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‘The pre-race show was thoroughly tested in advance and both timed and placed with our participants in mind’.Oh so they found a racecourse running a million pound race with Group class highly strung thoroughbreds horses worth hundreds of thousands of pounds and set off a pyrotechnic display just as they were about to enter the starting stalls.
Lying seems to be making a comeback since the Pandemic and ‘Partygate’
and the the Jockey Club is spinning us a line with their glib standard reply to people who have taken the time to contact them expressing their concerns.Time to come clean and publish an apology to all the owners, trainers and jockeys at Epsom on Derby Day for potentially freaking out their horses with a pre planned yet unannounced display of fireworks which could have caused distress to any number of the runners not just in the Derby but those preparing for the later races.
There is a time and place for fireworks this was neither.
Jac
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I don’t want heads to roll for this or even think an apology is necessary. Simply an acknowledgement that this well-intentioned activity was a bad idea and will not be repeated would be sufficient.
Reading between the lines, I think this is now realised, but the message is being hidden behind weasel words where no error is being admitted to.
A shameful way to interact with the public who have the racecourse’s best interests at heart.
I agree that no one needs to resign or be sacked but there should be a recognition it was a mistake and an apology.
None of the jockeys knew the fireworks were going to happen and were completely taken by surprise. I assume the stable staff did not know either. That is unacceptable and they are owed an apology.
Please add my name to the long list of those dismayed by the events of June 4.
The idea was bizarre. I’m wondering if any other racecourse has ever tried this. It’s doubtful but if it has happened surely it would only have been once. It’s not easy to find out because all searches lead to Epsom.
I doubt this will happen next year but if it does, and adding to the possible enhancements suggested upthread, I’d go for Catherine wheels at the two-pole, bangers at the distance, and a track-wide row of giant sparklers across the finish line. The first horse to knock over a sparkler wins the Derby.
Fingers crossed the correct decision will be made.
I don’t want anyone sacked either, but an admission of error would restore a bit of confidence that public feedback is taken on board and that such a stupid thing will never be repeated.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"CAS I agree connections of the horses are owed an apology, but I don’t think the public are even though one would be nice. However, the public do deserve to be responded to in an honest and open way, and the error should be acknowledged properly.
Exactly Ian/CAS and the majority responding to this Thread..
That’s all people want just an acknowledgement they got it wrong and assurance that it won’t happen again.The fact that whoever was responsible is as mad as a box of frogs we’ll overlook.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Heads to roll? Maybe not. But an apology yes. To both connections and punters.
The probability that Nahaani’s chance was affected by these fireworks is imo over 90%.
The probability of Stone Age’s chance being affected is imo over 75%. I laid most of my Stone Age saver back after seeing how it affected him. (Please don’t think it’s my pocket talking either because Desert Crown was one of my main bets. I may have even won because of the fireworks)… And others were probably affected too. Almost half the field, 8 of the 17 runners are down in the form book as “sweating”. Epsom is a test of a horse’s temperament, fireworks are not. Epsom / the Jockey Club may think it was the same for every horse, but fireworks / worrying / sweating affects different horses differently. Chances are that for some it was a massive disadvantage…These fireworks affected the chance of some connections and punters and therefore both deserve an apology. Little hope of that so if not an apology then an acknowledgement they’ve learnt their lesson will have to do..
Value Is EverythingI guess I’m just trying to find a way forward GT. The most important thing is that it doesn’t happen again, and that the error is recognised.
While an apology to all would be nice, we all know that sincere apologies are rarely forthcoming nowadays, with our political leaders setting this regrettable trend.
Clearly I think what happened was stupid and should not be repeated as it was me that started this thread. But I don’t think there is much to be gained from hoping for or focusing on the need for an “apology” (though if I was in charge I would give one).
Excellent Thread Marlingford.
Ginge..Reading a few of the post race comments under each horse most seemed to be showing signs of distress
Desert Crown ..Sweating
Hoo Ya Mal .. Slowly away
Westover .. sweatingSix other horses quoted as sweating including your Stone Age and Nahanni.
The fact that Desert Crown, who I also backed, has a laid back temperament helped him a lot in the circumstances and he was a very worthy winner.
My EW was Royal Patronage who ran a very low key race considering his form with the winner and his victory over Coreobus, I expected him to be up there making the running, his heart was not in it.
Hope the Jockey Club pick up on Jockeys comments, Social Media and Internet Forums anger over what they have done and issue that apology sooner rather than later.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...“I guess I’m just trying to find a way forward GT. The most important thing is that it doesn’t happen again, and that the error is recognised”.
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Spot on Marlingford.
Value Is EverythingEvery man and his wife knows that fireworks freak most if not all animals the ‘F’ out and we are dealing with an animal that at its core has a fight or flight instinct when scared (mainly flight) so in what world could anyone (let alone) the Jockey Club believe that this was a good idea slap bang in the middle of more of the most important races in the world?
I understand the need to promote the sport to a wider audience but if this is the best idea (whatever think tank came up with it) can do then we really do have an issue on promotion, is a fireworks display really going to encourage more people to go racing???? Just off the top of my head, maybe cheaper ticket prices or a two for one deal would have been better options to explore.
Even though the fortunate thing for the horses in the Derby was that they were a long distance away from it, it still affected a fair few of them (Nahanni being the main one) so god only knows what the horses in the stabling area felt.
It is incredibly fortunate that one or more of the horses back there didn’t get frightened to the extent that they broke loose and actually injured themselves or god forbid were killed because that sure would have been a way to promote the sport.
Not sure why the Jockey Club would need ‘to review all feedback before next year’s race’ as it is a no brainer – no fireworks during raceday.
I hope someone representing the Jockey Club is reading this Thread and would come back with some answers..mainly WHY?
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...If they admit they were negligent then they may have to recompense the connections of the horses that were adversely affected by the fireworks. I very much doubt that they’ll apologise in any way. I still can’t get over the stupidity of it.
I’m all for a bit of head-rolling, myself.
Who in their right mind and, i assume, some knowledge of horses sign off on such a ridiculous idea.
Is there no accountability left in our society?
To be fair, Colin, lynch mobs on the web calling for life bans for trainers and jockeys for misdemeanours or sackings for errors of judgement by employees are nothing new.
In the real world, actual outcomes are IMO more measured and sensible.
People make MISTAKES.
No one died here, no one sustained life-changing injuries.
It was beyond stupid, those involved will be feeling excruciatingly embarrassed by the exposure of their evident lack of knowledge of racing relative to the hordes of consumers of the racing product rightly outraged on social media, I hear it won’t be happening again.
No one needs to be seen tearfully exiting Epsom with a P45 in their hand – they just need to learn from it and I hear that’s the case.
There won’t be an apology because neither the BHA nor Jockey Club possess so much as an ounce of humility, but that’s why it’s important at times like this we all simply laugh at them and laugh hard by way of moral compensation and natural justice.
What an utter bunch of clueless clowns they are at Epsom racecourse in marketing – those words alone are punishment enough.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Those words are only punishment if the recipients see them as such. Unfortunately, they’re so far up their own behinds that they won’t; it’s akin to admonishing the prime minister and expecting him to take it on board.
The people who came up with this totally idiotic and unjustifiable idea should be sacked.
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