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I am still at a loss to see why we actually need a rule banning team tactics.
If an outfit wishes to run more than one runner then so be it.
If the authorities really are so keen to stop these so called team tactics then why not ban pacemakers – is running a pacemaker not a team tactic?
Provided each runner runs to its merit and to its ability. Provided no interference is caused to other riders. Provided no other rules are broken. Then what is the problem?
If the "team tactics" break any of the other rules then fine – punish them.
So if in moving from the rail to allow another team member through another horse is interfered with then punish the offending rider under one of the existing rules.
If, in moving over, no interference takes place then what is the problem?
To me too much of this hoo-hah comes about because it is Ballydoyle – once again the politics of envy rears its ugly head.
Quite the best on the subject. Well said Paul. No other runner was interfered with. There was no difference to the result. What rule was actually broken. I am at a loss to understand all the fuss.
If Colm O’Donoghue’s move had interfered with another horse then there are rules that deal with that manouvre and he should be punished accordingly, but nothing appeared to my (admittedly rather uneducated,) eye to have affected the result.
Probably the biggest offender is Murtagh for opening his mouth on the subject and I am sure that the Coolmore team have had a little sharp word him about so be assured it won’t happen again
It is the politics of envy. Would the same be happenning if Sir Michael Stoute or Godolphin were as dominant, I wonder?
Let’s stop carping on about this matter and recognise what a genius Aiden O’Brien is, and if he should get something wrong occasionally, and it is very occasionally, well he is only human after all.
Just had a look and Mad Fish is not there. Don’t know how up to date it is as Hedgehunter is on it and I was led to believe that he had been retired after this year’s National
In response to those who think he might be retired. If you go on David Pipe’s website you will see him listed amongst the horses in training. So presumably there are plans to bring him back. It will be good to see and if anyone can get him back it will be the Pond House team. Their scientific approach to things is something I greatly admire.
For those interested there is mention of Caruthers in the Injured Jockeys Fund Newsletter. Apparently Lord Oaksey has had a tenner at 1000-1 about him winning a Gold Cup at either Cheltenham or Ascot. The bet, so the story goes, was struck 48 hours after the horse was born.
Aye, I ken it is the stuff of fantasy, but wouldn’t be great if it was landed especially as most if not all of the money is going to the IJF. Can you imagine the scenes in the Cheltenham unsaddling enclosure. Mcririck would turn himself inside out and the whole place would errupt. It is what jumping is all about.
According to the article Carruthers should be running over fences before the end of the year.
It is a worry. It is true to say that Crisp was never the same horse again after that fantastic National (the first one I ever saw in colour and I can remember back to Ayala) and the mighty Freddie, Scotland’s great champion a contemporary of Arkle (second to him in the 1965 Hennessey) was forced into retirement with heart strain (different thing I know but he had a few hard races).
Grundy and Bustino were finished by the 1975 King George. These hard relentless gallops do take their toll.
I am sure the best will be done by the horse as Paul Nicholls and his team love horses and are horsemen of the highest order. lets hope we see him at Cheltenham fit and well, never mind what he does in the meantime.
Don’t think he will come back the force he was. they tend not to the older they get. Even Arkle didn’t comeback. I hope I am wrong and the Jumping for Fun forum boys will know what a rubbish judge I am because he is a fine horse and it would be good to see him against Master Minded and Voy Por Ustedes this termm.
He was also apparently associated with South East point to pointing as a former clerk of the scales as there is a write up on their website.
I do agree that jail is not the best place for him and it is not fair to call them "nutters". My wife thinks I am a "nutter" for going jumping in the cold and rain especially point to pointing. We’ve all got our quirky bits
I feel sorry for the man but have no sympathy for Charlie Gordon Watson and Henry Cecil. They have been around this game long enough to surely be wary of a stranger ringing them up with big money to spend. I’d certainly be very wary – but that could be due to me being a typical cautious Scot.
Same with the classic PP “Next Pope” market.
Me and the much-missed Golden Cygnet asked for that market to be opened by Paddy Power back in the day…………..and we were certain that we had the inside line.
Moral of the story is don’t mess with the Vatican – they knew. 8)
There religious odds compiler is apparently my local priest – he´s forward thinking and has his ear to the ground on these things.
