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On the subject of Doran’s Pride, the horse was retired but didn’t enjoy doing nothing and, tragic though his demise in the Foxhunters was, he had every right to be there (in fact he had won three PTP’s and was 2nd in the traditionally strong Hunter Chase at Leopardstown) and blaming his trainer is unjust.
Seconded without reservation. The age of the horse, and the conspicuous, high-profile event in which he met his demise, were (and evidently still are) allowed to overshadow the fact that he had been having a real beano – and attaining success – back home immediately before that Cheltenham run.
Beef or Salmon has neither gone at the game nor fallen out of love with it, and I am entirely relaxed about the prospect of him lining up at Aintree come April 5th.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
hmmm..i have to say I’m against him running in the Grand National
If he did run I think he would have a very good chance as he has the touch of class, is quite game to be be able to carry a lofty weight, will stay and well he tends to jump slow and deliberate as opposed to make mistakes so he might school around for the first circuit. I don’t think he need soft as he easily won the punchestown gold cup on fast ground.
I know some of you may say I’m contradicting myself but despite all of the above I think that the tragedy, if we were to lose him to the national, would be horrendous. He has one 10 grade 1’s or so and I still feel that such a class of animal deserves a sound retirement and be enjoyed by connections for the next 10years as opposed to risking him in a National etc
However he isn’t my horse so what will be will be…
I’m sure this debate would be fascinating if he was declared to run – would be very interesting to see if the pundits and public would take to him
Should send him hunting he would probably love it
Get qualified and let him enjoy running in a few Hunters Chases. (I take it that is still allowed) maybe even win a few.
Why subject a horse who is clearly past his best to a tough race like the IGN when there is no need.
Just because a horse is past their best doesn’t mean they’re suddenly good for nothing.
Colin Jackson’s form dipped after his exploits in the early 90s, but he still found enough to give cheating American and multiple gold-medallist Allen Johnson a run for his money (he didn’t so much jump the hurdles as run straight through them).
I for one think the National, either side of the Irish Sea, could prove his making at this stage of his career. As has been said he’s a very deliberate jumper (which would help at a less-than-frantic gallop), and in a race of the National’s nature would possess the little bit of class which could see him go close.
Suggesting that entering him is wrong because something might happen to him is nonsense.
Should send him hunting he would probably love it
Get qualified and let him enjoy running in a few Hunters Chases. (I take it that is still allowed) maybe even win a few.
It won’t be this season, of course, as he’s already run a couple of times since November 1st.
Happy Jack or Adrian are greater authorities on the matter than myself, but I strongly suspect the penalty value of the Graded Leopardstown race Beef or Salmon won last winter would have rendered him ineligible to have gone that route even without those runs anyway.
Like you, I’m sure he’d have considered the whole thing a great lark, though.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
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