Maiden Race

A jockey finishes his training and finally makes the weight loss he needs to enter a new filly in her first maiden event. It's a flat 5 furlong event on grass and the going is good to firm.

They line up for the start and the huge crowd are shouting encouragement for their favourites, the starter sets them off and they gallop away at good speed.

The lad is pleased with his position mid field and the filly settles into the event with a steady pace, suddenly from somewhere in the crowd a jar of pickles is thrown and hits the young jockey full in the face, as it hits him it smashes and covers him in pickles and he loses ground.

Determined to regain his position, he recovers composure and urges his filly to greater efforts. As they pass the first furlong someone hurls a plate of sandwiches at him which hit him in the chest, again hindering his progress. Undeterred, he again settles down to his work as his horse starts to gain ground.

They pass the second furlong marker and a fillet of salmon is launched at him from the roaring spectators which wraps itself around his reins and again he loses ground. Valiantly he refuses to give in and urges the filly to greater efforts.

He makes good progress and makes up several places until at last they approach the finish when without warning an assortment of fruit is launched at his horse which distracts it badly and it falls to last position at the post.

After the race, the horses owner calls him over to explain his poor performance,

"I just can't explain it" he stammers, "I was hampered".