Forum Replies Created
- Posts
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.
Mr Maxwell is an adult and if he wants to race then that is up to him. Obviously if he or any other jockey were regularly causing dangerous incidents on racecourses then that would be different, but he isn’t. Quite why people are trying to deter someone who is passionate about the sport and puts a lot into it is beyond me.
Obviously whether you want to put your life savings on one of his mounts is another matter…
Agree Golden Miller. Has Mastermind got easier?! Was expecting rather more obscure questions than those, and for there to be scarcely anything from post-World War II.
Not sure if you bothered with the rest of the episode, but the guy who won it was a machine! Very impressive knowledge.
I will definitely be taking a visit to your site Golden Miller, looking forward to it.
My goodness Gamble, I never imagined the tale of Rubio would end up taking us on that journey through the decades, but an interesting deviation it certainly was. Glad to hear you were out enjoying the sunshine.
Just announced on ITV that Theinval has been retired after today’s victory at Ayr. Wishing him a long and happy retirement.
Jimmy Gimini, more time used to be spent on looking at the runners in the paddock and on the way down to the start. Nowadays the non-specialist broadcasters prefer to show more interviews etc., presumably in an attempt to highlight the human side of the sport and make it more “relatable”.
I’d like to see the balance shift back somewhat the other way. Nowadays pre-race coverage of the runners is often rushed or sometimes virtually non-existant. To be fair to ITV Racing, this trend had started long before they came into being. Ultimately horse racing is about the horses, and there needs to be a bit more confidence in the core product.
VtC, although I do enjoy ITV Racing, your script at the end did make me chuckle!
Re Alice and the paddock commentaries, I agree they are not overly insightful, but think anyone performing that role would struggle. ITV spend scarcely any time on them. At Aintree they were so rushed it sounded like the poor woman was commentating on the race she was having to speak so quickly, and the very limited time they are afforded hardly lends itself to detailed analysis.
As I say though, I’d prefer to see her in the anchorperson role that Francesca tends to take as that is where her enthusiasm and love of the sport could shine more.
I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree on this one, but good to understand where you are coming from.
Thank you Golden Miller and Gamble, interesting stuff. I look forward to seeing your Grand National site in due course Golden Miller, it sounds like a real labour of love.
I also rate Richard Hoiles.
Tony McCoy is a tricky one. His riding career was the stuff of legend, and he is the regular presenter who will be best known to the general public by far. But he is not a natural broadcaster, and does not look at ease in the role. The single-mindedness and seriousness that served him so well while riding has not translated to someone who can easily draw people in as a presenter. I do like that he is willing to give a divergent view and speak his mind, as this is somewhat of a rarity in the modern media, though he does come across as bordering on grumpy sometimes. His past career will probably mean his place on the team remains safe, but he really does need to up his game. Perhaps the recent competition from Ruby Walsh might help spur that on.
VtC, you may recall I defended Alice Plunkett when you criticised her before. To explain my opinion, I find her enthusiasm and clear love of the horses themselves adds to my enjoyment of the programme, and she brings a different dimension to a lot of the other team members. I think she’s a perfectly capable and eloquent presenter too. Would actually prefer she was given a more prominent role than Francesca for the Jumps, as Francesca is clearly more interested in the Flat.
