Who will fall at the Farage fence?

THE party manifestos were duly declared and all the runners and riders rambled into the parade ring as they readied themselves for the General Election Grand National.

I say it thus because I am reminded of a recent Bargain Hunt episode which featured an antique horse-racing board game called Manifesto.

The team paid £140, but the experts felt that despite its great condition it was carrying a bit too much weight to be a winner. However, the punters disagreed and it went under the hammer for an impressive £380.

During the programme it was mentioned in passing that Manifesto was named after one of the horses, which in turn was named after a famous racehorse. Curiosity drew me online.

It seems Manifesto was the Red Rum of its day, having raced in the Grand National a record eight times between 1895 and 1904, winning twice and finishing third three times (and that despite once carrying a record weight of 12 stone 13lb, gulp!).

Pre-race form suggested that Jeremy Corbyn’s Manifesto was carrying much too much weight and likely to struggle, especially at the Farage fence (the political equivalent of the infamous Foinavon fence where, in 1967, a loose horse caused chaos and brought down or disrupted all the fancied runners, allowing one rank outsider to tiptoe through the turmoil and race clear).

The Farage fence has a history of bringing down well-fancied runners – Miliband, Clegg, Cameron – so who is likely to be caught up in the mêlée at the Farage fence today?

Incidentally, I trust you appreciated my sneaky placement of the ‘Continental’ melee! Huw Beynon

Llandeilo