I once worked with a guy who had six friends called Amanda, and thought it would be very amusing to invite them all to dinner at once.
When the second arrived at his flat, there was a lot of ‘oh, that’s easy.. what a coincidence!” as one Amanda was introduced to the other. Enter the third, and they were starting to look at each other oddly. Four and five, it was starting to get beyond a joke; and by the time the sixth walked in, they realised that they were the subject of a practical joke. I never found out from him whether they actually stayed.
I thought of this story with the appointment as BHA CEO last week of Paul Bittar, who becomes, I think, the seventh high-profile Paul in racing: Roy, Scotney, Dixon, Struthers, Lee, and Darling – and that’s if you ignore the slightly less well-known Greeves at Wetherby’s, and Rogers, Foster and Berry lower down the echelons at High Holborn.
Is it part of the job spec, I wonder? I’m reminded of the Monty Python sketch where an Englishman called Mike goes down under and the Aussies ask him if he minds being referred to as Bruce, as it would be so much simpler. If I hadn’t known and enjoyed the company of Mr. Bittar for a number of years, I might smell a rat.
It did also bring to mind, though, a wonderful story I heard not so long ago. An e-mail discussion was going back and forth between the BHA and some of their advisers, when the Chairman closed the discussion with a statement of instruction. The reply came back from the consultant, “OK Roy, will do”. Ooops.
It’s been pointed out to me that I have left Paul Khan of Weatherby’s off the list. And of course, there is soon to be a new Government-Appointed Member of the Levy Board… Who else could they possibly chose, but Paul Bolt…?