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Is it just me . Is Epsom bad for horses.Ever since Horatio Nelson Aidan seems happy to just run his horses at Epsom and not to earmark any particular horse for that race. As we look at the effect on Tartan Bearer and New Approach we must surely wonder is it just another race or is it bad for horses to run their hearts out on a slanty course?Did the rush to the rails harm the body of New Approach?I mean coming down sideways to the rail?Stouty said that the Derby seemed to have taken more out of TB than he realized.
I don’t think it is bad for horses and what happened to NA AFAIK had nothing to do with his run in the Derby. As for TB well I don’t think he ran that badly at the Curragh and anyway that race was ruined by AV.
I know many argue Epsom is so unique a track that it is not a fair test as many horses don’t handle it, for instance AOB considers the Curragh to be a fairer test. Imo fair isn’t really the point, Epsom is the ultimate test for a thoroughbred racehorse and as firefox pointed out many great horses have handled it and proved their true ability and he left out Mill Reef.
Add Lammtarra and Teenoso to that list. Galileo too. Generous didn’t do so bad afterwards either.
Thanks for the kudos. Today is the4th of July and your compliment lit fireworks in my Ego.
Not sure that Epsom is bad for horses although a lot dont give their true running there – i like to study races there especially handicaps and note down the horses who ran badly for no apparent reason – it means when they next run on a more conventional track their odds may be better than they should be – of course Frozen Fire recently a prime example which to my regret i did not back at the Curragh because i was put off by a universal chorus saying the horse had the wrong attitude – maybe it was just greenness – the future will probably tell !!
I believe that New Approach got injured running at Epsom.Most of Aidans horses could not safely handle the track neither could Curtain Call. So what does it prove? It is good for abnormal horses?
I believe that New Approach got injured running at Epsom.Most of Aidans horses could not safely handle the track neither could Curtain Call. So what does it prove? It is good for abnormal horses?
Bolger, though not hugely reliable, has not mentioned Epsom as the cause of his injury and bearing in mind he only picked it up a day or so before the Irish Derby your belief at the present seems to be based on nothing more than that. You need a very well balanced horse at Epsom and those horses that fail to handle the the track simply prove they are not.
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I like Epsom I think its a good track to have on the circuit as its different to anything else but anythings better then a cold winters afternoon at Lingfield with your bag of chips and money on the favourite whos 5 lengths clear in the turn for home to find it lose by a nose from a runner down the outside.
I like Epsom I think its a good track to have on the circuit as its different to anything else but anythings better then a cold winters afternoon at Lingfield with your bag of chips and money on the favourite whos 5 lengths clear in the turn for home to find it lose by a nose from a runner down the outside.
Agree wholeheartedly. Unless you have actually been to the track you can’t begin to fully appreciates the ups and downs and the cambers. I was amazed by it when I went.
And if not overcome then breakdown while trying.Some brilliant horses who shine on an even surface will fail to overcome the problems of Epsom. What do these problems have to do with flat racing?For mountain trekking maybe but for flat racing?For the Charge of the Light Brigade maybe but for flat racing?Epsom for barrel racing? Yes. For flat racing? No.
Imo, barrel racing is good; Epsom is good; and the Derby is good. That’s why I go every year.
I’d say horses break down at many racetracks. Perhaps we would be more accurate in saying that racing is bad for horses, but I guess few punters would go along with that.
A year or so back, we had five breakdowns at Wolver, and folk on internet racing fora were screaming for the place to be closed down. The track is as flat as a pancake, btw.
Better not mention the Breeders’ Cup, or this thread will never finish!
Racing is dangerous. We have to accept the fact.
At the same time, dubious training methods that engineer a " one-off" Derby win, at any price, seem to have been the norm over the last half decade, but, maybe that’s just how it looks to me.
I’ll not be going into details, so you’ll have to make up your own minds. I may be way off.
Andy calling Epsom a "slanty course" has to be the quote of the year on TRF – absolutely superb, made me laugh long and loud. Yuu da man when it comes to orignial turns of phrases!
There are many who would argue that Epsom is not a fair test of the best Classic generation thoroughbred because of its "slanti-ness". I am a purist at heart and love the spectacle and tradition.. In terms of how good it is for the horse, didn’t do Nijinsky, Sea Bird, The Minstrel, Sir Ivor, Shergar, Reference Point, Dancing Brave, Sindarr and High Chaparall much harm.
Horses do break down there and it is tragic, but I am not aware the incidence of this is any greater at Epsom that it is at any of the flat Grade 1 tracks.
I don’t think Stoutey was dissing Epsom – after all he has fared rather well there over the years – I just think he was saying he was surprised how tought a race that renewal had happened to be.
Just to nitpick and I’m only speculating here. It was thought that High Chaparrall had difficulty racing right handed due to a muscle issue in his shoulder. Caused by Epsoms undulation’s? I dont know but certainly possible.
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