Forum Replies Created
- Posts
I really want Dylan Thomas to keep the race, the horse deserves it and it will somehow compensate for the tragic loss of Danehill; this is an awful anti climax to a good afternoon of racing.
The main thing that I remember about the Thatcher years was the constant threat of unemployment. Earnings related had been abolished, so if you did lose your job you were in big trouble if you couldn’t find another one quickly. But the overiding feeling that I had at the time was that no one in power cared [the ‘on yer bike’ school of politics].It was a time of ‘every man for himself’, and I’m afraid that nothing has changed. Whole communities were decimated – I know I’m sounding melodramatic but I was a young wife and mother at the time and I was very scared.I very much doubt if David Cameron has any idea of what it feels like to be in that position. Yes, I am cynical about politicians in general, and the brave new world that I expected when Labour came to power has not materialised, but I still feel safer with them in power. Margaret Thatcher was also quite open about the fact that she was no fan of the railways, and everything ended up being transported on the roads putting an end to Barbara Castles transport policy.
can someone explain to me why Aidan O’Brien has supplemented Song of Hiawatha for the Arc?
saw a documentary on the telly a long time ago about Runrig and joined the fan club as it was the only way, at the time, to find out how I could get to see them. Remember asking a Scottish friend what they were saying when they sang in Gaelic[?] and he said they were just singing about how much they hated the English!! never seemed the same after Donny left to become a politician [wonder how he’s doing?].He’ll probably make a come back on a quiz show – no, thats Donny Osmond.
one thing I remember about the Pridwell race was an interview with his owner who said that his dream was to win the Champion Hurdle – although I do tend to be quite critical of McCoy giving horses really hard rides I was pleased for the owner. There’s a good interview with McCoy about the race in the Observer [sorry I don’t know how to cut and paste things] and he said the horse wouldn’t go for the whip anywa, and he just had to kid him along for most of it. McCoy does like these kind of horses, look at Deanos Beano..
I’ve just remembered that I used to be in the Runrig Fan club [it was @ the time that I was in the Desert Orchid fan club!] those were the days….Franz Ferdinand do this thing at the end of their set where they get all the drummers from all the other bands to play together; it’s pretty spectacular – but Runrig have been doing that for years.
re Pridwell – this is the first race that I thought of – didn’t McCoy say that it was the best ride, in his opinion that he had ever given a horse, and who did he beat, wasn’t it Istabraq or somebody [memory failing a bit]. Pridwell was rather a monkey wasn’t he; can’t say I remember how forcefully he was ridden. Will have to trawl through the archives and find the video.mo [have got drawers full of videos going back for years which I never find the time to watch, some probably on betamax]. mo
re The Langholm Dyer, I can remember reading an article about him that said he’d lost interest in his racing and it was because his lad/lass had moved away – when they came back and looked after him again he got his form back! I wrote to the Edinburgh Woolen Mill asking about him and their other horses but I think they just wanted to sell me some tartan socks.Does anyone know if Suny Bay is still with us – what a star he was at Aintree over the years. Also a horse called Star Traveller who was leading the field in the National one year [ridden by Jamie Osborne I think] and was pulled up on the second circuit, never heard any more about him.
The problem is that politicians just say what they think we want them to say, not what they really believe. Think the last time a political speech was at all sincere was when Robin Cook resigned over Iraq. Tony Benn signed a book for me a few months ago, and I told him that I was completely cynical these days when it came to politics, he told me to be ‘critical’ not ‘cynical’. I do actually think that Gordon Brown is sincere, unlike Tony Blair, and David Cameron would be more credible if he stopped trying to be a man of the people, when he is obviously very very rich. What I don’t understand is why everything is constantly being reviewed [nhs, education etc] re organized and then eventually put back to how it was in the first place.
When I was a child Mill House. His picture was on the table next to my bed. I hated Arkle for beating him In Ireland the other year went on a Mill House pilgrimage to find where he was born; was sent up all sorts of lanes in the middle of knowhere, but never did find it. Also around that time a little mare called Phebu, but can’t remember much about her. Went into the racing doldrums until I started seeing this white horse on the news every Christmas, devoured every book about racing that I could find to catch up with the years that I’d missed.Joined his fan club, couldn’t wait for him to retire safely as I was terrified of something happening to him, and when he did there was this void in racing for a few years until another grey crept into my affections; One Man – how ecstatic I was when he won at Cheltenham, and how desolate when he lost his life at Aintree, probably one of the worst days ever on a racecourse.. More recently Grey Abbey, See More Business and Moscow Flyer. I never felt much for Best Mate or Istabraq, or at this moment in time for Kauto Star – some horses just work their way into your affection. My tombstone will read ‘She kissed Desert Orchid’, because I did and it was the magic!! mo
remember ages ago Tony McCoy going out of his way to ride an unknown horse for an unknown trainer from the depths of Wales, I’m sure that was Ballycassidy.
went to Tescos on Saturday to buy the new Babyshambles but it hadn’t come out – luckily had to go into Nottingham today so got that and PJ Harvey – first time in ages that I’m really pleased with what I’ve bought…oh the awful cd’s that I’ve bought over the years! the worst one probably being Nigel Kennedy, why oh why did I buy it?
just bought new PJ Harvey; very haunting and very beautiful – music to send shivers up your spine.
what a wonderful thought, having Ann Widdicombe back in government. armchair anarchy part for me.
re Louanos – I think madgic deserves a star for spelling that right! she was very disappointing at cheltenham, but I wonder how many people spelt it correctly on their betting slips! I certainly didn’t.
