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Gingertipster
the horse was absolutely dead….so are you saying John Gosden doesn’t know his horses’s fitness? You are missing my point (again)
Bula11
Thanks for views…maybe horse is suffering from the Denman/Sprinter syndrome….like I said this was a a strange performance esp from a Derby 3rd and Leger 2nd and like stevecaution says dropped 2 grades. I am a bit of a purist with the horses and can say …this was odd …..poor explanations from authorities all round. If things come to light ..fair enough. ps hope the horse is ok
Bula11
Hello Ginger…..sorry not been on here since Cheltenham…I asked you not to reply but on reading am surprised at the lengthy and candid response also polite and restrained. Its late now and I shall reply shortly…regards
Bula11
Just noticed this…..glad my own private opinion echoed.. remember her attacking bigmac verbally one Saturday in the studio on morning line circa 2004…no class I thought…. bit loud at times was mac but she was insulting an experienced passionate racing fan…..ranting about cricket…..bit of a Shakespearean shrew methinks
Bula11
ginger…sorry but was just being polite about the understand bit…I knew you didn’t really because you miss the whole point and your tone. THE RACE WAS “STOLEN ” FROM BULA. It was his race not the rapacious SPONSORS.
To quote you “Therefore, racing may be able to get more money from sponsers if not associated with a horse etc.”
There you go money, money money. Any fool knows the sport needs money but there is etiquette.
My argument is about DECENCY. Other courses made a better fist of protecting their heritage ie retaining The Pendil, The Desert Orchid, The Red Rum, The Lanzarote, The Denman, The National Spirit, The Persian War and many more. Some sponsors recognise the value in famous names and what they did for the sport.
I didn’t come on here to argue……just to point out an injustice……you appear to subscribe to the mercenary camp so its no problem, there are many more too like that. They are not important to me as they are not on the side of decency. As they say… if you dont like it leave it…. dont take any interest…fair enough? There is no point me wasting my time with people who aren’t giving support so lets leave it there, no need to reply.
BTW what have you done to defend the sports reputation, rhetorical.
Bula11
Sad….always wants to make me pack it in ….but I make excuses…I’m a hypocrite. I remember about 5 years ago at Goodwood one of Dettori’s horses slipped and fell. 10 minutes later he was being interviewed “I’m fine” never mentioned the horse?
Bula11
I thought you may have known a bit about Cloister….you know your stuff….a forgotten hero who haunts the Cheshire fields of the now defunct Tarporley!!
Just shows you about good horses how Frankel pulled us to in after losing interest.
I respect and understand gingers view…….thats what I had been told by the marketing people but ginger is falling into the mercenary greed trap. People dont go to Cheltenham for the sponsors…..they go for the horses ….well most. Without them you may as well go to the local dogtrack. With regard to… he looks at the sponsors name….well the other week I noticed a card and every race began with BetFred this and BetFred that…….totally meaningless……why didnt they just call it BetFred day and leave the titles to their identity and dignity.
I still have faith that D Kelly at StanJames will be brave or forceful enough to deliver.
The Champion hurdle trial later called The Bula in recognition of a local hero was always a levy board race I am pretty sure and didnt need a sponsor. Boylesports “stole the race” from a champion. Why didnt they take their silver and make their own race. Being an Irish firm I bet they wouldnt have dropped the name if it had been the Istabraq!!!
We cant have everything, I know racing needs money but we have two camps
The purists way or The Americanised way.
Whats your view on the Derby……another race now in tatters since moving it from its special day on a Wednesday….the shops were packed for that day from opening to close…..now it is lost somewhere on the Saturday card
Bula11
Yes I like the Sherwood lot. Many Clouds is unexposed really the new kid on the block. Remember The West Awake. I got disillusioned with racing about 10 year back and only kept up Chester Haydock (NH) and just 1/2 days at Chelt + watching the Ascots etc on tv. Must be my age but there are too many arabic names of horses now which more or less all sound the same. Its their money so fair enough …the piper and all that. Also I think that as you get older you are biased towards your era,I remember the older fellas when I was a kid, they’d seen the Tudor Melodys, Bahrams and such. I thought I knew it all! So wrong
Mind you Frankel got me out of my box!! I took a lady friend to see it at York…..the lucky bugger I’ve been watching and paying and waiting all these years for the chosen one and she sees it first visit to a course!! I only went for that one race, paid..watched it …and left straight after..a happy man.
Bula11
Hello Mr Steeplechasing
arrived on the Tuesday 1975 with a mate and was told the entire meeting was off so we headed to the south coast to see a mate…stopping at basingstoke we called in a shop…..it was back on with altered card for weds/thurs so we watched Comedy of E win in hotel in London and went on the Thurs….as you say a total washout after.
