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I thoroughly recommend the book on Ouija Board by Lord Derby, I gathered that Lord Derby and his family are very nice sociable people and would be great to talk to if you by chance had the opportunity.
I thought at first with him being a ‘Lord’ might mean they are very posh and a tad stuck up but I was so wrong and they came across as totally in touch with the rest of us lower classes lol
(Speaks for himself) and weren’t afraid to show their emotions in the book and were quite humble when meeting with fellow owners for big races when O B became the star she was.I haven’t seen the footage so can’t comment on the Thornton incident however with regards to the whip in racing – why NOT ban it?
I think the key thing to remember is if the whip is banned completely, every horse and every jockey is in exactly the same boat. Ok so some horses won’t respond the way they do after a crack and some maybe won’t keep a straight line but in the end a horse will still win a race and a horse will still lose a race.
I’m not as sure as some that the whip is actually needed.
I guess in a way you are right, the best horses should know and be told with a shake of the hands or a kick when to go and when to improve, the ones that know will be the class horses that will win through doing the necessary and the ones that don’t respond don’t have the racing brain or knowledge to change their style without what you have to say is an aggressive method the whip.
The owners and trainers love their horses and there is an emotional attachment for a lot of them but they wouldn’t want to whack them with a whip when visiting them in their stable so why have it occur at any time you could say, if you gave a whip to an owner and said smash your horse now on the a r s e when at home they probably wouldn’t want to ‘assault’ their horse in that way.. interesting point..
Pru, he’s capable of outstanding form at 2-3m not just distances short of 3m.
Last years GC does leave a lingering doubt in the mind but he sees out 3m better than anything around at the moment (On ratings anyway). I’m also starting to believe that he’s as good if not better on soft ground.
I hope this years GC is run at proper gallop and we can truly find out whether he’ll come up the hill first. Can’t wait!!
As someone on here said recently Kauto has gears so I think he can deal with whatever tactics the opposition throw at him and prevail, if we say a horse has 5 gears then I don’t think Kauto had to get out of 4th on boxing day, he looked so comfortable.
People who are saying they will back Exotic Dancer at big odds will see him go to 6-0 down and while I have backed him against KS twice in the past I now know he is simply nowhere near as good under any circumstances, he came close in the race prior to the King George and there were thoughts that he would improve on that but it wasn’t at all close, the stable aren’t in good form but I think they will now be thinking it will never happen.
Something I’ve been thinking about recently is I didn’t know much about Kauto Star when he was first on the scene in a big way and I took him on with L’Ami
I have also taken him on with E D twice, I didn’t warm to K S as I didn’t see any characteristics to warm to, or quirks, things that made Desert Orchid and George Washington favourites with the fans, but lately I’ve thought I’m wrong to take him on and want him to lose because if he does lose with no excuses then he is just another very good horse, but not one to go down as a legend, racing is surely all about horses that in years to come are remembered as Arkle and Desert Orchid are..
So in the last few weeks I have appreciated K S for his supreme talent and become a fan and supported him for his future races, starting with the King George, I know a lot of people don’t particularly warm to him but we should want to get behind him and realise that we are lucky enough to be around in his era and can say I saw K S win, I was around at that time.
I saw him on boxing day and I think in years to come it will be something to tell people as I think he will become a real legend as the top 5 or so horses of the past are, he is very close already isn’t he, my brother came with me on boxing day but isn’t into racing and doesn’t appreciate what he saw, I said to him how good was that you are lucky to have witnessed it, he said it was just a horse winning a race, 20 years from now if K S achieves what I think he will then what we saw on boxing day will be more than just ‘a horse winning a race’
The transport was great, a bus was waiting at Richmond as soon as I got off the tube, and we got on a bus straight away after the last race and the traffic wasn’t bad, a great service so well done to the organizers.
Am getting this for Christmas, yes that was yesterday but my uncle couldn’t find it in time! Looking forward to reading it eventually, I’ve got the book on Moscow Flyer too so will be kept busy reading for a while!
