2 Blokes 5 Questions - people in racing

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 If you’ve read our website introduction you’ll know that, since the beginning of the year, we’ve been threatening to grab someone…could be a member of the public, a member of staff, or even a celebrity and ask them a range of horse racing related questions in our 2 Blokes 5 Questions 'interview'. Thus far we'd not done it. However we actually pulled our fingers out and did do it this time, and it was none other than ITV Racing’s paddock expert, William Hill radio presenter and all-round top bloke Ken Pitterson. One of the most approachable racing celebrities we’ve met, and he was more than happy to answer quickfire questions from us, although he didn't realise what we were up to at the time. We told him afterward and he said that we could even ask him more after the racing. We've seen Ken at many of the meetings that we've been to and have always joked to him, in passing, that he's literally everywhere. He actually only goes racing about four times a week. Although we have talked to him before this was the first 'proper' chat. A genuinely nice guy.

2blokes: In your opinion Ken who are the current best Jumps and Flat racing jockeys?
Ken: Sean Bowen (Jumps) and Ryan Moore (Flat)
 

2blokes: What is the best flat horse that you’ve ever seen?
Ken: Dancing Brave
 

2blokes: What do you think is the best flat horse in training at the moment, and can you give us a horse (or horses) to look out for?
Ken: Aidan O'Brien's 2-year-old colt City of Troy is the best horse currently in training and Ralph Becketts Qirat and Task Force are ones to keep an eye out for. Both are unraced at the moment

(Task Force has since run in the 18.45 at Salisbury on Saturday 29th July 2023 and won comfortably. Qirat has also run at Newmarket's July Course and finished a closing 3/4L third after breaking slowly and staying on. Qirat has since run again at Kempton Park, winning cosily)
 

2blokes: What’s your favourite racecourse?
Ken: Salisbury
 

2blokes: If you could change one thing in racing what would it be?
Ken: Reduce the number of fixtures

We’d like to thank Ken again for kicking off 2 Blokes 5 Questions. He really is a true gentleman and, as he says himself, “It costs nothing to be polite”. Too right Ken 👍
 

We both love a Yorkshire racecourse and so we were thrilled when Charlotte Russell, General Manager of the fabulous Go Racing in Yorkshire marketing organisation was happy to step up to the plate and answer our five questions. Charlotte's involvement in horse racing goes all the way back to her childhood as she grew up in a family that bred point-to-pointers, and still does. Their prolific point-to-point winner, including two Gold Cups over four miles-plus, Duchess Account is a particular favourite of hers. 

After spells working at York, Ascot, and Beverley racecourses, and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Charlotte took up her present role at Go Racing in Yorkshire in February 2019.

2blokes: What is the best thing about your job?

Charlotte: Promoting Yorkshire racing - I’m passionate about horseracing and a proud Yorkshire woman so it’s perfect! I take so much delight in being involved with the nine courses, which are all unique in their own way but true to themselves. They do what works for them ensuring racegoers have a great day out.

2blokes: What do you think sets Yorkshire racecourses apart from the others? 

Charlotte: Similar to the above, but in addition it’s the racegoers. They are so knowledgeable about racing, particularly on the Yorkshire circuit, and a very friendly bunch as well, and they're always happy to share their opinion (whether you want it or not!)

2blokes: If you could change one thing for the better of horse racing, what would it be?

Charlotte: It’s an obvious one, but better prize money across the board.  We have the quality and the prestige within the sport in the UK, without the purse string to back it up. However, the funding model is not a quick fix. If it was then you wouldn’t still be hearing this.

2blokes: What other sports do you watch, or take part in, other than horse racing?

Charlotte: I’m fanatical about point-to-pointing, it’s my first love and where the love of racing came from. My family has been involved in the sport for generations and while I’ve never been brave enough to race ride, my sister, dad, and grandfather have all ridden winners at the same course (the sadly now-defunct Whitewell-on-the-Hill) on the same breeding line of horse. My contribution these days is more operational.

2blokes: What ambitions do you have in racing?

I want to see Go Racing In Yorkshire go from strength to strength. It’s a fantastic organisation to be involved in, with a variety of functions. And I also want to keep promoting Yorkshire’s racing stakeholders and their achievements until we can shout no more!

I would also like to see Jumps racing in Yorkshire revert back to its glory days of the late ’70s and ’80s. We have some very good jump trainers based in the county such as Ruth Jefferson and Sue Smith, as well as some useful dual-purpose yards, but we don’t have the numbers like we used to.

We'd like to thank Charlotte again for taking time out of her busy schedule.