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Quote: from Black Sam Bellamy on 4:33 pm on May 16, 2007[br]Why did the Racing Post not knock out their "Horses of 2006" annual this year ? I really enjoyed the previous ones and am rather peeved that they have been discontinued. Don’t tell me…lack of sales.<br>
<br>That’s what is was, lack of sales!:o
Wingandaprayer is correct.
Seabird is not though. Had to buy my own ticket for this one:o
At a knockdown journos/PA/RP rate though I’m sure ~ I’ve heard the tales about the likes of the HK trips!!  :biggrin:
Zorro – your snippet "Split up the Talking Heads" from last week sometime, was it just a little tongue in cheek??  In particular the line "They get on very well, or at least they seem to…" made me grin especially!  I’d be guessing (along with several others) that they do get on erm, very well indeed….;) :o
Shadow Leader:
I can honestly say I know nothing about that subject, and that the idea never occurred to me.
Sorry about the ‘crossposting’ my fault for starting multiple topics under the same heading. Don’t worry though, I’ll make sure all the questions from the various threads get to Paul.<br>
 :old:<br> <br>  Don’t worry I am sure Paul is<br>  used to cross postings :biggrin:
 my fivepenneth
 Paul, were you a Tintin or a Beano man ?
 Has the drug of forums in any way improved your paid writing would you say ( there is no suggestion from me it needs improving – but from  a style and content perspective have there been noticeable changes ?)
 Did you think hard about entering into this foreign undergound world<br>  and the repercussions of it, or was it a thing of the moment<br>  brought about by a missaprehension ?
 Do you feel horseracing is less exciting now<br>  than in the good ol’ midweek derby days ?
 I ran out of juice – couldn’t think of a fifth question <br> ( oh and you can leave out one question)
gamble:
Beano. Tin Tin much too Frenchified imo.
I think the forums (fora?) may have caused everyone’s writing style to deteriorate. But never mind. They’ve also done a wonderful job in that they’ve effectively given everyone with a computer his or her own column. The logical consequence of this <br>is that conventional newspaper columns may soon become unnecessary. Which is a bit of a worry I suppose.
I didn’t think hard about switching to international racing. I did it because it was what interests me most; and I assumed it would interest the majority too once people realised how great it was. Still working on convincing people of that. But one day it will come.
Yes I do think it’s as exciting as it was. In fact more so, but only at International G1 level.
Paul, you like a beverage or two, but you seem to like going racing to far out places, how about coming to Ireland for Derby w/end, drinking at its best,<br>Check out Mc Donnells [neesons] Newbridge Co. Kildare,<br>I might even buy you a drink, couldn’t find a better racing pub in the whole of Ireland. If the barman turned off the racing for 2 seconds he would be lynched. Having said that every time I go up for a pint the fu-cking barman is in the bookies next door.
PS. Whats your favourite tipple ??.
Madman Marz:
Thankyou. That’s a very kind offer. I don’t often go to Ireland, but I do often drink with madmen. Next time I’m going to Newbridge I’ll let you know.
Shots of very cold Russian or Polish vodka (not the lighter fuel that passes for vodka in the west) followed by a sip of lager or Guinness. (No point in beating about the bush).
It is written into the contract of every employee at the Racing Post that Alastair Down gets first bite at any Irish press junkets. Haigh has to make do with the rest of the world.
Thanks for the time Paul
<br>From articles i’ve read i  get the impression most racing journalist are poor/average  formbook readers/race analysts
do you agree?<br><br>Empty Wallet:
Yes. Sorry to be so brief but…Yes.
Quote: from Prufrock on 8:44 am on May 21, 2007[br]It is written into the contract of every employee at the Racing Post that Alastair Down gets first bite at any Irish press junkets. Haigh has to make do with the rest of the world.<br>
Check out an out of print book called Talking Horses (I think that’s the title) – a compendium of racing stories. It contains an article by one Paul Haigh about his exploits at the Punchestown Festival with a young Alistair Down. It is believed to be the template for all subsequent Down articles since.
A true gem for a Down afficianado like you. It would be like a christian finding the original trancript of Genesis.
Talking Horses was Jeffrey Bernard. Getting confused.
Here’s the one: Turf Accounts
Thanks for taking the time, Paul…etc.
My question is: given that he will soon be looking for alternative work and given his track record, would Tony Blair be the right man to take over at the top of British racing and bring together in peace and harmony the warring factions that currently make up the industry?
Gus, if I ever got into a position to decide such things, Tony would be in court defending himself against accusations of treason and war crime. He is, however, a very smooth talker who could sell vacuum cleaners to the homeless, wars to the peace loving being a piece of cake. So he might be able to do for our warring factions what he’s trying to convince everyone he did for Ireland. Not the faintest chance of it of course. We’re not nearly grand enough for our Tone, and we couldn’t pay enough either.Tone Loc:
Asia: Hong Kong Cup meeting. With apologies to Japan Cup and Singapore International Airlines Cup which aren’t so good because they’re just one race.<br> Australasia: AJC Derby Day, or Cox Plate.<br> South America: Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (because I’ve never been).<br> North America: Breeders’ Cup. Although the Arlington International meeting’s very good fun too.<br> Europe: Arc.
Overall Hong Kong Cup meeting because the racing’s great and I love the Far East.
You’d be surprised. Most of these trips I have to pay for myself these days. For some reason the mad bean counters don’t think it’s cost effective to send me.
Paul, if you had a chance to go one race meeting on each continent which ones would you choose and what be the outright favourite?
