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Nick Luck has just confirmed that Cape Gentleman has suffered a career-ending tendon injury, but that his owner has said that no expense will be spared to save the horse and give him a long and happy retirement.
I raised the issue of bobby calves on my ‘laidees’ forum a year or so ago with very little ( if any) response. And yet today the anti racing posts are currently running into several pages. Christina Patterson (who I love and have never found myself disagreeing with anything she has ever said) was very good on the Sky News review last night saying that people had a right to protest but not in a way that it adversely affected something that countless others were enjoying and went on to point out that it wasn’t as if racing was a blood sport like fox hunting. I still think the protest contributed towards the fatality ( something that, alas, can never be proved or disproved)and the protesters are the only people that wanted it to happen. Maybe the National has had its day (and I say that with a heavy heart because it’s been a huge part of my life since I was a child). But perhaps we need to have more staying chases spread throughout the year so protesters can’t focus on just one event. I know racing will miss the revenue that the National generates but we’re in danger of one race bringing about the end of NH racing altogether. I love racing because as a child I watched it with my dad and, back then everybody loved it and talked about it. My children, who grew up watching it with me, have no interest in it and I daren’t mention racing to most people: it’s like a guilty secret. Feeling pretty down about it today to be honest and hoping that a day out at Kelso tomorrow will lift my spirits. I wonder if, as with Ireland, there is a slightly different attitude to racing in Scotland because, with all the riding out ceremonies, people are closer to animals than they are in England. And the closer people are to livestock the more understanding they are of the fragility of their life.
I get the impression that a lot of the protestors go after racing because they believe it is for “posh people”.
There is an element of that but most of the comments I see relate to betting (how it’s all about that, wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for people betting on it etc). Unfortunately the brighter antis are now focusing on racing’s weaknesses, including links with unpopular and illegal hunting (and ITV racing isn’t helping this with a few of its presenters banging on about it on a regular basis) and the already under-fire gambling industry. Again the BHA isn’t helping. The only commentator I have heard talking rationally about betting in terms of horse-racing is Matt Chapman (though I daresay there are others).
“Reducing the field size will have zero effect on the the totally misguided animal activists.” – I agree. They want the race banned and nothing short of that will appease them. All the previous changes (which I do feel have made for a safer race) are now glossed over by such people, if they are even aware of them. That’s not to say that further changes can’t be made, but it’s not the outcome they’re looking for.
Possibly a case in favour of reducing the field size is – with most other races now limited to smaller fields, is it now harder to practice getting so many horses lined up calmly? Or was it always this way and we just never saw it?
I suppose the argument for what they think would happen to the horses if racing wasn’t allowed is that the horses never would have been bred to meet the demand. Completely ignoring that if a ban went in today, you can’t handwave the horses out of existence. If you tried implementing it as a ban on new horses being bred for NH then you would have the same problem with breeding stock. And what do you do when your supposedly flat-bred foal turns out to have a knack for jumping fences (Red Rum, Tiger Roll).
“Most of the comments I see relate to betting”.
There have always been voices opposed to betting but they do seem to have become extremely hostile in recent years.
There is a class element here as well. A lot of it is driven by middle class new puritans who do not like the idea they have of working class men blowing their wages in the bookies and leaving their wives and children destitute.
Please save us from “We Know Best” types who think they have the right to tell everyone else what to do.
Looking at the media coverage, the National is nowhere near the headline on the BBC News site or on the Guardian or Daily Mail.
Without belittling what happened yesterday or sounding complacent, maybe the media storm has already blown over?
Racing just needs to hold its nerve and calmly state the facts. Kevin Blake eviscerated the animal rights spokesman on Talk TV, who was exposed as hysterical and a liar.
Many more people attended the National yesterday than protested and vocal people on social media are not the majority.
If we are still here, you can imagine next year’s broadcast and race which will have quite a lot of percent giving more exposure to the activist’s. “Will they invade, won’t they”. The sigh of relief won’t be until the race is run and over.
Talking of “sighs of relief”, as well as people saying horses are so well looked after by everyone mentioned, I do find it ‘ a bit strange’ when owners and connections say the main thing is my horse comes back safe and sound!
Is this just for their conscience?
If you were so worried about your horse then don’t run them, and don’t deter from the fact they are there and this is all about glory for yourself!
Looks like the RSPCA are getting involved now…
“Media storm has already blown over?”
Same every year.. Non racing people other than the animal rights forget it quicker than it takes Chezza to eat a packet of hob nobs.
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How many activists at Huntingon or Wincanton today ….
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
“Without belittling what happened yesterday or sounding complacent, maybe the media storm has already blown over?”
As I wrote here last night, the best news for the Grand National right now is the next renewal is 364 days away.
If it was a weekly, or even monthly, event racing would have a real problem.
Don’t get me wrong, hostility to it will only intensify in future years, but the Grand National is the main focus for the “antis.”
Since yesterday I’ve read nothing but, at best, derision, and, at worst, outright abuse for the protestors on social media that lies within the racing bubble and a lot of preaching to the converted and playing to the racing gallery sermonising.
None of this helps racing.
Derogatory terms – calling people “ignorant” and needing to be “educated” is not language that wins hearts and minds.
When did anyone ever respond positively to being called such things?
It strikes me that the BHA aren’t the only ones with an apparent death wish for the game tbh.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“Derogatory terms – calling people “ignorant” and needing to be “educated” is not language that wins hearts and minds”.
Good point Ian.
Same applies to climate where there are enough people ‘on both sides’ of the camp, but one chooses to belittle the other. And with their trait, the left, globalists, the putting down comes from them.
Bet the protesters are all ‘lefties’ as well!
Oh, both sides do it, GSP – I often wonder if anyone has every changed anyone else’s mind on anything in the history of social media so far.
All they seem to do is proudly wear their views on their sleeves, play to the gallery of the like minded who agree agree and abuse, thus further antagonise, anyone with a contrary view.
“You’re right, I’m ‘ignorant’ and need ‘educating’.”
Said no one EVER.
Think on.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Talk TV have just had the Alex character on again from Animal Rising, this time on the Richard Tice show who himself is on racing’s side. However, as things conspire it did not go too well as seemingly by coincidence a lady caller, who stated that she had worked in the racehorse re – training and re -homing areas of horse welfare, began touching on the wastage issue and bringing up the Panorama programme, saying it was just the tip of the iceberg. The Alex character then began discussing the wastage issue but thankfully Tice intervened and told him that it’s a separate issue for another day. All quite worrying and I sense another Panorama programme will be on its way sometime soon.
Richard Hoiles was on LBC this morning. Anyone hear him? I didn’t but some good comments on his Twitter feed.
I suspect that today there will be respite from the discussion.
However, tomorrow’s brekkie news shows will be all over it.
Fully expecting GMB to have 2 ‘opposing’ guests shouting at each other at some point.
And, perversely, even though ITV holds the horse racing contract, i reck there’ll be comment and discussion on every single ITV show tom morn. Namely, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women.Then, in the evening, Jeremy Kyle on TalkTV, Piers Morgan Uncensored. It’ll get loads of news coverage tomorrow.
To add, and i dont want to turn this into a full political football, but anyone know what Labour’s current stance is on horse racing? Any TRF members out there who are Labour party members?
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