Remember the discussion in the lounge on the merits of the Cardinal of Tanzania vs. the chap from Colombia? Classic stuff.
When John Paul became Pope one of the best qualified front runners was Cardinal Secola of either Turin or Milan – I can’t remember which one it was – he was eliminated because they wouldn’t have a Pope Secolla.
Secola was from Milan and the story emanated from a mate of mine in the Scottish Baptist college in Glasgow at the time who had some inside info or so I thought.
My late father (a successful if occasional player in the market) once decided to try one of these sites for a bit of fun over Christmas. On the initial call made on Christmas day the tipster said to ring back on Boxing Day as they had a really good astonishing tip for the King George. Turned out to be Desert Orchid. After he had stopped laughing he vowed never to try a tipping service again and never did. Pointless waste of time.
Agree with all of that and are we not forgetting races like the Yorkshire Cup, Lonsdale Stakes and abroad races like the Grand Prix de Deauville and that Group 1 mile and half race at Cologne whose name I cannot remember (the one papal Bull was placed in).
I am sure Sir Michael needs no telling from any of us and look forward to seeing more from Conduit next season. Could be very exciting to follow.
Arkle never won the national did he?
That’s because he never ran in the race. The Duchess of Westminster was totally against running him in the race, in case he got injured. Besides, he’d probably would have to had carried at least 18 stones to give the others a chance. :wink:
Pat Taffe in his excellent book "My Life and Arkle’s" (long out of print, but sometimes turns up in the second hand market) always said that he thought that given a racing weight that Arkle would have won the National. There is a direct line of form through that gallant Scottish hero, Freddie, who was second in two National under top weight and second to Arkle in a Hennesy getting about 35 pounds and Arkle hammered him by 15 lengths.
:)
As dry and sarcastic as some Scottish folk can be, unfortunately I think he was serious!
He wasn’t being sarcastic (we Scots are never that), it is just that you English don’t understand our version of flamboyant wit, and he was definitely being serious.
Love watching Laytown, Something really speical about it and great to see Nina ride a double their.
Wonder why we dont give it a go over here with Blackpool,Southport and many other places to choose from as regards coastal towns.
I for one would certainly go
Nearest you might get would be the flapping meetings held in the Scottish Borders during summer at places like Langholm, Hawick, Selkirk and Kirkpatrick Flemming. Some of them have quite a history being attached to the annual Common Ridings (especially at Langholm and Hawick). There is also the Marymass Races on Town Moor, Irvine which is a short walk from the old Bogside racecourse in Ayrshire.
There is a website for the Langholm Horse Racing Association but you will have to google it as I don’t have it. Flapping was probably the first racing I ever went to as I grew up in Langholm and my family were great Common Riding people especially my late father.
Absolutely right, Wallace. What idiot came up with that one. One of the great things about our sport in this country are the great old meetings with tradition and history behind them. I suppose they will say it is progress, but it is change for change’s sake and frankly nothing but a crashing bore.
Message to the Marketing people
It is and always will be THE WESTERN MEETING
I met Simon Holt at Plumpton in October and is a nice chap and a better commentator than Jim McGrath. Wish the BBC would use Ian Bartlett a lot more and replace Ray Cochrane with Kevin Darley on a permanent basis.
Channel 4 is better than BBC for my money and what is wrong with Mike Cattermole? Nothing in my view. Good at the job and always stops and talks.
John Francome tops the presenter table for me with Clare Balding close behind and nowt wrong with Ms Plunkett either though not so keen on Mrs Spencer. Incidentally Ms Plunkett (Mrs Fox-Pitt) does a good course drive with Captain Mark Phillips on the Burghley Horse Trials website. She has a very good indepth knowledge of horses.
I’m not the best judge in the qorld and don’t follow flat racing closely, but I have heard of Pasquier and Khalid Abdulla simply would not employ the bloke if he was no good.
Every jockey has an off day and it seems to be a bit of a thing in this country to knock the french jocks. They make mistakes on our courses because they don’t ride over here enough that’s all. But the best, and that includes Pasquier, can hold their own anywhere. Just look at Peslier an underated jockey these days in my opinion
