- This topic has 10 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 7 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Does anybody know what this story that I have just seen on the Racing Post website is all about. It didn’t go into too much detail except to say that Jim Best and some others had been arrested in what seems to be a neighbourly dispute and also making threats to kill. It sounds a nasty business.
I heard there was believed to be a firearm on Mr Best’s property, a thorough search was made and nothing found. The dispute is with another trainer – Suzy Smith.
Oh thanks for that. I wonder what they have fallen out over. It must be hard for all the staff concerned working in the two yards if there is so much bad feeling.
No doubt the 1 1/2m uphill woodchip someones just put in. The rest of the training centre is the old racecourse so pretty much public property.
Hardly seems worth threatening to kill someone over, or is Suzy "Bonecrusher" Smith a bit handy and they are scared of a shoeing?
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4301166.Gun_scare_as_Lewes_horse_racing_rivals_fall_out/
Gun scare as Lewes horse racing rivals fall out
6:00pm Saturday 18th April 2009
By Ben Parsons, Crime Reporter »A row between horse racing stables led to a gun scare.
Sussex trainers Jim and Tom Best were among five people arrested when police raided Grandstand Stables in Lewes yesterday morning.
It is understood the arrests followed a row between the Bests and a man from the neighbouring training yard run by Suzy Smith.
Police were told threats had been made and a firearm had been seen.
About 15 police officers in seven cars visited Grandstand Stables yesterday at 7.10am. They spent six hours searching the yard for a gun but did not find one.
Jim Best, his brothers Tom and Leon, their father, also called Leon, and another man were arrested on suspicion of making threats.
They were still being questioned last night.
Grandstand Stables are next to Miss Smith’s County Stables at the old Lewes Racecourse site, off Nevill Road.
The Bests have 32 horses in training and despite being a young training partnership have come to some national attention, employing illustrious jockeys Tony McCoy and Frankie Dettori for some bigrace rides.
Miss Smith has 21 horses stabled in converted Tote betting booths in one of the old course buildings.
Insiders at the Old Racecourse said the relationship between the two operations has been strained for some time but boiled over this week.
Jim Best is said to have been involved in a row with a man from the Smith team at Cheltenham racecourse on Thursday, where both yards had runners. The incident was reported to course security.
The British Horseracing Authority said yesterday: “We are monitoring the situation and awaiting the outcome of the police inquiry.”
Jim Best’s wife, Suzy, said yesterday: “It is a bit of a fiasco really. It was a waste of police time. We have never had a gun.”
Miss Smith’s partner, Sergio Gordon-Watson, said: “We have been told by police not to say anything.
“We are just trying to carry on with our work, do the job and train racehorses.”
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “We received a call at 7.10am from a member of the public asking for officers to attend a neighbour dispute at a property in Lewes.
“Officers subsequently arrested five men. Four of the men were arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill and one man was arrested on suspicion of making racially aggravated threats.
“Following information that there was possibly a firearm involved, a thorough search of the area was undertaken, with nothing of any significance being found.”
I can’t wait for them to have runners in the same race. One for the Stewards to keep an eye on I imagine.
"Oops! Sorry! Did I just block you in on the rails when you were about to make a winning move?"
Alternatively: "I beg your pardon sir, after you. Good luck and tally-ho."
There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that Gunslinger(USA) is being transferred to the Best yard.
This is all a mix-up because someone misheard a couple of people talking about "bringing a colt out" and mistakenly thought they meant a colt45.When I first saw your name Gumshield, I thought of that film with Albert Finney in it but then realised that it was called Gumshoe – one of my favourites. Coincidentally the plot included something about a planted gun, I think. Weird or coincidence? The plot thickens……
KenThe old Lewes racecourse and all the land and the gallops is owned by the estate of The Duke of Abergavenny.
There has been a lot of jealousy from others training on the Lewes Downs towards Tom and Jim as they keep gaining new owners and there is a new influx of horses either joined or about to join Jim and Toms yard.
There was some words exchanged between the two camps down the Chalkpit pub after the recent easy winner at Plumpton when Jim’s mob did not pass on the word that Jims horse would win the last race!
Words were exchanged last week at Cheltenham when Jims former horse Mount Benger won @33/1 he was allegedly told he knew nothing about horses as he should not have let that horse go.
Mount Benger was owned a group of regulars(The Bad Boys) from The Engineer pub in Brighton and as they only paid £700.00 (seven hundred not seven thousand) for the horse and it had won a few races and landed some nice gambles for them so they decided to cash in.
Its a pity they all cant get on but the yards in the old Racecourse are a few yards from each other and there is just the one old road leading in they must meet each other every day whether they like it or not.
Incidentally Towser Gosden John’s father used to train from Lewes but his yard was behind the prison and there used to be other yards across the road where the police garage now stands.
Miss Sinclair who also used to train from Lewes went down in racing history as the first ever lady to be given a licence in her own name.
Anyway wait for the famous Lewes Bonfire night when there well could be an effigy of a red haired trainer burnt at the stake!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.