Dont know if you recall this but that Feb the ascot meeting was run midweek (now Saturday) and I told some non gamblers at work 3 Irish ones were over so they had a treble with me. All 3 won. Brown Lad/Davy Lad and Ten Up. They all became top horses as you know Davy Lad winning GC in that ill fated 1977 (Lanzarote killed) bad meeting for Fred W was that as he also lost Bula from injury falling in Champion 2 miler. Bula should have been retired in 1975 after that GC. I would have backed Ten Up but my heart wanted Bula. My mate said two out “calm down” its cantering….it was but the ground, mistake and distance found him out. My mate is a huge Pendil and Night Nurse fan (he is Scottish)
Can I ask you a question…..I got infatuated with Golden Miller a couple of years ago and his owner the character DP….but have recently come across CLOISTER in depth as I like point to point now and this horse ran at Tarporley Cheshire one day in the 1890’s. Have you come across his record. He was unbelievable……carried 13 st+ regular at main meetings won national 1893 in canter 40l broke course record 12st 7lb. Also grand sefton twice canter 12/7 +welsh nat. Those days they said he was the greatest ever. also 2nd nat twice won 19 from 35 huge weights
Bula11
Steeplechasing Wise advice about being drawn in…..had to defend my hero of those days.
Interesting comment you make about the betting shop. The day you mentioned I had just finished work and popped in to see the result….I was devastated….his first run of the season……mistake at the last cost him…short head I think giving lumps away…think it would have been 17 straight wins but for that short head including two champion hurdles.
I also remember the same shock the following summer when Brigadier got beat…..popped my head in ….couldn’t believe it.Was there both days you mention 75 and 76 atrocious ground 75 the worst I have ever seen…do you recall racing was abandoned immediately after..also the 76 run was the worst I ever saw him run…he was getting on run off his legs by the young in form Royal Frolic.
I couldn’t believe a man of Edward Gillespie’s experience telling me that the name is defunct with the modern audience. Fair play he courteously replied a couple of times but he is missing the point. Cheltenham was made from the likes of these horses. What is wrong with the Bula International Hurdle sponsored by ……..?
Bula11
yes faux pas there about Mole Board and Cima…should have checked…knew it was 100/1 and trained by Jim Old but harder to remember the runners up after all this time. Thanks for your comment …..The Bula has a ring to it
Bula11
Yes Burroughill…..a powerful horse was that ….Denman type…big and powerful….a proper chaser. Will never forget that Hennessey/King George double.
To be honest I had forgotten the stature this horse is due from myself as selfishly when you back the wrong one like I did that day in following Brown Chamberlain I was biased which isnt fair to the winner. I hold up my hands.
Nice story you told.
Whilst on this…..where praise is due L’escargot is the most underated jump horse ever.
Bula11
Hello Stilvi
My post wasn’t really to get into a debate into which horse was better than that but here we go.
Dawn Run was a fine mare whose claim to fame is the CH/GC double and fatally injured unfortunately in France I think. Her record does not stand anywhere near Bula’s as a hurdler. I seem to recall she won the CH receiving weight allowance winning from a 100/1 outsider Mole Board I think trained by Jim Old. With regard to her chase career the only notable race win was the Gold Cup whereas Bula who only started his chase career about 8/9 years old won the Black and White/Benson & Hedges/Sundew/Gainsborough/Fairlawne/Blue Circle chases all recognised class races when well past his best, an ageing horse. He hammered the great Tingle Creek at levels I recall on Tingles own patch Sandown.
He wiped the floor twice with Red Rum I think. What kind of chaser would he really have been starting at 6 y o!!Now night Nurse is a different kettle of fish….the slickest jumper of a hurdle you ever saw and a slick chaser who met his match in Silver Buck.
Night Nurse is the one horse I would have been nervous of taking on at their peaks over hurdles but I am sure Bula would have nailed him for speed. I admired Night Nurse especially his dead heat at Aintree. Like Bula he was a better hurdler than chaser.
BTW wasn’t Stilvi a good flat horse trained by Bruce Hobbs ridden by John Gorton. I have a photo of the horse in one of my wallets somewhere circa 1971 ish
Bula11
Hello Burroughill
No personal connection. The horse grabbed my attention as a young lad. It had character. The most exciting finisher you would ever see…last to first on numerous occasions……had amazing burst of speed…still not seen one like it especially its Benson & Hedges Hurdle win 1970 handicapped to the hilt as a novice against class stuff (you tube). It hooked me then. This horse was a legend around Cheltenham. I even camped out 2 miles from the course in March ’72 to watch it win its second CH…it was freezing. I know the younger generation didn’t see these things but without these horses the sport would be nothing. I personally think Cheltenham Festival has become a money thing for hangers on…..the whole nature of it like Blackpool (no disrespect). prefer point to point now….back to the basics.
BTW whats yours with Burroughill….I watched that good horse win the ’84 GC but unfortunately backed Brown Chamberlain in the race.
All the best
Bula11
