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Very well said. Let’s just hope we don’t have another day like that one again, and hope connections of all involved get through their sadness soon.
Sadly losing horses is something which goes with this sport of ours and it doesn’t, indeed shouldn’t, everget any easier, when it does happens.
If I ever reached a stage where I wasn’t moved by an equine fatality then I know it would be time to walk away from the sport.
Darlan has hit the headlines because he was a horse with great potential and we will now never know how great he would be.
It’s human nature that we concentrate on the "high profile" casualties.
Hundreds of people die in car crashes every day across Europe, most barely get a mention in the local rag, but if a Princess is killed in a Parisian car crash it makes headlines round the world. Why? because of who she is – it does not mean any of the other deaths in car crashes are any less poignant or tragic.
In the same way when a high profile horse gets killed it hits the headlines.
I also don’t think constantly looking for someone or something to blame is the answer. These things happen.
Darlan’s loss was upsetting but, frankly, I was a lot more upset by the loss of Function Times at Catterick on Friday in what was simply a freak accident in a bumper – her leg went as they turned for home and that night, in bed, every time I shut my eyes I could still see her leg dangling as they waited for the vet to arrive.
One thing to bear in mind is horses can be killed by accidents anywhere.
At Leicester last week a runner broke down and had to be put to sleep.
I mentioned to the judge, Di Clarke, that was one side of the sport I really dislike but her reply was very sensible, she said "at least at the racecourse the vet will be will be there almost immediately. I had a horse break a leg at home and had to keep hold of it for 45 minutes before the vet arrived."
As the starter of this thread I think I have some right to comment here. To be honest I am a bit troubled how the thread has developed. My fault really for not posting in the correct section. It is not like me to post threads like I have here
What happened in this thread is in no way your fault Kenh. The fault is mine.
I know we have the memorial section which is a very good section for these things. But in my opinion this is the place for Darlan. That is not to demean other horses in any way. Every horse’s life matters just as much. But most did not have the potential of Darlan. Are we really saying if Frankel or Kauto Star were to die tomorrow, we would not want their memorial on here? Is it wrong of TV News to mention the death of a top celebrity, yet not your uncle? Had you not started this thread Ken, I would’ve done and am sure others would to.
Value Is EverythingMaybe he wasn’t? I would doubt they would rate Darlan above the limited Binocular, among others. Are you missing Fist so much you are trying to fill his boots?
I’ve already told you the yard rated
Darlan
as highly as
Binocular
PC! You need to research a bit more before making assumptions like that!
As for me filling the Boots of the legendary Fist?? Well there’s more chance of you stringin 2 sentences together that offer even the tiniest bit of benefit to the rest of us mere mortals than TAPK and FIST being compared! 
I found it sad to read that he was regarded as a potential high class chaser in the making and that hurdling was just being taken en route. At the risk of being shot down for saying it I was concerned that he was being ridden as a bomb proof hurdler when, in fact he was prone to errors. There was a terrible deja vu feel about his loss and it seemed wrong given the small field and the ease with which he’d been travelling up to that point. For some reason I kept thinking of Mutare all those years ago who survived a terrible fall only to lose his life the next time it happened. Either way, if tempers have been lost in this thread at least it shows how emotional we get about our sport does it not?
I’ve already told you the yard rated
Darlan
as highly as
Binocular
He took Binocular’s box as of last year, tells you something.
The promise, the hope for the future & his quality have led to these tributes. It is tragic when any horse loses it’s life in racing but doubly so when we consider what might have been.
I was only a child when Killiney, the promising novice from Fred Winter’s yard lost his life, shown on a TV station. I have always remembered it because he was an exceptionable horse, big, impressive & with great promise. He has been remembered by those who follow the sport &, I hope, so will Darlan.It’s a real shame, such a nice looking horse probably just behind Sprinter Sacre in that respect, had grown and had trained on so much, I think he would have been unbeatable on good ground or better this season, would have won the Champion imo.
Not many could canter behind Rock On Ruby, I feel McCoy was looking for that whoosh jump like he did at Kempton that put about 3 lengths against the opposition, I know he was clumsy at Newbury but every hurdle he was lightning over every one since bar the final at Doncaster
Wishing you the best of health Mark
When Darlan lost his life on Monday, I was livid. It is always difficult to comprehend the loss of a fine horse who’s blessed with immense talent. It brought back bitter memories of Celtic Ryde, Ekbalco and Noddy’s Ryde who perished under comparable circumstances.
We never really fell out though did we. It was just a difference of opinion that got a touch hot.
Some inkblots can be erased
Kindest regards.
Rob
Much appreciated Rob.
I think we both let the death of a horse we love cloud our judgement. Correct, no falling out, just a difference of opinion.I feel a bit of a fraud when it comes to the blood/sugar levels. As it’s perfectly back to normal now, after a banana and mints.
