Riding the favourite at Aintree, a jockey was well ahead of the field.
 Suddenly he was hit on the head by a turkey and a string of sausages. He
 managed to keep control of his mount and pulled back into the lead, only
 to
 be struck by a box of Christmas crackers and a dozen mince pies as he went
 over the last fence.
 With great skill he managed to steer the horse to the front of the field
 once more when,on the run in, he was struck on the head by a bottle of
 sherry and a Christmas pudding.
 
 Thus distracted, he succeeded in coming only second.
 
 He immediately went to the stewards to complain that he had been seriously
 hampered.