The Guinness and Gold Cup Blog

[Millay]

I've just suggested to A that I meet up with you on Saturday - this was as you can imagine a painful conversation - however the good news is that she's agreed to Friday. So all things going to plan I'll be seeing you in Salford around 6'ish.

Good news mate, we can compare shaving gels.

I'm sure A understood that the chance to see the lesser-spotted Morgan was not one that should be passed up.

[Grailhunter]

As Grailhunter has mentioned he's off to Glasgow today, so that week acclimatising in Tashkent should stand him in good stead. I believe he got a £1 eack way coach deal so I hope for the sake of his fellow passengers he lays off the black pudding and kedgeree for breakfast this morning.

Not been a good start to the day so far. Was just preparing today's breakfast of tea and choccy biscuits when I decided it would be a good idea to chuck the mugful of hot water down my leg (minus trousers) ! This certainly woke me up but i'm not sure it will help me walk around Glasgow today. Ah well, will have to just take it easy and rest in a few more pubs than usual !!

[Conrad]

Time for some Bottom humour.

At least you didn't miss both your legs.

[Millay]

Or the Train to Manchester, which is much the same thing.

Well after a hearty breakfast I said a fond farewell to those nice folks at Hilton and caught the fast bus to the centre. Thought about a quick pint in the Halfway House but all those steps put me off, especially with a suitcase with dodgy wheels.Having booked rthrough Virgin Trains I was expecting a nice comfortable Pendolino or something, instead I'm on an old three coach Trans Pennine Express train with a screaming kid in the next carriage. At least here in First Class (well what did you expect) I've got a bit of room and free snacks, no beer though . Frankly I expect more of a national railway, even a Scottish one.

The Internet connection is slower than a lazy sloath but I've managed to do my each way bet on Sentry Duty and also put it into an each way Canadian which will return £113k if they all win, or bugger all if they don't, which is more likely.

I've had a text from Grailhunter, he made it to Glasgow and has found the Horseshoe Bar where he's enjoying a £1.69 pint of Deuchars, I hope it's better than the one we had in the Central Bar last night.

If that kid doesn't stop effing screaming , Oh it has, someone must have strangled it, I think there was a queue.

[ROBCamra]

. Being St Paddys Day we plumped for something called Gael Rua (?) from the Hilden Brewery, it was bloody awful.

I had a pint of Hildens Gael Rua in the Regal Moon in Rochdale last night. It was bloody awful as well.

[Millay]

Time for some Bottom humour.

At least you didn't miss both your legs.

I think he's been watching too many of those Naked Chef TV programmes

[Millay]

I had a pint of Hildens Gael Rua in the Regal Moon in Rochdale last night. It was bloody awful as well.

I'm glad it wasn't just me then. It didn't taste off just bloody awful, a sort of astringent herby ethanol taste, difficult to describe really.

[Millay]

That effing kid has started screaming again and we've got another two hours to go yet.

Just seen a sign for a baby changing facility, might suggest to it's mother that she uses it, and changes it for a quieter one

[Millay]

Just seen Albertas Run romp home in the 2:40 at 14/1, now need Sentry Duty to do the same in the next and I might actually be in credit with Messrs Ladbrokes.

[Millay]

No further success at Cheltenham so it looks like I won't be collecting.

Checked in to the Britannia Hotel on Portland Street, a bit too close to Yates's for my liking but it will do. Nice old building but a bit of a comedown from the Hilton. I'm going to have to rough it from here on in, three star hotel and cattle class home on Monday. I've stayed here before and hoped I wouldn't get one of the 'turret rooms', right at the top as the lift doesn't go to the top floor. No such luck though, you'd think they'd take pity on a fat bloke turning up with a heavy suitcase and do him a favour. Never mind I have a nice view of the planes circling ready to land at Manchester Airport. With my luck that screaming kid and its family from the train will be staying in the next room.

Now the sensible thing would be to have a stroll around Manchester, get something to eat and maybe get an early night ready for tomorrow's excesses. Nah, this is Manchester, far too many pubs to be explored for all that tosh. As this is Manchester it's raining (I think it's the law) but I'm going to pop up to Oldham Street and check out the Castle and this new City Inn place, maybe the Smithfield, and there's a place on the way to Piccadilly that I saw once before but it was closed, may try to find that. Right everything ready, camera, notebook, Scottish notes to piss off the Mancs, yes got everything. See you later.