<br>Addendum: ‘if you had a chance’ err, I realise that this question would be hypothetical to most but is probably the motion of your monthly debate at the RP…. :biggrin:
(Edited by ToneLoc at 1:35 pm on May 22, 2007)
Questions from the other thread –
From Mounty –
As a racing journalist myself I live in constant fear of having to get a proper job. "There’s always digging ditches" as my old boss, racecourse bookmaker Martyn of Leicester, used to say. If aliens abducted every horse on the planet next Tuesday, what alternative career could you see yourself in and have you ever had a "proper job"? <br><br>Mounty:
I was a teacher once for about a year, but I was no good. (No patience apart from anything else). I have at various times been a tree feller (lumberjack is too strong a word and, considering Python, one with too many implications) a squash coach, and a student for about 10 years in various universities in the days when it was fashionable to spend about ten years being a student. But no I’ve never had a proper job. So maybe I’m qualified to be a politician.<br> After mature consideration I believe that if aliens took all the horses I would still quite like to be a (non-American) Hugh Hefner. That’s if I wasn’t allowed to be World Dictator. Or a novelist as good as, say, David Mitchell. :)
From Yeats –
Hello Paul
In order what are your top 3 and bottom 3 favourite sports?
Also I’ve heard people refer to you as Paul Hay, is there a reason for this?
Cheers
Yeats:
My top three sports – not including racing – are cricket, rugby and ladies’ beach volleyball.<br>My three bottom sports (we’re not talking volleyball now) are sumo, soccer and more or less anything the Americans play instead of proper sports.
Don’t know really why some say ‘Hay’. I borrowed the name anyway from my first stepfather who was a Yorkshireman. The redundant ‘h’ on the end has been a nuisance, but I’ve stuck with it. In Lancashire there’s a place called Haighall, which is pronounced Hayhall. That might have something to do with it.
From  Nor1 –
Hi Paul
On my board I still have an article you wrote, published in the RP, 4/8/2001, titled:
"System that makes victims of honest performers".
<br>You finished the article with:
"If we don’t get angry when we see organised injustice, then we’re a pretty pathetic bunch".
I’m still angry. Are you? <br>If so, what would you do to adjust or change the handicap system. You asked us to consider:
"In what other sport – in what other field of human activity for that matter- is reliability and honest endeavour actually penalised?"
I agree and will tell you, as you also asked us, I am not delighted to climb aboard when it is a "trying today" day. <br><br>Nor1:
I still think that Nor1. That’s why I hate handicaps.<br>If only I could persuade myself to bet only on G1s….
I’m full of admiration for your attitude and resolution.
<br>From Glenn –
This is where we post the non-sarcy questions is it?
I’ve got two:
1) During the Hara Urara boom I always drove around with a Hara Urara betting ticket on my windscreen to prevent accidents. It’s since been replaced with a 22/11/05 Mickmackmagoogle betting slip, but I digress.
This Japanese version of Quixell Crossett had  more money staked on it in one race at a gaff track than has ever been bet into any English tote win pool on all the horses combined. Do you believe there’s something fundamentally wrong with the tote in this country and are you still a tote monopolist?
2) In your travels, encompassing the entire racing world, have you ever come across a jockey within hailing distance of Richard Hills? Do you still bet him blindly to level stakes?
<br>Hello Glenn,
(1) Yes, I am absolutely a tote monopolist, the more so because of what I’ve seen in the rest of the racing world. That doesn’t mean I think a tote monopoly is achievable here, now or in the foreseeable future. But there’s no harm in holding onto an ideal.<br> And yes, I do think there’s something fundamentally wrong with the Tote in this country. It’s always been run by people like Woodrow Wyatt who understand diddly squat about punting, or anything else much, and therefore have no idea how to woo the punter and win the punter’s pound. Not even with an organisation that cannot, by definition, lose money. Unbelievable, but true.
(2) May I, in the style of the great Henry Cecil, respond by asking you a couple of questions? Don’t you think your obsession with RH may be just a teeny bit unhealthy? And do you think he might have persuaded the famed Japanese mare to break her apparently unbreakable duck?
<br> Thanks to everyone for asking the questions.
lol – answers on their way – my fault for late delivery of Q’s. Down to tiscali email problems.
An extremely entertaining and forthright discourse, Zorro. Thanks for the efforts. :cool:
One thing though. I live in South-Well and that is how it IS pronounced. You can’t have an opinion on a fact. :biggrin:
In the unlikely event of you ever visiting the Minster town, (judging by your opinion of the racing here), you will be ostracised instantly by hard core locals should you use the Abstraction in conversation. However, Southwellians, (as the locals refer to themselves), tend to ostracism as a lifestyle, so it shouldn’t necessarily be regarded as offensive.
The Suth-Ull Abstraction is a lazy, colloquial function of the undiluted Nottingham accent, mixed in with a smidgeon of Mansfield. Like Rainworth, ("Ren-Uth"), just to the North. Hope this helps and thanks again.
When I worked at SIS, a representative from Paddy Power called one morning and asked quite sternly if we could stick to either South-well or Suth-ull as a standard studio pronunciation as some of their punters were getting confused. Mind-boggling!<br>Meanwhile, years ago, a close bookie pal insisted on referring to our national team’s goalie as Neville Suth-ull…I knew this was just plain wrong but maddeningly I started thinking of him in that pronunciation myself. It gets worse as I now mentally pronounce the railway station I pass on the final approach to Paddington as Suth-ull also – I know this is wrong too but I can’t stop thinking of it that way – am I suffering from some kind of hock-deep-dirt-related malady?
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