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I do share some of your concerns Cymro, but start to struggle when I try to think of a simple rule that could be introduced. Some horses have very different constitutions to others, and saying something like there should be at least a week between a horse’s races would seem too broad, especially for shorter distances, but then where should the line be drawn?
Thank you SpaceProject. Always good to hear when your thoughts chime with those of others.
I know the way that everyone reacts on these memorial threads comes from a good place of caring about the horses, and that this is an emotive topic. My comments are not intended to be critical of any other posters, but I’m uncomfortable with the rush to find blame. These things are often much more nuanced, and deaths are unavoidable in a sport that asks demanding questions of its equine athletes and where jockeys have a difficult balancing act to perform. I am though very keen to focus on the many things that can be done to improve equine welfare both during and after racing careers.
Probably best to post it here Cymro unless it is confirmed he has passed away and requires a memorial. The admins can then always move it if needed.
Someone once posted an enquiry about Cue Card after he had a fall in the Memorials section; seeing his name there nearly gave me a heart attack!
I’m surprised the horse was able to run over the line as he lost his action very noticeably early in the straight. I also struggle to understand how the stewards did not find anything wrong. Section F26 of the Rules of Racing says:
A Jockey must pull up their horse whenever:
it is lame or injured;
it has no more to give or has tailed off through fatigue; or
has a problem which is materially affecting its performance.
A Jockey must dismount as soon as reasonably possible to do so from any lame or injured horse.As I’ve said on other threads it is a risky sport and I am very hesitant about blaming people when these sad events happen. I think a wrong decision was made here, but jockeys have difficult decisions to make and I can’t imagine Mr De Sousa is happy about the tragic outcome. Possibly some form of reprimand is in order, but I think we should be cautious about painting him as a villain who willingly sacrificed a horses’s life for a grand or two.
RIP King Of Tomorrow, a very sad loss.
I am interested, but only to the same extent as I am in the big races in other far-off places like the USA and UAE. Something about how far away it is and too many unfamiliar aspects make it less interesting than, say, the big races in Ireland and France.
To answer admin’s question, I’d guess at 5/10.
Colreevy was retired after her Punchestown victory. A real shame we won’t be seeing her next season given how she has progressed, but she is already in foal to Walk In The Park. Wishing her a long and happy retirement.
Have just commented on the Youcannotbeserious thread that the banks races at Punchestown have not been a pretty sight this week, with horses slipping up on Tuesday and again today. Others have come perilously close to the same fate as Youcannotbeserious and now poor Some Neck too.
I don’t recall this being an issue in previous years, does anyone have any idea what is different this year?
I can’t see why there shouldn’t be multiple cross-country races at the same meeting – nobody questions why there are multiple hurdle races. However, that is only if they are not inherently more risky than any other race.
RIP Some Neck, a very sad loss.
The banks races at Punchestown have not been a pretty sight this week with horses slipping up on both Tuesday and in today’s La Touche Cup. I don’t recall this being a common problem in previous years, does anyone have any idea what the cause could be?
Poor Youcannotbeserious took a horrible fall and a couple of others came perilously close to the same fate at that obstacle. I’m uneasy about blaming his jockey for the sad outcome though. The horse had been in the lead and was still in contention. He jumped the fence after his first mistake without issue and had not lost further ground since then. Unless we have a rule that as soon as a horse makes a mistake then they must be pulled up, then I’m not sure the jockey did anything wrong.
Obviously the jockey’s first priority should be the welfare of their horse, but they also have a duty to do their best to win, and this creates a conflict of interest that requires delicate judgement. Given the unavoidable element of risk and that split second decisions need to be made, I am not sure it is fair to say the horse should have been pulled up and imply the jockey was negligent. In other circumstances the horse might not have fallen and gone on to win or place, and the jockey would be being acclaimed for a brilliant ride.
RIP Youcannotbeserious, a very sad loss.
It was good that Seeyouatmidnight finally got in the big race win that had always eluded him before his second retirement.
Nicky Richards’ talented 11 year-old mare My Old Gold was retired after finishing 3rd at Perth on Friday. She beat Cloth Cap giving him 5lbs back in December 2019. She is to be covered by Walk In The Park. Wishing her a long and happy retirement.
He “blows hot and cold” apparently, and sounds very much like one of those people who leaves a trail of unhappiness in his wake as he goes around ruining people’s days with his overreactions.
Perhaps the end of the ban should be made conditional on him actually completing the anger management course. If he can’t afford to pay for it, perhaps his employer who he is representing at the racecourse may want to chip in.
Under various topics recently I’ve seen comments from posters who appear to be keen to ban certain horses or jockeys from competing due to perceived welfare concerns. I’m a passionate advocate of improving the sport’s safety for both its equine and human participants, but it does concern me that this seems to have become almost the default reaction to many developments, and going down this path seems very much a slippery slope.
If we are considering banning a dual Grand National winner who has won at the Cheltenham Festival this season from competing in a steeplechase, I think we have to conclude that the sport is just too risky full stop.
I’d also be interested to know if people would have had the same concerns about running Tiger Roll over a sub-optimal distance if connections had been trying to reduce his mark in the months leading up to the National weights being set.
I appreciate the comments are well-intentioned and I’m certainly no fan of the O’Learys, but believe we need to focus on controlling the risks of racing rather than banning all but a small minority from taking part. I can’t believe Tiger Roll would be at more risk in the Oaksey Chase than in the huge field of the Grand National. Heaven forbid that anything happens to him wherever he runs next, but there will always be a small risk wherever that may be.
I’m all in favour of anything that celebrates and promotes racing’s history. It looks like this “hall” is to be an online commemoration specific to the Flat. Hopefully it might evolve into something with a physical presence in time.
Re the Jumps, I believe Cheltenham and Aintree already have their own Halls of Fame.
RIP Tidal Bay, one of my favourite ever racehorses. His versatility, career longevity and slightly enigmatic ways were all part of the appeal. Those two Grand National unseats were his only ever non-completions in 44 races.
He was a contemporary of the likes of Kauto Star, Denman and Master Minded in what was very much a Golden Age for high-class chasers, though his racing career outlasted all of theirs by some distance. It would have been interesting to see where he would have placed in the pecking order if Paul Nicholls had got his hands on him much earlier.
There are so many racing highlights to choose from including his Arkle and Lexus Chase victories, but I always love a good comeback, so my personal favourite is his victory in the bet365 Gold Cup in April 2012. What a wonderful horse he was.
Those aren’t the sole criteria I gave Quelle Farce, and comparing David Maxwell to David Pitcher would be doing the former a huge injustice.
RIP Lorna Brooke, desperately sad news. It certainly sounds like she lived life to the full, and will be much missed.
