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After years of trying to defend racing to those who would have it banned I feel this is a very dark day.
Cannot begin to imagine what other trainers must be thinking this morning. What an absolute disaster for the sport especially so close to Cheltenham and all the bad press that received last year. Then Tiger Roll at Aintree potentially…. I can almost see the headlines now. Jesus.
Think it could and probably should be all over for him. Whoever he had involved in releasing that statement ought to be considering their future too.
The thoughts of a couple of dozen people on a relatively obscure forum ultimately don’t matter. Anyone can see that the media, be that print, broadcast or social, can create as much of a storm about this as they like. That’s what matters.
It appears that there may be more to come, this is bad enough on its own but if there is indeed more then he really is knee deep in it.
Indeed, and I’m sure they will move on quickly. People in racing overrate the power of those outside the sport. The whole thing is a visual disaster, especially jump racing. Tired horses being whipped over long distances, fatal falls, breakdowns, corruption, drugs, emotionless Irish fellas riding and training.
The sport has survived far worse things with just the usual superficial coverage in the press. The One Show featured Grand National runner McKelvey in a schmultzy weekly Primetime feature before he met a grizzly death in the race itself. Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup Classic winner Ferdinand became pet food. Hallo Dandy was abused after racing. High profile horses who reached the public like Many Clouds, One Man and Best Mate died on the racecourse. Other equine stars like Kauto Star, Denman and Desert Orchid took horrible falls near the end of their careers that could easily have turned out much worse. Howard Johnson removed the nerves from the legs of lame horses and kept racing them until they broke down.
But we carry on…
Get your point about Morgan Ruby going back four years it wasn’t him.
Just to go back to Elliott’s statement where he says he was standing by the horse when he had to answer a phone call. Would it not be most peoples instinct to walk away from the scene to answer the call privately not to sit down and especially not to climb on top of a the horse you have been trying to help in full view of staff and giving victory salutes.
I’ll never forget that sick image and yes guarantee Cheveley Park will pull their horses and the sooner the better.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...“I’ll never forget that sick image and yes guarantee Cheveley Park will pull their horses and the sooner the better.”
I’m willing to lay you a decent price that they won’t do this.
Agree with most of what you say Ship. All I will say is I think most of the public are sensible and reasonable enough to realise horses get injured on the gallops or in races and sometimes nothing can be done to save them. But they will find it hard to accept a trainer sitting on a dead horse and looking like he is treating it as a joke.
I do not think Elliott should get a lifetime ban for what I hope is a moment of madness – but he does have to face some sort of sanction. Racing has to be seen to not tolerate this sort of conduct.
Before the statement came out I had been wondering if the image itself was photoshopped but the events depicted were real. The statement seems to indicate the photo is genuine but that makes the excuse sound even less believable. If you have to sit astride to sit down then you know what it is you’re sitting on. A “one moment” gesture does not usually look like that, but we have numerous examples of GE making that exact gesture in celebration.
While the horse itself doesn’t care one way or the other at that point, and (at this stage at least) there’s no indication that GE caused it’s death, if this behaviour is what is considered normal in his yard I’ve no doubt there is more to come out.
Ship..All those incidents you have mentioned are the most terrible things and never forgotten a lot happenning before Social Media would have made them even more toxic. Because this is what this image has become and it will not go away. Elliott by that one uncaring sick action has ruined his career and I couldn’t care less.
Re Cheveley Park .. We’ll just have wait and see.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Hear, hear, Triptych.
“I’m willing to lay you a decent price that they won’t do this.” What price?
BUY THE SUN
And of course there is the usual omerta from the racing media. The likes of Matt Chapman have had precisely nothing to say. Perish the thought he does not want to upset his mate…
If Elliott was UK he’s breached this rule i believe. Don’t know if Ireland have same rule, one would hope so.
30. Conduct prejudicial to horseracing
30.1 A Person must not act in any manner which the Authority considers to be prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of horseracing in Great Britain.Elliott has not ruined his career. I think this is less of a problem than the Davy Russell incident – that’s a man losing his temper and abusing a live horse, suggestive of what might happen when there are no cameras. This is a blockhead doing something disrespectful over the body of a dead horse. I think a suitable resolution might be Elliott making a hefty donation to a Greatwood type charity just to smooth things over. A ban would seem inappropriate to me.
Trainers are far more hardnosed than they seem, even those who come across very smooth with the media. I was talked into having a share of one with Fergal a couple of years ago and went down for the morning to watch it work and see the place. Not only could the trainer not pick my horse out of the bunch for me (had to ask the riders) – he was unable to identify his stable stars as they walked past. No abuse involved there (and I wouldn’t want to suggest that at all, they care for them well), but goes to show that the image and the reality can be very different behind the scenes.
ship his action is prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of horseracing.
What penalty that carries none of us on here know. We will have to wait and see.
“Elliott has not ruined his career.”
He has. This is a stain he will never wash out.
BUY THE SUN
Mike, Irish racing has Rule 272 about preserving the good reputation of horse racing. A licensed trainer may be sanctioned if they have been found to have acted in a manner “prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of horse racing”.
It never ruined davey russels career though, abusing a living horse on live tv…. so im failing to understand why this would
Evidently people want his head, and theyll likely get it, but he does not deserve to be punished in the manner the social media goons are shouting for
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