FUNABASHI OPEN DAY
Today was the annual open day at Funabashi Keiba track, where the jockeys and trainers let their hair down to mingle with the public. There's no standing on ceremony or sharp suits - just sportsmen showing their human side in a way that so many branches of professional sport no longer allow. The Funabashi guys are aware that it's the fans that keep things going, and this is their way of saying thank you. They were signing anything put in front of them, posing for pictures left, right and centre, and even having a drink with folks once all the official duties had ended. This is in complete contrast to the likes of modern F1, where I - despite being an invited member of the press - couldn't get a photo of one of the drivers because the allocated two minutes was up. It's this homely atmosphere that makes Funabashi special...

Although I didn't manage to sell any paintings or sculptures today, I did buy a few things, including a pair of racing goggles and a selection of saddle cloths used by a number of famous horses, and a couple of them signed - one by Shotaro Kawashima and the other by Kota Motohashi. As it happens, Kota couldn't make it to Funabashi in the morning, but he made a sterling effort to be there in the afternoon to keep his fans happy. Sophie, in particular, had a smile a mile wide when he turned up!