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This is now a blues thread
Looking forward to it myself.
Ballinhassig is the only horse one could rule out as they all have competitive chances.
Whilst Maringo Bay has been otherwise lacklustre, it’s very difficult to ignore the fact that he beat Invictus by 20 lengths at Foss Las on soft ground and is now receiving 7lb from said horse.
Whilst it’s no secret that he’s highly regarded by connections, Invictus didn’t really beat anything at Hereford and wouldn’t warrant a short price.
Indian Daudaie commands respect in receipt of a stone’s allowance but the Haydock race was the intended early season target so it’s disappointing that he ran so flat and he probably wants 3 miles anyway.
Overall, I’d have to go for Gift Of Dgab. His form was arguably the best of these over hurdles, he’s proven that he acts on the ground, the others would be willing to sit in behind should Davy Russell decide to make the running, at 7 he would be the most matured in the field and obviously, he was most impressive on his chase debut.
Was nice to see him in fine fettle and I was taken by his proficient jumping. Unfortunately, he’s come back in what is a vintage crop of novices and in any case, he just isn’t fast enough.
Could be one for a good staying handicap or perhaps one of the nationals at some point though.
I’m with you with regards to the reason why the ban was implemented was as an appeasement. If it was a welfare issue then both parties would address the overproduction of racehorses because that issue is a thousand times graver than the whip.
But like I said, it’s an image issue and it was a move to appease the idiots who get worked up over a sensationalized story in the media. The same idiots who probably forget racing even exists by the Tuesday.
For the BHA to buckle so quickly from the pressure of the fickle and for the Animal Charities to overlook overproduction in favour of the whip leaves both parties fair game for mockery of the highest order.
Furthermore, the timing of the implementation was perhaps the most ill thought out balls up committed by any governing sports body in the UK.
However, the new whip rules have been an accidental charm since it’s giving jockeys the incentive to improve on their horsemanship with not even a negligible effect on the quality of the product itself. Which is why I have no qualms with the opening post.
As for Pinza vs Pompete, I’ve not really been here long enough to have any concrete opinions on the matter and nor would I want to. Life’s too short for that kind of palava although I dare suggest that whilst Pompette has admitted to trolling (somewhere unless I’ve imagined it), Pinza took himself way too seriously.
As reprehensible as the act is, those primadonna footballers who wave imaginary cards usually have grounds for doing so. i.e;- a foul had taken place. I see no foul in the opening post.
I don’t know you Ricky Lake so you’re still neutral in my book but your post didn’t look good.
I used to be anti-whip until I asked for one to use on myself when I went to Stratford in the summer. I am now ambivalent-whip. I am assured that the whip doesn’t cause the horses any pain and this issue is purely an image one which is quite important as the sport needs a constant flow of new customers in order to survive.
So far, this national hunt season has been the best possible advertisement given the high number of top performances from established stars (Kauto Star, Master Minded, Thousand Stars, Sizing Europe, Big Bucks) the exceptional promise amongst the novice ranks (Grands Crus, Al Ferof, Peddlers Cross, Bobs Worth, Fingal Bay) and the absence of any high profile casualties. A fresh faced newcomer would rightly think that this is a great sport.
However, there has been a dark cloud hanging over this season and it’s been the doom-mongers trying to convince all that will listen that there’s been a dark cloud hanging over this season. By the way they’re carrying on, they would have a fresh faced newcomer believe that racing used to be
much
better… Simply because in the good old days, the jockeys were allowed to hit the horses more.
Well… he finished, which is more than can be said for a horse who finished 2nd in a Scottish and Irish National
My eyes actually bled whilst watching the Sandown card today. My fellow connoisseurs will know what I’m talking about. They see it, you see.
It looked fine to me. Could you or a fellow connoisseur explain to me what was so awful about it?
If I could go back and change anything, I would have taken Valiramix out wide in the 2002 Champion Hurdle
It would’ve been sweet to ride Jair du Cochet in the 2004 Gold Cup of which I’m still convinced he would’ve hacked up in.
Otherwise, I doubt anything could top the thrill of letting Big Bucks carry you up the Cheltenham hill during the festival.
Hmmm…
Well I’m agnostic, I detest commercialism and for the last three months I’ve been completely teetotal. So naturally, I’m going to be in the boat full of Scrooges who much prefer Boxing Day.
Later this month, I’m going to be spending a week in Sarajevo with my girlfriend who said of the fervent celebrations "Well we do have Christians living here so I’m sure they’d sell Christmas cards somewhere". So for the first time in my adult life, it will be like having a mute button which is going to be bliss.
Nevertheless, I must admit to having something of a soft spot for those who still get excited over the season even though it’s probably borne of resentment that my cynicism killed off any trace of the child in me.
So in recognition of the Christmas lover’s excitment and a show of kudos, here’s the only card I’m going to send out at all this year. Merry… you know.
This is such a subjective and ambiguous category to assess. If we were talking strictly in the terms of personality then surely it would be Clement Freud first, the rest nowhere. But seeing as he only has 4 votes so far then I’m guessing the criteria is a little more abstract than that. So I also voted for Dorothy Paget, Matt Chapman, John Francome and Northern Dancer. Dorothy Paget would probably have had the endorsement of Sir Freud and was also batshit insane which is a most underrated and misunderstood quality. Matt Chapman strikes me as a "50 nos and 1 yes means yes" kind of character. I doubt very much that I would have the patience to share a room with him for more than 30 seconds but he’s very good at what he’s paid to do which is presumably annoy his guests into submission. For all John Francome is knowledgeable and entertaining, I must say that it’s his voice I like most about him. It is so comforting. He can be making a remark about having a racecourse in Scunthorpe but his tone still emanates the sense that everything’s going to be OK. Finally, I chose Northern Dancer because he was the Wilt Chamberlain of the sport. This Canadian studmuffin must have had an electric personality to have been able to shag more than the remaining candidates combined.
Does this kind of horse really bring the sport into disrepute?
Anyone betting on the race should know that he’ll either put in a half decent effort or simply not fancy it. Those betting on the horse himself should understand that his price gets inflated as a result of his recalcitrance.
Besides, newcomers to the sport would only consider his behaviour to be disgraceful after some fuddy duddy brings attention to same.
I for one felt he brought additional fleeting intrigue to his races and will actually miss the enigmatic monkey.
Now I just hope he has a nice retirement.
Walkon is due to go novice chasing.
Dunguib out for season.
Not sure of Kauto Star, not heard anything for a while.
With that name, I doubt you’d have seen him, either
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha!!!
It’s funny because he’s disabled
It was too difficult to pick 5 horses which deserved to be in a hall of fame so I just voted for my favourite hurdler of all time, Harchibald.
Should this thread now be moved to the lounge as it is not about Horse Racing?
I agree. To be honest, it never was about horse racing rather, by several accounts, an antagonistic attention-seeking wind-up merchant.
Huh?
Ricky posted first and I agreed withhim
. If you made the point earlier I apologise, but you really think I precariously read the entire thread? I just happened to ‘lock on’ to Ricky’s post and replied with an agreement
That’s right, he posted first by a margin of 15 hours and 36 minutes… in negative land!!!
But yeah, I guess one has to be a group one winner before they’re entitled to have their opinions read!
