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What terrible news, the fall didnt actually look that bad on TV. That being what I saw of it before going out of shot. Terrible news, lovely old campaigner.
I just saw the results of this race and immediately came to this site and was horrified to see Burton Port’s n name.
I agree with Rubilight and Moehat.
I am surprised that he was kept in training as he has been showing signs that he has lost form and/or interest apart from his second in the 365 at the back end of last season.
I cannot say how gutted and saddened I am.
For the great hero that AP McCoy is and for the amount that he is celebrated, he should have known to pull Burton Port up.
So sad that he can’t enjoy a very, very happy retirement.
Havent’ checked, but I am sure that he hadn’t fallen before. Just gutted and sickened.I just saw the results of this race and immediately came to this site and was horrified to see Burton Port’s n name.
I agree with Rubilight and Moehat.
I am surprised that he was kept in training as he has been showing signs that he has lost form and/or interest apart from his second in the 365 at the back end of last season.
I cannot say how gutted and saddened I am.
For the great hero that AP McCoy is and for the amount that he is celebrated, he should have known to pull Burton Port up.
So sad that he can’t enjoy a very, very happy retirement.
Havent’ checked, but I am sure that he hadn’t fallen before. Just gutted and sickened.Didn’t he fall in last year’s National or was that an Unseat
I just saw the results of this race and immediately came to this site and was horrified to see Burton Port’s n name.
I agree with Rubilight and Moehat.
I am surprised that he was kept in training as he has been showing signs that he has lost form and/or interest apart from his second in the 365 at the back end of last season.
I cannot say how gutted and saddened I am.
For the great hero that AP McCoy is and for the amount that he is celebrated, he should have known to pull Burton Port up.
So sad that he can’t enjoy a very, very happy retirement.
Havent’ checked, but I am sure that he hadn’t fallen before. Just gutted and sickened.Burton Port had not "fallen" since his debut in an Irish Point. Although pecked on landing at the first fence in Grand National and unseated when in behind horses, giving his rider no chance of staying on.
Did you see the Newbury race last year TT&T? Another race he ran really well in.
Burton Port was still a very capable racehorse when in the mood, ie able to dictate the pace. Surely the whole point is Burton Port was capable of winning races like the Bet365 Gold Cup? (arguably went a too quick early and should’ve won!). It was a similar story at Newbury. I’d backed him that day and took some sectional times afterwards which confirmed to me he should’ve won given even fractions. Connections knew the horse could win races like the Bet365 Gold Cup and even the Grand National if everything fell right! An exceptionally well handicapped racehorse (even on recent form)… Therefore, he was never going to be (and without hindsight should not have been) retired.
Burton Port was being prepared for another crack at the Grand National in the usual Jonjo way. Like many of the stable had better form in the Spring, so it is hardly surprising his form this season wasn’t great (hence why some people think he was no longer up to it).Value Is EverythingIt’s not that he wasn’t up to it, he just didn’t seem to be enjoying it. But maybe that’s just me, I have a very big soft spot for all the Bob Back horses and I’m just so sad to know that Burton Port won’t get the retirement he so deserved.
It’s just that he was dropping back so quickly yesterday that it seemed wrong to hurl him at a fence in such a strong fashion. Is it right that a horse has to complete a race for it’s handicap mark to be altered and if they pull up it stays the same? Which means that tiring horses have to be encouraged to carry on.
It’s not that he wasn’t up to it, he just didn’t seem to be enjoying it. But maybe that’s just me, I have a very big soft spot for all the Bob Back horses and I’m just so sad to know that Burton Port won’t get the retirement he so deserved.
Burton Port loved jumping when out in front Tt&t. Look back at last year’s Bet365 Gold Cup.
If you’ve got a Skybet account:
http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/resu … 3-handicap
Value Is EverythingIt’s just that he was dropping back so quickly yesterday that it seemed wrong to hurl him at a fence in such a strong fashion. Is it right that a horse has to complete a race for it’s handicap mark to be altered and if they pull up it stays the same? Which means that tiring horses have to be encouraged to carry on.
The Grand National weights had already been published, so no reason for the handicap mark to come in to it. Can not see how you can say “hurl him at a fence in such a strong fashion”, it was just another jump. Indeed, if you contrast how AP was riding to Gavin Sheehan on Ikorodu Road, AP was being more sympethetic.
