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Kyntara on the non-racing agreements list. His career highlight was probably finishing second in the Pertemps Final at the Festival in 2024.
Wishing him a long and happy retirement.
Thanks for posting about Conflated vf; he had become a real favourite of mine. He showed up time after time in the big races over the past few seasons, and was very good indeed at his peak.
It looks like Gordon Elliott announced the retirement on social media a week ago, but I haven’t seen any mention in the Racing Post yet. Shoddy treatment for an Irish Gold Cup winner who also finished third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Ryanair. The industry should do a much better job at publicising good news stories when a star horse retires sound after a long career.
Wishing Conflated a long and happy retirement.
I agree Tonge, and think Bonanzaboy and mickejp make some good points further up the thread too.
While almost everyone on ITV Racing comes in for regular critiques of their perceived poor performance, it’s much more likely that the women will also be criticised for their appearance.
Unless someone is clearly courting attention, I think people should be left alone to wear what they want.
Nicholls had a very public falling out with Smith after Kauto Star retired. I think that relationship was beyond salvaging after that.
It seems unfair to judge a horse by the opponents it raced against, but Dubai Millennium’s legacy isn’t enhanced when you look at the fields that he beat.
He was a brilliant racehorse, but I struggle to put him among the very best for this reason. I think he still had untapped potential at the time of his forced retirement, and it is a great shame his career was cut short.
He was a strikingly beautiful horse, and certainly looked the part of a superstar.
It seems there are an increasing number of owners who will only have their horses with the perceived “best” trainer, and absolutely nobody else. I suspect we may be at the start of a long period of Skelton dominance as a result.
I think it’s a shame that people tend to assume nowadays that if an older horse is still racing it’s because the owners are greedy. If the horse is still performing well and appears happy as far as can be told, then I think it is entirely reasonable that the horse continues to do what it was born to do.
Edwardstone has had 42 runs, which averages 5.25 runs for each season he has raced. These are hardly the figures of a horse who has been ruthlessly overraced. I hope we get to enjoy his presence again next season.
“ A quick google search shows she is 61. I’m hoping to be “pensioned off” by this age.”
My quick Google said Alice Plunkett is 52.
I actually think Alice is fine as a presenter, though was amused by her slip up as I say.
CAS, perhaps I am being overly sensitive as she can’t be that much older than me, but she seems a bit young to be being “pensioned off”! I suspect your comment more related to her longevity as a presenter than her age though.
I was amused that during her paddock commentary Alice thought Thistle Ask was a mare. To be fair, she did describe him as masculine-looking.
I’ve long advocated to get rid of water jumps that have a lip on which a horse can catch its legs with catastrophic results. However, as RTB says, it did not look from the TV pictures as if Sandown’s water jump has either a lip or indeed any water nowadays.
Perhaps someone who has been to the course recently can advise, but it looks like it is just a patch of differently coloured level ground.
Seeing a grand veteran such as Edwardstone win should be one of the joys of Jumps racing. So sad that both of his big victories this year have been overshadowed by the death of one of his rivals.
RIP Thistle Ask
Very sad to hear this, he was a great standard bearer for his small stable.
RIP Cracking Rhapsody
Mr Vango has indeed returned home to Sara Bradstock’s to continue his recovery. I read that they have set up a baby alarm in his stable so that he can still be monitored at night.
There was also some nice footage of Quai De Bourbon on ITV’s Home Schooling feature on Saturday. He was shown running in a field looking none the worse for his unfortunate experience in the National.
While I do think it may be best for Dandridge if he tries to move on, I wonder if some of the resentment he bears is because Williams didn’t admit to the offence, and has presumably never indicated he is truly sorry as a result. It must be very difficult to be forgiving in those circumstances.
Loads of options for him still, and I think we are a long way from the stage where veterans’ chases are his best hope.
Haiti Couleurs is graded class when he gets his conditions. He reminds me of Royal Pagaille who was also a stamina-laden chaser who fell slightly short of the very best, but that did not prevent him from having a long and fruitful career.
