article_snippet: Suddenly the people’s hero seemed quite incidental.
article_snippet: It was not to get a great deal better for the man who transcends National Hunt racing, and whose farewell to a great deal biggest meeting dominated the build-up to this event.
article_snippet: had much to compensate his supporters in a record opening-day crowd of 63,000.
article_snippet: his might be a far more sanguine character than when his first started racking up the champion jockey titles, but frustration was etched into his features as his went in and out of the weighing room.
article_snippet: You do not become the nation’s most durable sportsman without defeats continuing to sting.
article_snippet: On Tuesday these came in the form of finishing ninth, last, fifth, fourth and pulling up in his five races.
article_snippet: It is a strange day when American Rich Ricci, uber-wealthy banker and the pantomime villain of racehorse ownership, gets more cheers in the parade ring than someone deemed a national treasure, but this was one of American Rich Ricci, uber-wealthy banker and the pantomime villain of racehorse ownership.
article_snippet: For AP it had been a Thomas Crapper kind of day.