It was in all probability temperament and outpaced rather than tiredness that saw Burton Port in that position Moehat. He does not like being in behind. If AP could get the horse interested by going wide – away from rivals – there was a chance he’d run on again to place. Not completely out of contention for a place. Took the fence alongside the eventual 3rd and 4th, so at the point where you believe the horse should have been pulled up the 3rd and 4th placed horses were behind him. 3rd placed Ikorodu Road was going worse than Burton Port at the time. There was also a possibility the leaders might have gone too quickly and come back to the “stayers”, the fall was fully half a mile out. Had AP pulled Burton Port up (especially considering the 3rd) it is possible stewards would have suspended McCoy… AP missing Cheltenham.
Value Is EverythingFrom where I was sitting, it looked to me that AP was giving him an easy time, and was just letting him pop the fence. Unfortunately, with hindsight, it wasn’t the best idea. But I think it’s wrong to accuse all concerned of not caring, as RL does. On another day, Burton Port may have scrambled over the fence and lived to enjoy a happy future. Sadly, just one of those things.
From where I was sitting, it looked to me that AP was giving him an easy time, and was just letting him pop the fence. Unfortunately, with hindsight, it wasn’t the best idea. But I think it’s wrong to accuse all concerned of not caring, as RL does. On another day, Burton Port may have scrambled over the fence and lived to enjoy a happy future. Sadly, just one of those things.
If you’d said to Sharon Murgatroyd, did she wish she’d pulled up, she’d have said yes. And her accident came when tailed off in a hurdle. Hindsight is a great thing, but useless in the real world. And yes, ironically, McCoy wld have come a cropper of the non tryer rules if he’d have not ridden for the place. One of those things.
I know all the Bob Back horses that are still in training, as I am a bit of an anorak on them, and I take on board all the comments made. I didn’t watch the race and I certainly won’t be watching it now, but by the comments I,m reading it sounds like downright very bad luck and as I have said, Burton Port had a great jumping record. Still doesn’t help the horrible way I feel today
Hope everyone on here contributes to retraining of racehorses charities, such as Moorcroft and Greatwood. Racehorses deserve our thanks and help to find a home when retiring.
Value Is EverythingWell said Gingertipster.
I’m gutted about Burton Port, didn’t see the incident and really don’t want to. I didn’t even know he was running. Tellingly, it wasn’t a massive surprise to see his name.
However, I think this really should be tributes to him and not arguments so the horse gets lost in it.
Hopefully everyone does contribute to ex racehorse charities, remembering too that there a lot of smaller, less well known ones that really appreciate any help at all.Agreed; can I put in a word for ‘New Beginnings’. It was such a thrill to see Mr McGoldrick at Wetherby the other year. And I would dearly love to see Many Clouds carry Mr Hemmings colours to victory in the Gold Cup this year [as I wrote that, a money spider floated down from my reading glasses; an omen perhaps!].It’s hard not to get emotional when an old favourite leaves us, isn’t it.
I’m glad that there are peole on the forum who disagree with me.
But, my points are:
1. If we all love these animals then we should pay more attention to the circumstances regarding their deaths. It is too easy to say that a racecourse fatality is just one of those things. "Those things" happen year in, year out about 500 times (considering Irish and Flat racing). I think it is a bit too easy to dismiss every fatality just in the same way.
2. No matter how much an owner loves a horse, looking at the big players in Racing, it is just too easy to replace an animal. In some way it is like replacing dead stock by live stock. Horses come and go and about the vast majority of them we just don’t know anything about their final destinations. Instead, we just hear maybe too often how much these people care and love their horses. I would find it very tough to cope with about 15-20 fatalities every year. And also why certain horses are put down during retirement at an rather early age (I mean before reaching the age of 20) for no injury or illness causes, remains still pretty much in the dark.
3. Older horses are also punished by the handicapper. Burton Port had a rating of 144 compared to his all time high of 170. He ran like a horse in the high 120s or low 130s and not like one rated 144. This means tougher outings at an older age. No favours are done here either. It takes horses too long tohave their handicap marks lowered that raised. This is surely wrong.
4. Is there a stat about how many horses are sent to the butcher when killed on the racecourse? If the butcher comes into play, then the love factor immediately disappears. No one would give his beloved pet to a butcher or meat factory.
5. I don’t care who was riding the horse, but sometimes jockeys would be a lot cooler if they would pulled up a bit too soon than too late.I also don’t mind it if people disagree with me or if they even hate me. Racing has yet to reach the 21st Century. Just look at the ridiculous going descriptions, the whip rule (I fully agrre here with Sir Mark Prescott Bt) or those ridiculous NH starts with horses just walking the first 50 or 100yds. The racing industry always finds ways to deceive the general public. In every single way……
Now that would be a first.
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