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The assumption that I earn 70k would be a remarkably well placed one if I got my pay in Tajikistani Somoni…
It’s at times like these when i realise too many people who bet don’t care one iota about the welfare of the horse. Twitter was obscene yesterday.
Sad, pathetic people.
I don’t bet on horses as it spoils the sport for me and my concerns on animal welfare (inside and outside of the sport) often border on the hysterical.
Sprinter Sacre is my favourite horse in training and has been for a few seasons now so my official position is that if something felt a bit off then praise be to Barry Geraghty. Safety of the animal trumps the selfish concerns of the punter a thousand times out of a thousand. Indeed, by that token, I’m happy to heap praise on a 7lb conditional pulling up in a Ludlow seller.
Nevertheless, I finding it increasingly disconcerting that the mere question or suggestion of
any
potential foul play is being sharply, vehemently and rudely dismissed with religious zeal. I get that we all fawn over Nicky Henderson (myself included sometimes) but to be so harshly critical of the "tin foil hat brigade" because "Why would Nicky Henderson pull something so rankly blatant" is to settle a case with literally nothing more than conjecture. In this country of law and due process, neither I, nor a brand new trainer from nowhere for that matter, would be afforded this level of trust and rightfully so. Therefore, why should a personal friend of the reigning monarch be immune from scrutiny?
As was raised earlier in the thread, Moonlit Path and Binocular will follow NJH to the grave and the fact that for all the gallops and schooling sessions undertaken by SS since the summer, the arrhythmia only transpires after a mile around Kempton…
I started this thread as very little more than a cheeky joke. But in light of the almost unanimous reaction of the racing community, the concept of "us and them" threatens to once again rear its ugly rear. I can’t be alone in wondering exactly what harm a quick procedural (a little more substantive than a doping test which would answer zero questions) would do to the character of NJH, the integrity of the sport or the reputation of same.
My problem with " the tin hat brigade " is that almost every beaten favourite is met with the same response and there is no mention of the horses welfare and a distinct lack of compassion. Also, i think the connection with the Queen makes it even more ‘ fun ‘ for those that love to poke fun at ‘ Naughty Nicky ‘.
If someone’s default position is to write the following after watching Sprinter Sacre being pulled up with the jockey remain in the saddle
disgrace the man didn’t even dismount the horse what the f???
excuse is irregular heart beat laughable!! why didn’t he dismount Him!
then they can go and **** themselves.
That wasn’t a " mere question or suggestion " BH. It was vindictive, callous and completely without regard for the horse and defending it is pointless so i’m surprised you’ve done so at length.
In my opinion – BG thought they had him at it, so pulled up rather than get beaten.
He clearly didn’t think there was anything too dramatic or he would have dismounted.
This heartbeat stuff soon got out didn’t it.
Does a horse have his heart beat checked for ‘regularity’ on a regular basis? Weekly for example? Or after each race? Or only when someone feels there is a problem?
Looked to me like they jumped the 7th last slightly behind SDG. They then found themselves lose a few lengths and after another fence where SS got in tight, Barry had to bump him – something i’ve never seen him do before. No response and he was immediately pulled up. Presumably thought it was a fitness issue etc
If you are right mate he soon pulled him didn’t he? You can’t win them all on the bridle.
My problem with " the tin hat brigade " is that almost every beaten favourite is met with the same response and there is no mention of the horses welfare and a distinct lack of compassion.
I share your disdain for anybody who cares more for a bet than they do a horse. But it’s an affront to discourse to dismiss a position because of the characteristics of some who hold it.
It’s akin to saying that someone with an interest in UKIP wants to drag all non-whites from fast moving vehicles by their necks or that a vegetarian has no qualms with the appropriation of the remains of a scientist’s relative. (I can’t think of the term I’m looking for – it’s like, but not quite, straw man).
Also, i think the connection with the Queen makes it even more ‘ fun ‘ for those that love to poke fun at ‘ Naughty Nicky ‘.
I see you’re a fan of him and I’m not an "anti-fan". I said that I also fawn over him sometimes given that he’s a charming and highly accomplished character. Indeed, he’s probably the Harry Redknapp of the sport. (Well Harry Redknapp’s the Harry Redknapp of the sport but you get my point). The connection with the Queen though was more a reflection of his standing within the sport and in wider society. A standing that generates a presumed infallibility which is a dangerous thing given the sport’s heightened vulnerability to nefarious practices.
If someone’s default position is to write the following after watching Sprinter Sacre being pulled up with the jockey remain in the saddle
disgrace the man didn’t even dismount the horse what the f???
excuse is irregular heart beat laughable!! why didn’t he dismount Him!
then they can go and [expletive] themselves.
That wasn’t a " mere question or suggestion " BH. It was vindictive, callous and completely without regard for the horse and defending it is pointless so i’m surprised you’ve done so at length.
