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Aces Four – would be loathe to say that he disappointed us but at the end of his novice chase season we genuinely felt that he was a contender for the King George/Gold Cup the following season…but injury intervened.
No problem! Easy mistake.
I just happened to have checked it out for one of ours. Horses rated below 139 are unlikely to get a run.
Not sure what you mean Gerald.
Weights will be published at the weights lunch on 18th Feb. Two days later the Haydock race will be run.
Performance in theHaydock race will have no effect on the National weights.
Announced a few weeks ago that the prize money will be £925,000, so it looks like it is now going up in £25,000 increments, and we won’t get a £1m GN until 2013.
Because the GN is a week later, I think the entries are as well. Entries close Tuesday Feb 2, and are announced the next day I think.
Weights are announced a fortnight after that, so that means that this season the Red Square Blue Vodka race at Haydock is before the weights, instead of after.[/color:1k4sqr16] This will probably affect the quantity/quality of this race.
First races after the weights are out are the Veterans’ Chase at Donny, the RP Chase, the Eider and the Bobbyjo.
Not quite correct:
Entries are Feb 2nd & the ratings used for qualification are those published Feb 2nd with the actual weights published Feb 18th. The Red Square Haydock race is Feb 20th, after the weights are published (as is The eider on feb 27th)
Whilst it does have its own limitations, at least THE GOING STICK provides quantifiable measure of the ground as opposed to somebodys assessment of how difficult it is to push a walking stick into the ground.
Sterling work, KC, but sadly all in a lost cause as Hexham has been abandoned now. I’d love them to reschedule the race for their next meeting, but that’s probably a forlorn hope.
gcGiven that the next meeting at Hexham (9th Dec) comes just 3 days after the Borders National 4m handicap chase at Kelso I would imagine that is very unlikely
Well, they have tried…the race has been put back into calendar at next meeting on 9th Dec with same sponsor, same prize money but distance reduced to 3m1f & so no longer termed a National.
Sterling work, KC, but sadly all in a lost cause as Hexham has been abandoned now. I’d love them to reschedule the race for their next meeting, but that’s probably a forlorn hope.
gcGiven that the next meeting at Hexham (9th Dec) comes just 3 days after the Borders National 4m handicap chase at Kelso I would imagine that is very unlikely
As for killing a few people, there are 6 billion people on the planet – it doesn’t really matter if a few million innocent are killed.
In whatever context (in jest or not, intended to wind up or not)I find that thoroughly offensive.
If ever there was a case for moderator intervention that was it.
There is a toolbar that is downloadable form http://www.ohracing.net/forum/f374/ohracing-punters-toolbar-v1-03-a-37172/ that has loads of bookmarks pre loaded – forums, bookies, BHA, Racing Post, ATR, Sporting Life, courses etc etc.
Its difficult not to argue that he should have known better and whilst it helps few of those affected, his willingness to face the press & TV straight away with an apology is to be applauded.
I saw him come back to the owners & he was obviously embarrassed & apologetic. The stick he got from a few punters was perhaps understandabale but , in my own view, unneccessary. Most of us make mistakes at work & for few of us does it result in us being docked 12 days pay…so screaming "you f***n p***k" in his face was not really called for. Secondly, to then loudly boo & jeer him as he passes when mounted (on an entirely unconnected horse) for the next race is just daft – a lesser experienced horse than Church Island could well have been spooked.
The whole incident did though provide some light relief in the form of a conversation I heard later in the bar. Attempting to console a disgruntled punter who had suffered through Geraghty’s lapse one gentleman remarked:
"We all make mistakes"
The animated punter was having none of it…"yes, but when you make a mistake at work it doesn’t cost me money"
"No, thats true" said the first gentleman softly. "but I might
kill
you. I am a surgeon!"
Seems odd that we fell the need to justify ourselves …but I do too!
Personally I was showing 25 people around Ferdy Murphy’s yard before going to the Charlie Hall meeting. Apologies for not being here!
Course has many "open sections" so horses will generally take shortest route back. Our horse ducked out of the 6th, unshipped Keith then galloped through the woods & is seen on the tape crossing the front of the race. From there he got himself onto the racecourse proper , turned around & cantered back to the stable entrance! He’s not daft.
In general I think that the loose horses looked for a way back to the stables so whether they posed a "nuisance" would largely depend upon which point they became loose.
As an aside, number of finishers was a record I think
Quite an experience…and an addictive one!
Our horse is fine & on his way home. He jumped first two fine , then he tackled the water,Taxis, Irish bank section & made ground at each to find himself in the lead. Ordinarily on a Parks course this is his preferred position but here he had a good look sideways and eventually ran out. Frustrating as I had held my breath to that point & once he had pinged Taxis & handled the bank I thought "right , now we are in business!".
Anyway no harm done to horse or jockey so a fascinating weekend had a frustrating but ultimately acceptable ending.
I had the pleasure of being walked & talked around every fence by Keith on Saturday & that fuelled a desire to have another crack at the race.
Course facilities a bit battered but history of the place wins one over. Course management looked after us spectacularly well in terms of VIP viewing box tickets and a good lunch- and James Fry at the International Racing Bureau did much to smoothe the way for us.
One minor quibble would be that security guards were unnecessarily stern and uncompromising with connections of horses – even those with the correct "access all areas" wrist bands. Quite why they felt it appropriate to try to prevent a trainer & owner accompanying the horse onto the track at 7.30am on Sunday morning for a trot out I don’t know!
In answer to the question re injuries, I am not sure of Gawain but I believe that Shirley broke a leg and was put down in the big race.
Well done Mr Vana (again!) but we’ll be back!
Race is being shown on ATR but only a recording after the event I think.
I will be trying to update twitter page throughout weekend & the during the race itself if possible. (can access thru’ my website).Nellerie seems to have travelled well. Eating & drinking plenty & has worked on track a couple of times. Ground seems pretty fast. A little rain would be helpful but we are very happy with ho everything has gone thus far, though from here on in Lady Luck will play a huge part.
This race is pretty barbaric, surprised they don’t them jumping through rings of fire
A challenge certainly…the combination of distance, variety of fences & the journey there make it that. In isolation, the fences are not so different to other challenges. For Taxis fence, read Bechers Brook and the walls & banks are no more than are regularly encountered on cross country/ 3 day event/ hunting circuits.
It
is
challenging & I am not attempting to diminish that but if I felt it was "barbaric" we wouldnt be anywhere near it.
