Omar's Diary for Friday 1st June 2018

Wolverhampton - Martha Gellhorn - Donald Trump - The Derby

After a bank holiday weekend during which Mitsie and I had ample quality time with our Servants domestic arrangements deteriorated drastically on Tuesday, improved on Wednesday and were almost back to normal by Thursday.

Lady Servant left early on Tuesday morning with her suitcase and backpack.  Apparently, she was travelling to somewhere called ‘Wolverhampton’. This is a city in the West Midlands, wherever they are, that dates back at least a 1000 years and has a population of nearly 250,000.  The demonym for servants from there is ‘Wulfrunian’ which sounds very lupine in nature.  Regardless of what servants from there are called that is where Lady Servant went to leaving Mitsie and I to be cared for by Man Servant.

Oh dear.

Man Servant does do his best to look after us when Lady Servant is away but the service standards are never quite the same.

Take Tuesday evening for example.  Man Servant managed a very quick turn around in less than ten minutes.  That is in through the main entrance of Omar Towers, upstairs, changed and out of the front door again.  In that short space of time he did serve dinner for us but I do have to say, the quality of service was most certainly of the standard I would normally expect and accept.  I cannot speak for Mitsie on this issue as quite frankly with her background I really don’t think she is that bothered about how her meal arrives at her place setting just as long as it gets there.

Man Servant left Omar Towers wearing his jodhpurs so I have to assume he was going to see the equines and the other members of the servant species associated with them. I refuse to allow photographs of him to appear in this sartorial turnout in any of my diaries.  It really could be the stuff of nightmares for those of a sensitive disposition.  My concerns about another late night were confirmed.

When he returned, well after sunset, he was very sensible and enjoyed some homemade cake and milk before retiring to bed.  He did give me some Dreamies.  I joined him on the bed and we both hunkered down to read for a while.

We are currently reading a collection extended articles written by Servant Martha Gellhorn (1908 – 1998).  She was one of the most revered and respected members of that exclusive collection of servants referred to as ‘war correspondents’ and is still referred to as one of the best by the current generation of such journalists.

Her essays are detailed to the point of being forensic in her examination of how members of the servant species survive despite societal injustices, economic depressions and extended periods of conflict.  In many ways felines are the more fortunate of the two species as we do not suffer directly from any of these aspects of servants’ lives. 

Man Servant has asked that I include the following quote from Servant Gellhorn:

‘All politicians are bores, liars and fakes’.

I cannot believe that all servants who enter politics are like that as having read many books on politicians Man Servant and I believe, in the true spirit of romanticism, that servants enter politics with a genuine desire to make a difference but something happens along the way to make servants like Servant Gellhorn say things like the above quote.

The quote leads almost seamlessly to my next paragraph.

In my diary last week I mentioned the headline in The Times ‘Trump blames China for wrecking Korea talks’.  Well, from that headline and the subsequent article one would have reached the conclusion that the talks were going to be postponed for quite a while or even cancelled.  Alas no, as it was announced as early as Tuesday that security teams from both sides have been having discussions over security, protocol and agendas ahead of the servant Trump and servant Kin Jon Ung having their meeting.

Diplomacy should always be conducted behind closed doors, through back channels or smoke filled rooms so that when it goes wrong no one knows about the failure but when it goes right observers can look on in amazement.

Another quote from Servant Gellhorn is:

‘…………..people miss a great deal by being sensible’

The 2018 Derby is being run at Epsom tomorrow, Saturday 2^nd June at 1630.  Last week I mentioned how Man Servant and I would be keeping our selections a closely guarded secret until the very last moment, unlike some political servants, and would release our selections closer to the BIG DAY.  This course of action has proved to be most prudent as the field of 16 declared runners as at the seven- day declaration stage has now been reduced to 12.  The prize money they are racing for is as follows:

1^st Place £850,650

2^nd Place£322,500

3^rd Place £161,400

And down to 6^th Place worth £20,250.

That is an awful lot of Dreamies or Kibble but it is not the prize money that is the most important thing.  It is the prestige, the glory and the hoofprint on racing history that are the biggest prizes for winning The Derby for owners, trainers and jockeys alike.

Man Servant and I are not chasing such riches or glory with our selections.  However, once we have placed our wagers with the turf accountant we are holding a share certificate in that horse.  You will very rarely hear backers of horses state that they have placed a wager on a horse.  Instead they will say ‘That is my horse’.  That is what they have done by placing a wager.  They have bought a share in a horse that will last, as in the example of The Derby, a couple of minutes.  Enough of the romanticism of the turf and here are our joint selections that were not made using the litter tray method:

Saxon Warrior 4/5 Back to win

Roaring Lion 8/1 Back to win

Masar 20/1 back each way

Good luck everyone and as always,  do not forget the value of your investment may actually diminish to nothing in the blink of an eye and that past performance can never be taken as a guide for future performance.