I didn’t take that position. I am not defending it. I’m not GodolphinArabian. That line of argument is between you and GodolphinArabian.
I have had a glance or two at other soapboxes and whist a lot of the comments were of the fundamentally gnostic branch of debate, other comments merely calling for an inquiry were lumped together with same.
I don’t know if any skulduggery has taken place. For what it’s worth, I think that on balance, it’s improbable. Nevertheless, I don’t know that there hasn’t been any skulduggery and I would be a lot more comfortable about the situation if I wasn’t feeling so lonely in this position.
It’s a free world, and everyone is entitled to speculate. My take is that BG might well have saved the horse’s life.
A vet describes arrhythmia as like driving a car with 6 cylinders which suddenly drops to 1 cylinder. As Al Down said in today’s RP, quite a few jocks would have given him a kick in the belly and maybe a slap, but BG rightly took no chances whatever.
The vet on the scene cleared BG to ride SS back. His heartbeat was still irregular 90 minutes later, and, more worryingly, 24 hours later.
I fear we might have seen the last of him
BTW, anyone watching Twitter would not ‘feel lonely in the position’ of possible skulduggery. A prominent Timeform employee argued for the right of people to question what happened.
Having said that, I think people (and I don’t particularly mean anyone on here) should make their position clear now. Is the claim that the horse was pulled up too quickly/for nefarious purposes or is it that the ‘excuse’ of the heart defect is not to be believed, even in light of today’s reports from the specialist?
The fact that it’s such an unclear situation, especially in such high profile circumstances, alone warrants an independent inquiry.
I’m not making any specific accusations. I’m just saying that in a situation where it’s perfectly feasible that "someone" knew this was going to happen (not necessarily BG or NJH), it’s best for all interested parties to hold an inquiry. There is smoke and while nine times out of ten it’s a case of somebody overcooking the toast, it does no harm to make sure.
Nobody would bat an eyelid if a first season trainer went through the same procedure after a favourite pulls up very quickly at Southwell. That it’s such an irregular occurrence automatically raises a red flag. Why the flag isn’t raised this time is befuddling.
My problem with " the tin hat brigade " is that almost every beaten favourite is met with the same response and there is no mention of the horses welfare and a distinct lack of compassion.
I share your disdain for anybody who cares more for a bet than they do a horse. But it’s an affront to discourse to dismiss a position because of the characteristics of some who hold it.
I didn’t. I showed my disdain for the ridiculous post and those like it.
It was you who then replied to my post by stating that you’re disconcerted by the responses to the mere suggestion of any foul play.
A mere suggestion was your original topic opener. The ridiculous post followed, as they always do.Maybe Celia Marr is in on it, too. Or is the suggestion in fact that Nicky Henderson allowed a horse with an irregular hearbeat to start a race with the intention of pulling it up.
If that’s what you’d like to discuss then go ahead. I’d rather **** a cactus.
Hmm. Lets wait until the next jockey easing up when seemingly going ok tells the Stewards he was concerned about the horses ticker a-la Mr. Barry Geraghty!
Or are we saying its only an acceptable excuse for horses rated 180 or over?
Dangerous precedent the back-slapping of BG could set.
Hmm. Lets wait until the next jockey easing up when seemingly going ok tells the Stewards he was concerned about the horses ticker a-la Mr. Barry Geraghty!
Or are we saying its only an acceptable excuse for horses rated 180 or over?
Dangerous precedent the back-slapping of BG could set.
Excuse ???!!! He was right to pull the horse up.
There are certain time to question the running and riding of a horse. This was not one of them.
Geraghty has been completely vindicated in his decision to pull the horse up. The only other avenue for the conspiracy theorists here is they knew it had a heart problem but ran it anyway and made money from the race.What’s obvious here by the snide " back slapping " comment is that some of you are rather perturbed the fact there is a problem and it’s been made public within a day of the race.
I think you need to calm down. I’ve not mentioned anything of the sort.
I just wonder what will happen to the next jock who pulls up and references this incident. Leaves a grey area.
I asked earlier, do you know if tests for a regular heartbeat form part of a normal training regime, much like ‘Scoping’? Or does it not get checked until something is suspected to be amiss?
" Dangerous precedent the back-slapping of BG could set "
He was right and deserves to be praised for his actions. If there are mistakes made at a later date then people cannot genuinely, seriously blame people for that.
Done with the subject.
I stand by that comment.
The fact he pulled a horse up he thought wasn’t going to win doesn’t make some sort of hero.
Tell you this for nothing – if Geraghty got the same feeling off SS jumping the last 10 lengths clear, there is more chance of me rattling Kelly Brook in a paddling pool full of jelly then him pulling up.
Seems whatever was ailing SS has righted itself and he is likely to back cantering later this week
there is more chance of me rattling Kelly Brook in a paddling pool full of jelly then him pulling up.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
boring…..
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