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Suppose Alice could have said the horse ‘collapsed and died’ which is a slightly more sensitive way of saying it; he looked terribly sore when they led him away and I feared he had been injured in some way. As for calling the other horse a ‘pikey’ it just made me chuckle; not sure if Ruby Walsh was expecting such an interrogation and think he was quite relieved to find that he’d forgot his whip [thereby running back to get it and freaking out the horse behind him]. Get the feeling that the jockeys like Alice and enjoy being interviewed by her. [by the way; what does ‘pikey’ actually mean?].
Alice Plunkett can interview me any time especially if she’s gonna wear those boots!
While on the subject of Channel 4, Big Mac wasn’t his usual self on The Morning Line & all credit to him for plugging the Haiti Disaster Fund.
Oh, almost forgot: given that the 3.35 at Huntingdon was a Scoop6 race, does anyone know if there was a special reason for C4 to show the 3.40 from Lingfield instead? It just sort of got dropped in there. Not that I’m complaining, my Scoop6 was long gone by then.
[by the way; what does ‘pikey’ actually mean?].
In context to the way it was said Moe A "Pikey" horse is one that was born in Ireland and travels around various race tracks living in a caravan,when its not running it will lay tarmac!
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Unless one’s command of the English language is severely limited there are surely better ways to inform viewers of the death of a horse? Collapsed and died, perhaps? Suffered a fatal injury? Horse, who fell in our last race, has sadly died on his way back to the place?
It’s not rocket science. Then again, nor is it the contribution to the improvement of Plunkett’s social standing that her regular brown-nosing of jockeys and trainers would appear to be (that’s not to say she’s callous or unfeeling, but it always seems that cosying up to connections appeals more to her than fulfilling her role as a broadcaster).
Doesn’t she get more information out of them by ‘cosying up to them?’ Think she’s a breath of fresh air and always have done.
Channel 4 just showed a replay of two jockeys exchanging physical blows during an all weather race and Tommo described it in mirthful tones as "great to see".
How can any responsible journalist see anything of merit in behaviour that is not only potentially dangerous to jockeys and horses but is detrimental to the public image of racing that so many people are working so hard to improve?
Tommo, you could have at least condemned this disgraceful aggression instead of seeming to condone it.
KIf you’re talking about Philadelphia Park race #5 last Friday, with the two jocks in fisticuffs, that was on dirt and both have been suspended indefinitely while waiting for a hearing. Neither were very good-they won’t be missed-but it says something about the general image of racing when it takes something like this to get it on ESPN, while the Eclipse awards and myriad of stakes races this weekend don’t warrant a mention. In any case, calling the fight "great to see" isn’t really a consolation to the folks who actually wagered on the race, and the connections of the horses involved.
What Alice said was a lot better than what it could have been.
Destroyed.
Although the meaning is different to it’s general use, "destroyed" does not exactly portray to the public; the feelings of racing people.
Think Alice did well enough in difficult circumstances.
Value Is Everything- Total Posts 17716
maybe these small blokes on horses have personalities and character afterall
Maybe we should invite them to join this forum?
Moehat
Alice Plunkett’s use of ‘Pikey’ was probably a reference to the horse being a thief, of which there’s lttle doubt on today’s evidence. Agree that the jockeys seem to warm to her – that’s probably a recognition that she does know her horses (if not their form) – and that’s more likely to lead to sensible discussion than is usually engenderedDon’t get me wrong, Paul and Rob, I wasn’t deeply offended. I mean, not half as much as if I witnessed the horrific sight of a dead horse being removed from the course under a cover on the back of a trailer, eh Paul?
Put it this way, Paul and Rob – as you say, it was undeniably a statement of fact, so presumably you’d see no wrong if it was reported to you that, say, a member of your family had simply ‘dropped dead’, rather than ‘sadly collapsed and didn’t regain consciousness‘ or anything else? Of course you wouldn’t – how silly of me.
Poor choice of words IMO.
Agree that the jockeys seem to warm to her – that’s probably a recognition that she does know her horses (if not their form) – and that’s more likely to lead to sensible discussion than is usually engendered
She has also ridden at Badminton and round the National Course in the Foxhunters which is a lot more than most of the other female racing presenters – so she may get some respect from the riders for that, especially the jump boys.
Put it this way, Paul and Rob – as you say, it was undeniably a statement of fact, so presumably you’d see no wrong if it was reported to you that, say, a member of your family had simply ‘dropped dead’, rather than ‘sadly collapsed and didn’t regain consciousness‘ or anything else? Of course you wouldn’t – how silly of me.
You are absolutely correct – it wouldn’t worry me one iota if such a comment was applied to a member of my family.
As I said it is a statement of fact and I have no truck with pussyfooting around using euphemisms – every creature is going to die at some point – accept it.
Put it this way, Paul and Rob – as you say, it was undeniably a statement of fact, so presumably you’d see no wrong if it was reported to you that, say, a member of your family had simply ‘dropped dead’, rather than ‘sadly collapsed and didn’t regain consciousness‘ or anything else? Of course you wouldn’t – how silly of me.
You are absolutely correct – it wouldn’t worry me one iota if such a comment was applied to a member of my family.
As I said it is a statement of fact and I have no truck with pussyfooting around using euphemisms – every creature is going to die at some point – accept it.
Nonsense, Paul. I don’t need to know you or explain why either.
I’ve not got a problem with death, how it happens or indeed, how a dead horse is removed from a race course either, as you clearly do. It’s not about ‘pussyfooting around’ and all about piss poor, lazy, insensitive reporting on a sensitive and potentially inflamatory subject.
Your inconsistency baffles me.
As horse and
more worryingly
people populations
explode exponentially
death and the treatment
of death becomes less important,
and to put the cat among the pigeons,
less of a worry and more of a rigmoroleCan’t say I was even remotely disgusted by either ‘incident’.
The sight of two jockeys exchanging ‘love taps’ wasn’t exactly overwhelming and the footage will more than likely appear on A Question Of Sport to a chorus of laughter – it certainly had me chuckling.
Alice Plunkett actually used the correct terminology to describe the sad death of Shamari.
Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘Drop Dead’ as ‘to die suddenly and unexpectedly’. Blunt, but perfectly true.
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Mark
Well to give him ‘credit’ he did hesitate for, oooh, at least half a second before telling everyone!
That aside, if it happened it happened, it doesn’t say it’s right and nor does it say John Francome is condoning it.
Rob
If it came down to; He who hath not sinned cast the first stone Francome would be throwing candyfloss in the hope no one noticed.
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