Please excuse the Diabetis lesson but…
Stepping up my exercise regime (running) has done me the power of good, coming down from 3 to 2 tablets where my diabetic nurse was expecting me to be put on insulin. But with the exercise must ensure I eat regularly. Tablets taken after breakfast bring my BS levels down, but if I don’t eat (or don’t eat much which has been the case recently) BS levels come down too far. Low or high BS levels can alter mood and/or the way diabetics look at things; ie black or white but no greys. It could be what’s been happening in the last few weeks. Haven’t been testing myself, thinking my levels were under control (ie I knew they weren’t high).
Thanks to Batchelors Hall who semt me a pm, asking (possibly mischieveously) whether I am autistic – that I thought better take a blood test.If anyone realises that either they or loved ones seem to be a bit (or more than a bit) more moody/aggressive than normal – please get them checked out for diabetis; especially if drinking/peeing more than usual. Do NOT think it is an "obese" or "elderly" disease. I was diagnosed at 36, never been over 12 stone (11’10"). Thankfully I’ve never been violent even when this disease has been at its worst. But it can xxxx up moods.
funnily enough i’m 36 and waiting on the results of a diabetes test that I took a few days ago.
I was asked to take a blood glucose test as my blood test that I took was borderline for diabetes.
the reason I took a blood test in the first place was because for one thing I had put on a lot of weight (I was nearly 16 stones, i’ve now got it down to just over 14) and also have been getting thirsty and going to the toilet a lot, as well as getting extremely tired after eating (classic symptoms of diabetes I suppose.) In fact the going to the toilet a lot had been going on for many years, even before I put on excess weight.
although i’ll be pretty depressed if I get a positive result I doubt i’ll let it rule my life- the thought of constantly having to check my blood sugar level bores me to tears. of course i’ll have to do that if it saves my life but the thought of that fears me with dread. i’m not a very disciplined person. instead i’ll just be very careful what I eat.
back to the subject of the tragic darlan, what do people make of my tent or yours? I notice they always seem to have a similar type for this tote gold trophy race, now called the betfair hurdle, ie rangy athletic type who travels very well with a electric turn of foot.
my gut feeling though is that although my tent or yours could be very good he might be a bit of a bridle ponce.
The promise, the hope for the future & his quality have led to these tributes. It is tragic when any horse loses it’s life in racing but doubly so when we consider what might have been.
I was only a child when Killiney, the promising novice from Fred Winter’s yard lost his life, shown on a TV station. I have always remembered it because he was an exceptionable horse, big, impressive & with great promise. He has been remembered by those who follow the sport &, I hope, so will Darlan.I remember watching that on TV; the fall happened half-way down the back straight at Ascot Killiney had been a phenomenal novice, winning all his races by distances, never making a mistake. Trained by Fred Winter, His box was Millionaires Row, with Bula, Pendil and Crisp.
Perhaps the greatest unfulfilled potential of them allRIP Darlan
This is terrible news and unbelievably I have only just heard it, can’t get over this dreadful tragedy, he had such potential. God bless little one Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I also remember Killiney and would argue his potential to go right to the top and challenge the supremacy of Arkle was at least as tangible as Golden Cygent’s.
Beaten just the once (on his hurdling debut) prior to meeting a tragic demise in the 1973 Heinz Chase at Ascot when, possibly distracted by the fall of Magellan, he got the downhill ditch all wrong on the final circuit, Richard Pitman once said "I am not very sentimental about many things, or indeed humans. But to this day the memory of Killiney hurts badly".
Whether Darlan’s form was as far advanced as Golden Cygnet’s or not completely misses the point. It would be a fitting tribute to this beautiful creature if his memory endures among racefans for decades to come.
An already tragic week for the McManus family got worse with the news their supermare Like-A-Butterfly dies of colic on Wednesday. I read somewhere that
all
of McManus’ retired racehorses spend the rest of their days at Martinstown. This is a great act of kindness and it is a shame more owners do are not able to provide the same reward to their retired heroes.
And here’s the wonderful Killiney in action…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfNY7tNKh5g
Killiney was without question very promising and a big loss but the facts are that during his novice chase season he was regularly beating up small fields of the same horses and without checking I think he beat Bountiful Charles five lengths in the equivalent of RSA.
Was well chuffed for all concerned to see My Tent or Yours [fanatastic name] win yesterday but felt it was very insensitive of the Ch 4 interviewers to keep going on about Darlan given that McCoy and NH were still feeling very raw.
Was well chuffed for all concerned to see My Tent or Yours [fanatastic name] win yesterday but felt it was very insensitive of the Ch 4 interviewers to keep going on about Darlan given that McCoy and NH were still feeling very raw.
Do you think they were purposely trying to visibly upset McCoy as it would make "great television"?
I suppose they can’t win, given that we tend to complain about them brushing horse fatalities under the carpet too often, but it was uncomfortable viewing yesterday and I really felt for McCoy. There’s a time and a place for everything and the interview with him straight after the race wasn’t the right time imo.
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