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The finish was an anticlimax with the big three landing light, valiramix and istabraq nowhere. Just sums up racing really and shows how unpredictable it is !!
It’s been anounced that poor Valiramix has had to be put to sleep.<br>Not good news for the owner and trainer.<br>Lets hope the next two days will be a happier affair.
For all his victories, M pipe has sadly lost a good few good horses at the festival. Although istbraq will now surely be retired, it is valiramix that i feel sorry for. He was looking bloody good.
I only caught a quick glimpse before the camera panned away, but I was a little annoyed to see Tony McCoy having a tantrum after the fall when Valiramix was down (skull cap thrown to the floor etc). It looked obvious to me the horse was about to get up, and indeed he did and managed to canter for a short while before Tony finally caught him.
Having said that (and I don’t want to be flinging blame around and causing controversy), I doubt it would have made a difference to Valiramix if Tony had got a hold of him earlier.
Don’t know if anyone else noticed, I’d be interested in your opinions, maybe it was nothing.<br>
On a brighter note, I thought the cheer for Istabraq when he’d pulled up (and once it was obvious he was sound) was very heartening. A wonderfully sporting farewell to Istabraq.<br>
Yeah, a really sick sick feeling after the day to be honest, horrific really….
Istabraq being pulled up ..a bit of a sickener, but still, you know he’s gonna have a great retirement and stay in the public eye, make numerous public appearances.
Can’t say the same for Valiramix ..
We had this big discussion last night in the chat where I said HLL would win because he was the only one that got near isty at his best and that none of the others were capable. Well, there’s no gloating here because I think Valiramix would have won easy. Ok, we’ll never know, but come on, he was travelling like isty used to in his hurdles. He would have delivered and it’s an awful day. In fact, the atrition rate today with the big fields was much higher than normal. Can’t remember there ever being five fallers in the Supreme Novices …
Two footnotes I spose ..I bet they wish Ned Kelly had been there, although HLL is still worthy winner and always has been a classy horse ..
And Landing Light ? Well this one was always going to be outpaced coming down the hill and so it was …not good enough
The day belongs to Hors La Loi ..the lasting memory will be of Istabraq, but I wonder in a few years time will everyone remember Valiramix. I hope so ..
Brilliant to see Hors La Loi win, a really worthy victory, sadly overshadowed. Hors La Loi always seems to motor well at Cheltenham, and after finishing second to Istabraq last time was the deserved winner today in my book.
Sad to see Istabraq pull up so early in the race, presumably into retirement now – but it was a remarkable effort to get the horse to Cheltenham in the first place for the fifth year. All I have to say to the matter is that Foot and Mouth took what would have been a very exciting race from us.
Valramix and Tony McCoy were very unlucky – very sad news, especially after the tragic fall of up and coming novice Gloria Victis in the Gold Cup two years ago now.
On a brighter note, I’m travelling down south tomorrow for a full day’s racing, where I fully expect to see Flagship Uberalles show Edredon Bleu what’s what in the Queen Mum.
I don’t think this is what anyone expected to happen and I really feel for the connections of Valiramix. To send out a horse with so much hope and anticipation behind him but for him not to come home must be awful for all involved.<br>I also hope Istabraq has a long and happy retirement and a life of luxury (which I’m sure he will!).
I think McCoy’s reaction directly afterwards was unfortunate, the little temper tantrum when the horse was getting up ..
The guy might be a winner, but he hasn’t come out of today smelling with roses ….
I am not a big fan of jumps racing because too many horses die, and I was very upset to see what happened to Valiramix today. Too often it seems to happen to the good ones on the big occasion doesn’t it ??
Who can tell me when the last festival was where no horses died ?
And can any of you jumps fans truly claim you had an enjoyable day today even if you won fortunes ?
:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( <br>
Yep. But we all make mistakes. Wonder if Big Mac will be ranting and raving about it on the morning line tomorrow? Bet not. Now, if it had been Tierry Doumen doing exactly the same thing…
Anyway, a great day and a terrible day at the same time. I had an awful feeling this morning that something horrible was going to happen to Istabraq – I am so relieved he has retired intact.
Personally I found the great cheer for pulled-up Isty very heartwarming – when you consider that from a morning 3/1 (with Valiramix fav at the time) he was suddenly backed into 2/1 fav there must have been some fair wads of cash riding on him. It showed people’s better nature and that racegoers don’t only react through their pockets!
Desperately sad about Valiramix and for the Pipe team, who have now lost two exceptional horses at the Festival recently. We remember Gloria Victis Dan so lets hope Valiramix isn’t forgotten either.
Finally, hats off to Hors La Loi III and esp Dean Gallagher – their day after all.
Nick,
Yes, I can claim I had an enjoyable day. The accident with Valiramix was awful (and it was an accident, and on the flat too), but that doesn’t stop me feeling joy for the winner of the Champion, relief that the happy memories of Istabraq remain intact, a joyful Arkle won by a game and gallant horse (and such a promising performance from the second horse too).
Plenty of horses die in accidents when they’re at stud, in a field, racing on the flat or whatever. I’m not defending NH at all, the fatality rate is too high, but I don’t think this is the time or place for a slab of naval gazing.
I for one am looking forward to tomorrow and Thursday.
Railwayman,
Agree entirely. For me, that is what this game is all about. That cheer was one of the greatest moments of 15 years of jump racing for me. In any other sport, there would have been silence – or even booing! And if you think about it, the crowd could have turned on Charlie Swan, given Istabraq seemed fairly sound. (Good on you Charlie btw).
However, looking at the BBC news tonight – "the crowds were stunned as the favourite pulled up" (cut to a picture of a silent and subdued crowd). Typical.
Sorry but I didn’t enjoy the first day of the festival atall, Isty being pulled up, Valiramix having to be put down , Barton running like a dog, it doesn’t excite me much watching all this, I found two winners but it meant nothing, no wonder I prefer flat racing, I’m hoping day 2 at the festival isn’t marred by tragedy’s :angry:  to be honest I can’t wait until Friday until it’s all over!
Jim,
I can agree with you on Valiramix, but Istabraq owed us absolutely nothing and surely his pulling up and safe retirement should be a happy event?
As for Barton, he was outclassed by a better field on the day. I love Barton (my favourite horse in training BTW), but he’ll be back, and next year as a second season chaser, I expect great things from him.
As I say, I can agree with you enitrly about Valiramix but getting depressed because of Istabraq and Barton is missing the point of the whole game.
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