaker, possibly because he felt sorry for him, while Uncle George suffered from a similar habit. George provided my first encounter with horseracing, although it was a long time before I actually saw a racehorse, even on television. During visits to Doncaster, we’d watch the racing together. 

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