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It is a week now since I was slapped down for making a sarcastic remark about how long it takes Phil Smith to do things, and yet there is still no sign of his As to our Qs.
TRF might want to get on top of this situation if they wish to rely on the goodwill of their posters.
And they might wish to favour Q&As with individuals who can provide their own responses in a timely manner in future.
Just my thoughts.
Pru –
We did give him quite a lot of questions to and, obviously, given his official capacity, Phil Smith’s answers need careful consideration. I’m chasing it up and understand that the answers should be forthcoming soon. I would ask that everyone is patient.
I’m sure pople have noted one of the other Question sessions hasn’t been answered yet. Clearly, we only pitch questions to people who have agreed upfront to participate so if they fail to do so I’m afraid there isn’t a lot we can do, other than chase it up. To be fair, we have a pretty good success rate and we have had some pretty high profile guests so I’d hope that even if we have the odd lapse, we’d retain people’s goodwill.
We should be grateful the A’s to our Q’s take the time to do the thing in the first place. For all we know Phil Smith could have any number of issues, personal or work related keeping him from responding at a time of our liking.
TRF might want to get on top of this situation if they wish to rely on the goodwill of their posters.
Unneccesary, imo.
A bit more background.
I requested this Q&A on Facebook about 5 months ago – only after a request from TRF for suggestions – and have been checking back on an almost daily basis to see firstly whether the Q&A had been set up as promised and then whether the questions had been answered when it finally had been. It seemed like a good idea at the time, not least because I had failed to elicit a reply – ANY reply – from Smith personally to some perfectly civil questions of my own, but I am now wishing I had not bothered.
We were exhorted by TRF to ask questions even after my questions and those of several others were already in. It was the reason I posted some supplementary ones.
I was slapped down through a personal message by someone from the BHA who made no mention of any personal circumstances preventing Smith from answering questions which someone in his position should be able to answer immediately in the vast majority of cases. It seemed that he needed to involve others in the answering of questions.
A number of weeks have now elapsed. Others in this situation have been given less than a week in which to reply.
Thanks to Cormack for clarifying that the answers should be "forthcoming soon". That is what I understood the situation was a week ago. And a fortnight ago. I sense he shares some of my frustration. My apologies to him if I have been unreasonable.
It is not, to the best of my knowledge, obligatory to agree to a Q&A session.
In fairness to PS, when he agreed to this Q+A, he probably didn’t realise there would be quite so many, how shall I put it, "tricky" questions thrown at him.
I’d be very interested in his responses to some of the questions, but I also think he would entitled to refrain from answering some of the others.
the darknight,
I’d be very disappointed if he shied away from answering any of them, tricky or not…….it’s not as if, with 12 assistants, he has any amount of significant handicapping to do himself.
In fairness to PS, when he agreed to this Q+A, he probably didn’t realise there would be quite so many, how shall I put it, "tricky" questions thrown at him.
None of them he can’t answer. Some of what goes on with BHA handicapping to my mind is illogical.
http://www.britishhorseracing.com/gorac … apping.asp
He likes to answer things in his own style, though. I must say I find his response to the Ebor weights thing ridiculous given that the World Thoroughbred Rankings, which no doubt he has a fair bit of input, publish weights without weight-for-age factored. We have "inferior" horses mopping up Group 1’s all the time because of a weight-for-age scale, so what is wrong with them winning the Ebor I wonder?
A bit more background.
I requested this Q&A on Facebook about 5 months ago
What’s Facebook?
The delay is entirely my fault. Phil sent me his answers to proof on 26th August and I finally got round to completing the task today. Combination of workloads and staffing levels due to the well documented funding issues in racing, neither of which am I looking for sympathy for but simply putting forward as reasons for the delay. I can only apologise.
PS Pru – you weren’t slapped down, and if you felt that way I apologise, as I recognised entirely that you weren’t to know I was responsible for the delay, not Phil. Phil didn’t need to involve me in his answers at all.
Paul,
It’s always a pleasure to read your work. You’ve taken a man who enters an irrational rage any time the name Phil Smith is mentioned and transformed him into a sedated pup with the use of a few well chosen lines.
You’re the pro’s pro.
Glenn
They weren’t well chosen words, simply the truth. I’d be upset if Pru thought I’d tried to slap him down, as I know him and like many others on TRF (even you!) I respect his views, even share them at times, though I don’t always agree with them. Heck, I didn’t even try to slap TDK down for his somewhat mischievous comments in the Post in relation to what I’d said last year about Beverley!
Judith
Paul,
There’s this bloke called Harry. He’s claimed to have an ‘exemplary realtionship’ with your mob. He’s also claimed that he’ll never own horses again.
He now has an issue with you mob questioning what he says and, given his exemplary relationship, the obvious way to do this is via public slanging match. The venue? Well obviously the place his horses are running or where he’s going to buy new ones.
Trouble is that your leaders are hamstrung by this improvised format, as they haven’t got you to proof their responses. In any case, they’ll be too busy handing out prizes to ‘Nine Lives’ Reeder today to get involved.
There’s only one man for this job. It’s not Coward or Dixon or Roy. YOU must go up to Donny and give the paying public the show they want.
There’s only one man for this job. It’s not Coward or Dixon or Roy. YOU must go up to Donny and give the paying public the show they want.
What, me getting a good shoo-ing?
Bottom line is this, and as we’ve said before – he was not given any dispensation and was reminded about his responsibilities under the Owners Code of Conduct. He had a fair hearing, and subsequently a fair appeal.
In any case, they’ll be too busy handing out prizes to ‘Nine Lives’ Reeder today to get involved.
No they won’t, we’ve turned his ownership application. Dirar is registered in Ireland and his registration there is entirely a matter for the Irish Turf Club.
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