Incredible, I’ve not witnessed any big races/wins first hand until today, this has made my Christmas being there today at Kempton seeing Kauto Star win, I think we all agree the best chaser since Desert Orchid and who knows what more is to come, I’ve just booked my festival tickets too and I expect to see him win the Gold Cup again.
Denman is interesting for the Gold Cup yes, but today is Kauto’s day, I was shaking after the race for a good few minutes and am so happy that I was there and years from now I can say to people I saw Kauto Star win his 2nd King George
Got a good photo of him in the parade ring too that I will treasure.
I don’t think Black Jack K. will be better over 2m because, unlike most decent 2milers, he doesn’t have a strong finishing kick.
I think he’s better at 3m because at that trip (in a weakish race), he can run smoothly at the same speed behind the leaders, wait for them to tire and slow down, and cruise by them without needing to change gear. A 2m race would be too aggressive IMO: could you imagine him trying to get past Hardy over that trip? He’s like a slower, less fluent Harchibald.
But how is him being entered in ‘weakish’ 3m races any kind of standard to set for him, unless you are happy for him to do f*#ck all for the rest of his career?
He has raced and won over 3m before but apparently has now been found out at a higher level and I don’t see much of a future for him to be honest at any distance, he just doesn’t seem to find anything when it counts now and has been and gone, he has an outstanding record when you look at what he has achieved as a win ratio but I just feel those wins will stay in the past.
A thank you to you all, I have read the site picking up knowlegde for a good while but have only posted recently, I have mostly posted on the Ricky Hatton forum but have really liked this forum and it’s members lately so merry Christmas and happy new year and I look forward to speaking to you all next year, I’m off to Kempton on boxing day and am looking forward to taking some photos so will get them on here when I can between Christmas and new year..
The oystercard – one of the best thing to have happened to London in my lifetime – imho.
I agree, I got one last year, was amazed you can use them on buses not just the tube, and you don’t even have to take them out of your wallet, it reads through the wallet, and tells you your current credit, amazing!
Ha, thanks guys, I was thinking that, wasn’t sure if it was worth hopping off the Pic line to change and getting to Richmond rather than Hatton Cross, but sounds like it will be quicker, will do that then!
Apologies for sounding negative Chris, but I’d worry more about getting back after racing, when the public transport options are likely to be even more limited.
And if I was going to Kempton, I wouldn’t start from Palmers Green! I was born in the next suburb across and Palmers Green was even hard to get to from there by bus.
AP
Staying with my uncle though who lives in Palmers Green, I’ve just spoken to the transport for London helpdesk and the Piccadilly line is running all day from around 830am to 1130pm and that takes me from Bounds or Wood Green, which are the closest tube stops to Palmers Green, to Hatton Cross with no changes, then there is the bus service from there, last bus back is 1650 and last race is 1545 so fits in nicely.
My brother isn’t keen on going though and I don’t want to go alone so will tell him that the tube takes 20 minutes (it takes an hour but think he’d say no if I told him that
)So it is possible for anyone else thinking of going by public transport in the central London area
Thanks for all your help guys, especially Simon.
It appears there is a bus from Hatton Cross and Richmond tube stations according to your first link Simon so just got to hope and check that the tube can get us there!
Starting from Palmers Green north London but prepared to get the tube to closest point, will check those links, thank you.
According to national rail there is a half hour train service from Waterloo on Boxing Day.
http://ojp2.nationalrail.co.uk/en/pj/tt
If not, might try a coach from Victoria Coach station, else taxi.
National rail only shows 27th when I look..
Doesn’t really tell the story of the race. Azertyuiop was carrying 11-12, with Isio on 10-10 I believe.
Oh
(Speaks for himself) and weren’t afraid to show their emotions in the book and were quite humble when meeting with fellow owners for big races when O B became the star she was.
)