Two friendships all too Brief

The town's buzzing and it's great to think we're under orders for action at the Rowley Mile. Our main focus this week is on Newbury, however, and Brief Goodbye's reappearance on Saturday.

It's hard to look forward to the day without feeling an aching sadness at the absence of Brief's owner Joe McCarthy. We have a daily reminder of Joe with the unbelievably long grass currently swaying in the resting paddock, courtesy of the grass seed he so thoughtfully bought us a couple of days before he died last September. The horses will love being let loose in there. They're about to switch to summer quarters any day now so the grass is unlikely to survive for long but will will be much enjoyed in the first few days.

It's also hard to think of Brief without remembering Leslie Harrison who, with Lord Howard de Walden, was responsible for breeding his sire, the Derby winner Slip Anchor. We were at Leslie's house for one of our pedigree group meetings the evening Brief won at Windsor last year (pictured) and Leslie took great delight in shouting him home.

On Wednesday, Ruth Harrison has organised a celebration of Leslie's life, appropriately on the morning of the start of racing at Newmarket where he was a steward and so many people knew and loved him.

As the sunshine ushers in another exciting flat season, let's not forget two great men whose presence will be sorely missed for years to come. Here's hoping Brief Goodbye can do them both proud on Saturday.