- This topic has 31 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 5 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
After beating Crisp, Red Rum was never done any favours by the Handicapper.
Had to give weight to dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner L’Escargot the next year, had to concede even more weight when beaten by him in 1975, and again stiff tasks in 1976 and 1977.
Yet owner Noel Le Mare kept running him year after year.
Compare and contrast that to the fella who owns SIX of Gordon Elliott’s eight runners, but Tiger Roll isn’t one of the sextet.
Red Rum saved the Grand National.
Would the race still even exist if Michael O’Leary had owned Red Rum?
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Was thinking something along these lines this morning.
I don’t remember any whinging from either trainer or owner about the weights.I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains
I've walked and I crawled on six crooked highwaysSuch a shame that a horse like Tiger Roll was wasted on a couple of dodge-pots like the chuckle brothers.
The horse-sitter was perfectly happy with Tiger Rolls National Rating, but of course the O’Biggles brothers knew better.
They should sod off sharpish and stick to key business decisions, like not letting all of their employed pilots have holidays at the same time.
BUY THE SUN
Ginger McCain was pretty outspoken but no, I can’t remember him whinging about the weights either.
He and Le Mare just got on with it.
Not for the first time, TTC nails it IMO.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"The main difference is Le Mare was a sporting businessman who saw winning the Nat as part of a promise to his self, the other promises were to marry a pretty girl and become a millionaire ….he did all 3 , on the other hand O’Leary sits in his lair plotting how to make yet more money out of the average travellers pocket ….remember he was proposing charging you to pee on his plane , when it comes to racing he sat down with Elliott to beat Tiger …his own horse beloved by the public , the reason Ginger bought Rummy was because he failed to declare Glenkiln for the national , he didn’t know how to tell le mare but when he did le mare told him worst things happen at sea and to pour himself a drink ….the nearest we had to Le Mare was Hemmings , they loved there horses ….do you think O’Leary has ever cried over losing one of his horses ….no
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
Quite.
It’s not as if I’m suggesting Noel Le Mare was some sort of Saint – tbh he simply behaved the way I would expect any owner to behave.
But O’Leary is just shocking.
I am totally of the view that caring a great deal what others think about you can, overall, often be a human frailty, not a strength, but to own a dual Grand National winner and then behave as O’Leary has done thereafter just staggers and saddens me.
I cannot think of a more disliked owner in racing.
In a way, we should pity him.
That much wealth, owning that many horses, it clearly kills your sense of perspective and gives you an obscene sense of entitlement to the extent of thinking your horse has a divine right to be pick of the weights for the Grand National every year.
The modern Grand National is a different race nowadays, but still a great race IMO.
The modern dual Grand National winning owner?
Different story – where O’Leary is concerned, anyway.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“on the other hand O’Leary sits in his lair plotting how to make yet more money out of the average travellers pocket”
Quite!
“That much wealth, owning that many horses, it clearly kills your sense of perspective and gives you an obscene sense of entitlement to the extent of thinking your horse has a divine right to be pick of the weights for the Grand National every year.”
Quite 2 – The Revenge!
What an absolute berk the bloke really is.
BUY THE SUN
“O’Leary sits in his lair plotting how to make yet more money out of the average travellers pocket”
Do you reckon O’Leary strokes a white Persian cat while he’s doing this?
He also launched a personal attack on the handicapper, calling him an idiot and questioning his competence and integrity.
At Cheltenham, Tiger Roll ran exactly to his National handicap mark.
Of course, no apology was forthcoming from O’Leary.
Tiger Roll is clearly fit, healthy and in good form. He should be running on Saturday and given the chance to make history. Imagine what great publicity it would be for racing.
“Do you reckon O’Leary strokes a white Persian cat while he’s doing this?”
Quite possibly.
I don’t lose sleep over what others think of me, but who dreams of winning the Grand National with one of eight runners, then denying one of your legion of horses the chance to emulate Red Rum, and being understandably vilified by many who genuinely love the game?
O’Leary could own a million horses and he still wouldn’t love racing the way passionate lifelong racegoers/punters do.
For sure, you might posture a bit before the weights came out like prize fighters before the weigh in, but ultimately you’d run.
Red Rum’s GN form figures were: 11221.
Tiger Roll’s are: 11CSS.
(Form key: 1 denotes won, 2 denotes finished second, C denotes no race due to Covid, S denotes owner sulked about weight so withdrawn).
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"If Tiger Roll was in the National he would be favourite now. O’Leary has no good reason not to run him and is doing racing a great disservice.
The sooner he is out of racing, the better.
Ian I wouldn’t have s for sulk id have used s for shithouse
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
A little unfair on lavatorial facilities everywhere, I feel, but I hear you.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I’ve heard of damning people with faint praise, but saying Michael O’Leary’s principal redeeming quality is that he’s not Sheikh Mohammed takes it to a new level.
Maximum respect.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.