- This topic has 417 replies, 57 voices, and was last updated 3 years ago by
.
- Posts
Obviously nobody can ‘prove’ the delays affected the horses but it’s all added stress for them. The horses know their job and once they are in the parade ring they know they what comes next and are ‘ready to race’, so taking them back out of the parade ring again is unsettling, added to that the usual faffing about at the start, some horses will inevitably start boiling over. Hill Sixteen was sweating up in the parade ring, maybe that is normal for him, but it certainly has not been a good meeting PR wise with 3 horse fatalities, 2 more injured and still being assessed and the protesters delaying the race.
Tonge said…
‘I believe Galvin is fine Jac’You don’t know relieved I am Catherine thank you.
The ghoulish behaviour of photographers that intruded into the last moments of Dark Raven’s life in order to plaster his pictures over their front pages tomorrow are fuelling the fire for these protestors. I know they have a job to do but couldn’t they just let a poor stricken horse have his last few moments of dignity.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Stay off Twitter for a few days Jac. While looking for news I was confronted by a horror video of Hill Sixteen’s death (which at least proved that he didn’t suffer). Absolute ghouls as you say. It’s clear that they relish every injury.
I’ll definitely stay away from Twitter and thanks for the warning Catherine.
Amazing how quick people are to post distressing pictures on social media not caring who might see and be affected by them.Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...3 fatalities Illavim? I have only seen Hill Sixteen confirmed, along with Recite A Prayer and Cape Gentleman taken away in the horse ambulance. Cape Gentleman is now at the equine hospital. No update on Recite A Prayer.
Tonge, I’m referring to 3 fatalities over the meeting, Envoye Special, Dark Raven and Hill Sixteen.
Sandy Thomson is blaming the delay for poor Hill Sixteen’s fall.I will always love racing, but I can see how it looks to many who don’t follow the game.
Few outside of racing will blame Hill Sixteen’s death on anything other than the fact he was asked to jump a fence in a horse race.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"If vanillier is plotted at the race next year and doesn’t get too harshly treated he has some chance in 2024
Run an enormous race from the position he was in
As it was corach rambler fairly strolled round very similarly to tiger roll in his second win
You could see at half way he was a very very likely winner
Exactly Ian.
And those not interested in racing won’t be interested in excuses.
Public will turn against Racing.
Mainstream TV will stop covering racing.
Sponsors will pull out.
Owners will pull out.Protesters know they only need to get onto the racecourse for racing to be stopped.
There won’t be enough police at ordinary meetings to prevent this.
Racing will be abandoned so often it will no longer be a spectator sport.
Grand National will not survive the decade.
Indeed, it is possible we saw the last Grand National today.
Then Jump Racing will go.
And within my lifetime (am 56 now) Flat Racing will be gone too.Value Is EverythingSorry Illavim, misunderstood. Recite A Prayer is also at the Liverpool Equine Hospital apparently. Fingers crossed for them both.
I don’t think we saw the last Grand National but I think we may have seen the last one with 40 runners (albeit there were only 39 in the end).
“It is possible we saw the last Grand National today.”
Come off it, Ginger. Compare how many people paid to go to Aintree today with how many turned up to protest.
Which group is more representative of mainstream opinion?
Such a shame to lose Hill Sixteen. Gutted for the horse and connections. I hope Sandy gets another good one soon. Well done Corach Rambler fans.
The unlucky one was Delta Work. Traveled like a dream and closing behind the leaders until the jockey got bumped off. Would’ve been a likely winner if K Donoghue stayed on board IMO.
I wouldn’t predict as rapid a timescale, but, while I wouldn’t label today a pivotal moment (I’m not a big believer in pivotal moments generally), I do think today’s events will exacerbate racing’s vulnerability in a world of changing value systems.
It’s not impossible that many on this forum will outlive: the Grand National, Jump racing itself and that even Flat racing might come to be looked upon with distain by the majority.
Money talks and in countries where racing is a significant part of the economy – like Ireland – it will fare better and last longer.
But I’m not sure it’s quite the same deal in the UK and I sadly think the sport has future struggles ahead, not least because it’s not just animal welfare concerns that blight the sport, it’s the fact it is largely funded by losing gamblers too.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"At the moment Cas, I don’t think either group is representative of the current public.
Doubt whether the Aintree crowd represents the ordinary Racing fan either come to that. Big race crowds rarely do.At the moment, I doubt the general public are that concerned whether the Grand National survives. But their opinion can easily be changed by bad publicity. Not saying I think it will happen by next year, but it is “possible”, particularly if the other two horses don’t survive. But it wasn’t only about the fatalities today, it was the spectacle. Many of us Racing fans (who even backed the winner) did not enjoy the event like we usually do… And if we don’t enjoy it then think of the once a year punter looking in. Do think the Grand National can’t survive too many more years like the last two. Two fatalities in 2022, one (maybe three) today.
If protesters change tactics and target ordinary meetings then there won’t be enough police to stop them.
Value Is Everything“I do think today’s event will exacerbate racing’s vulnerability in a world of changing value systems.”
I know some people do not like the term but unfortunately racing is being drawn into the “culture wars”.
I believe racing is still popular with the general public, as shown by racecourse attendances and betting turnover. But racing is unpopular in fashionable liberal circles which makes its opinion heard on social media which in turn has a disproportionate influence on the political culture.
Jac
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.