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Hope it’s Sean chairing and not Chapman.
Wouldn’t imagine Chapman is Harry’s cup of tea, what you see is what you get with H, straight talker, says it how it is.
Harry even called Chapman an expert on International racing a while back when he wasn’t even speaking to Chapman. I wonder if he was straight talking then?
Fair enough, I wasn’t aware of that.
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I take it the ATR studio is on the Wiltshire-to-Australia flight path?
If Harry Findlay has indeed washed his hands of British racing and is looking forward to his Outback adventure as much as he claims, why appear on ATR? He’s cried a little, stamped his feet and ultimately cleared his name, so why drag the matter out any more?
My belief is that the disciplinary panel’s initial verdict took something far more valuable (to him) than his integrity; it took his standing as racing’s biggest personality. He wants to use this opportunity to re-establish his dominance and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him tear in to anyone and everyone in the process.
When Findlay first revealed that he had been warned off for six months, he was full of prasie for the BHA and their investigators. When they disspelled his claims of impunity they suddenly became the enemy. Paul Nicholls was criticised for not showing support worthy of Findlay’s status, yet was recently thanked for sticking by his larger-than-life former owner.
It doesn’t really seem to make sense. I fully expect his latest foray on to ATR to end with the revelation that, such has been the overwhelming support from the general public (cue the artisitic wiping away of a tear and cries of ‘my people need me’), he’ll reluctantly give British racing another chance.
Good points AJ.
Harry to reverse his descision about owning horses in Britain = 8/11
Harry to say he will never own horses in Britain but his mam will = 5/4
Harry to disappear to Australia and never be heard of again in this country = 250/1
I’ll have £500 on at 8/11 please.
Sorry Ken, price has been slashed to 1/8 – you still interested
I can’t say I’m particularly bothered one way or the other as to whatever he decides to do but I think it would be helpful to hear Harry’s future intentions regarding the laying of horses. Is he still contending that he has a nod and a wink from the BHA that, provided he’s not rumbled, he can still lay ‘his’ horses in order to balance the books or is he planning on being squeaky clean hereonin? Since the Appeal has there been a definitive statement from the BHA re-emphasising the rules and confirming that when it comes to the laying of horses there are no exceptions, exemptions or dispensations from adhering to the rules?
Just had a read of Boycie’s blog. No way is Harry going on TV with Boycie. What is the point of being asked uncomfortable questions.
I expect that this will end up being another audience with Harry where he pontificates one everything and is never challenged. Script as follows:
1) Lessons learned from his prison sentence
2) His parents were nurses. Noble profession etc….
3) Integrity is his middle name etc..Word is my bond etc…
4)Exchanges allow you to win whereas bookies didn’t etc…There will be no mention whatsoever of Paul Roy and Harry’s "exemption to lay". There will be no mention of Harry’s "financial difficulties" as reported to the BHA by Harry
There was also a story of him ripping into Neesom at Goodwood but it was pulled from BF and no-one seems brave enough to raise it again.
Is it just me? Or is the whole Harry Findlay thing (and the man himself) really boring?
Probably the best piece of racing journalism you’ll read all year. Very well put Mr Boyce and so, so true.
Read it here…
A good article I’d largely agree with though feel he’s too dismissive of racing as a sport. If we define sport as synonymous with entertainment, then surely racing can on occasions provide spectacular entertainment
It isn’t an immediately accessible sport in the manner say ball games are, as it’s easy to imagine yourself playing the game, or you may have actually played it, if not managing to emulate the ball-skills of the professional. Likewise athletics and motor racing
Fantasy and dreams about the ostensibly familiar
Therefore racing will always only attract a relatively small number folk who develop an interest in it purely as entertainment/sport, some of whom post on TRF, pleasingly. And that number is likely to continue declining the further we move away from the ‘horse-drawn days’ of yore when horses were a familiar part of everyday life, both urban and agricultural.
So Paul Roy’s assertion that racing can survive without betting is clearly ludicrous; it seems to me that deprived of betting it would become a minority interest on a par with those other equine sports showjumping, dressage and polo. These too no doubt occupy all the waking thoughts of some, as do all sports however aberrant – even beach volleyball
– but that number will never be much more than a small obsessive coterieSo an all-out attempt to ‘sell’ racing as a sport won’t work and in truth would never have worked
It’s about the betting stupid!
Yep, but with a bit of the noble thoroughbred thrown in to sweeten the treat. Great innit
Tried to subscribe to boyciesblog but can’t. Are new members no longer being accepted?
Drone, Cav was half right. Boycie has written the most forthright article on horse racing this year.
Absorbing, with natural momentum, textually balanced, accessible and inclusive, its a lovely piece of work. I could read it again and again.
Unfortunately, he’s completely wrong. Horse racing
is
a sport and I’m surprised that ATR’s premier presenter holds these views snd I’m looking forward to hear his arguments on a forum people read.
Quite frankly, I find this ‘good old ‘Arry’ nonsense nauseating.
The man is a self-opinionated, loud-mouthed, cannibis smoking (for a medical condition apparently), selfish big head. Due to his rule breaking, once again corruption has reared it’s ugly head into our world.
How in God’s name can this so-called character be good for horse racing?
Unfortunately, he’s completely wrong. Horse racing is a sport and I’m surprised that ATR’s premier presenter holds these views snd I’m looking forward to hear his arguments on a forum people read.
I think your missing the point of the article, Max. Of course racing is a sport and a great one to a tiny minority who don’t bet on it, but take away the betting and for the vast majority its a complete irrelevance, easily passed over, for all of the reasons that Sean has mentioned in his blog. Humans don’t identify with animals in the way they identify with other humans to any great extent, never have, never will.
It matters more when there’s money on it.
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What’s he coming here for? Absolution?…..his balls in a tinny…..have fun I’d rather watch paint dry
Drone wrote…Tried to subscribe to boyciesblog but can’t. Are new members no longer being accepted?
Immediately after I registered some months ago, Boycie decided that the quality and sophistication of membership would thereafter be in sharp decline so he decided to make it a blog exclusively for racing’s elite. Sorry Drone but unfortunately you really wouldn’t have got over the first hurdle though I’ll concede that you do know your onions. It’s just the sophistication bit that’s the problem. All is not lost though as I could suggest Boycie lets you in as a probationary member on the basis that you know a little bit about watering grass.
No, seriously, initially I had problems registering but perseverance got me there eventually. Possibly something to do with your browser and/or javascript.
Ken
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