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Not much has been mentioned about Horatio Nelson being put down but I’d just like to say I think he was a fantastic horse who had a tremendous amount of guts and will to win.
I don’t want to get involved in the debate as to whether he should have run, but Fallon is a compassionate jockey with a great amount of knowledge about horses (imo) and I don’t think he would have ridden him if he wasn’t happy.
A sad day for connections and RIP Horatio Nelson.<br>
(Edited by FlatSeasonLover at 7:18 pm on June 3, 2006)
Having watched the replay I got the impression that the horse may have hurt himself as he came round the bend into the straight. No criticism of the jockey intended.
I saw Horatio Nelson win in fine fashion on a visit to The Curragh last year, and it’s very sad to see him bow out in such distressing style.
Rob
Thank you FSL.
I don’t need to repeat what I said – he was class. He should have been Hawk Wing all over again.
Sporting Life are not proving themselves to be the most tactful bunch of people. They report ‘Sir Percy got up in the dying strides….’ Maybe a quick change to ‘final/last strides’ would add a bit more sensitivity.
I watched the race only on television, but to me and others watching  — all of us used to riding and handling horses  — Horatio Nelson was visibly unsound before the start.  If that horse had been one of ours, no-one would have been permitted to sit on him, let alone gallop him.
(Edited by paieye at 7:44 pm on June 3, 2006)<br>
(Edited by paieye at 10:01 pm on June 3, 2006)
It’s a terrible shame.
It will be interesting to find out what was said between Fallon and O’Brien at the start. Obviously something didn’t seem quite right but if Aidan thought there’d be a major problem he certainly wouldn’t have let the horse run, he’s a bloke who cares deeply. Just rotten luck.
Very good horse and a real shame.
I know is a strange thing to say, but I was happy to see Fallon give up his mount in the last. It shows his love and care for horses. I used to hate the man with a passion. But in the last year, I have seen that he truly is an amazing jockey, with a genuine love for the game.
I wouldn’t have judged him at all for riding in the last, but was nice to see. I certainly would have done the same though. I left after the Derby anyway, but if I was staying and had heard the news, I would have left.
I think Fallon and O’Brien are going to feel really cut up, if Kieran’s words about Horatio to Clare Balding are any guide.
I got the impression he was a wee horse with a very big heart, who always just wanted to do the right thing by his handlers.
But I’ll never forget in the Dewhurst, the way he started sprinting, when he finally got a clear run, and the other horses seemed to be coming to the end of their tether . <br>
That was an awful shame to lose him in that way. So sad, and it’s so easy in hindsight to say he shouldn’t have run, but I’m sure none of his connections would have let him take part if they had even an inkling that he should break down in that horrific way. It was just one of those things.
Burroughhill <br>Surely you are overstating the case for the defense. You don’t have to think he will breakdown. Just that he is causing Fallon to have second thoughts or to think he is having second thoughts. When in doubt  pull him out. I bet Fallon learned something today. Too bad the price was so high. But that is racing as Magnier said yesterday. " today is my day"…….tomorrow? who knows
Quote: from andyod on 10:06 pm on June 3, 2006[br]Surely you are overstating the case for the defense. You don’t have to think he will breakdown. Just that he is causing Fallon to have second thoughts or to think he is having second thoughts. When in doubt  pull him out. I bet Fallon learned something today. Too bad the price was so high. But that is racing as Magnier said yesterday. " today is my day"…….tomorrow? who knows
There is no guarantee that the concerns raised pre-race were anything to do with the subsequent fatal injury sustained during the race. To insinuate this is an insult to connections.
<br>I’m a big fan of O’Brien/Fallon, not quite like Aidan on here but big enough anyway and I know that they wouldn’t have risked the horse if they thought anything at all was amiss. I have no experience of dealing with horse injuries myself but I believe Dr Peter Webbon checked him over at the start so surely a man with his experience would have picked up what you say you saw paieye.
However, the cynics will say a lot of things in the next few days I’m sure –
– If it had been Mountain showing signs of unsoundness would they have just withdrawn him as he had very little chance anyway?
– Fallon would have looked a bit stupid if the horse he had chosen out of the 4 couldn’t even run.
– Did they get caught up with it being the Derby and take a risk they wouldn’t have done in say, a Gowran Maiden. (i.e. there’s only 1 Derby)
I’m just saddened that we’ve lost such a promising horse as I remember him winning at Newmarket on the day of the London bombings and in a small way it helped me get through what was a truly awful day for everyone to say the least.
This is just the latest in a long line of high-profile fatalities that we racing enthusiasts have had to endure over the last 6 months though – Best Mate, Rooster Booster, Lingo, the ten at Cheltenham of course, the rate just seems to have been abnormally high lately.
Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying. David used the word concerns. That alone to me warrants taking defensive action.Any concerns will do. Unfortunately connections probably had bet a lot on the horse.and this is the "big one". I know that should make no difference but it does.If the concern is slight it can sway a decision. Then again Kierin and Aidan are incredibly smart about these things so their decision must be respected.
Magnier and Tabor are worth at least 500 million quid put together. Do you honestly think they would care if they lost 100k or so on him??? I watched them walk down by the stands towards where Horatio was being treated. I saw the looks on their faces – I just didn’t want to admit what had happened to myself.
Magnier’s reputation, somewhat sadly I think, took a huge turn for the worse since the Man Utd saga. He seems like a thoroughly nice bloke, and without him – I think I am not alone in saying that racing would not be the same.
I remember being at the Arc in October, having seen Horatio win well I turned and said to a spectator, that is the Derby winner. I said that he would have hated the ground and the trip was nowhere near long enough that day.
It was such a shame to see today’s tragic events. I have no interest in the winner, or any hard luck stories from the race. I’ll always remember it as the day Horatio Nelson ran his last race.
I have a feeling that Horatio and Alexandrova were bred in unison to win the Derby and Oaks respectively. After Magnier’s comments yesterday saying that Alexandrova had done what she was bred to do, I thought about whether they had done the same with Horatio. It’s a shame that he’ll never get to fulfil his awesome potential.
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