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Actually, this is one hell of a difficult question.
On the one hand, I feel nothing but hate, digust and venom towards the people, who, for example, cheered when See More Business fell heavily at Chepstow in the Rehearsal Chase (that’s what happened as I watched the race on TV at Sandown on Tingle Creek day).
And yet, here I am, supporting National Hunt racing, and continuing to support it despite the death of many of my favourite horses down the years.
It’s a bizarre dilemma.
Keith might have the tact of a sledgehammer but…
I’m sorry, I am going to love tomorrow and Thursday, and I’ll do the same at Aintree. And I love horses at the same time. Life isn’t black and white.
No, Barton wasn’t with it at all. But we all have bad days and I’m looking forward to seeing him improve next year.
Tomorrow will be better, I promise! Edredon, Flagship and Tiutchev will jump the last together and flash past the post in a record breaking three-way dead heat. I promise.
Jim,
I can agree with you on Valiramix, but Istabraq owed us absolutely nothing and surely his pulling up and safe retirement should be a happy event?
As for Barton, he was outclassed by a better field on the day. I love Barton (my favourite horse in training BTW), but he’ll be back, and next year as a second season chaser, I expect great things from him.
As I say, I can agree with you enitrly about Valiramix but getting depressed because of Istabraq and Barton is missing the point of the whole game.
Railwayman,
Agree entirely. For me, that is what this game is all about. That cheer was one of the greatest moments of 15 years of jump racing for me. In any other sport, there would have been silence – or even booing! And if you think about it, the crowd could have turned on Charlie Swan, given Istabraq seemed fairly sound. (Good on you Charlie btw).
However, looking at the BBC news tonight – "the crowds were stunned as the favourite pulled up" (cut to a picture of a silent and subdued crowd). Typical.
Nick,
Yes, I can claim I had an enjoyable day. The accident with Valiramix was awful (and it was an accident, and on the flat too), but that doesn’t stop me feeling joy for the winner of the Champion, relief that the happy memories of Istabraq remain intact, a joyful Arkle won by a game and gallant horse (and such a promising performance from the second horse too).
Plenty of horses die in accidents when they’re at stud, in a field, racing on the flat or whatever. I’m not defending NH at all, the fatality rate is too high, but I don’t think this is the time or place for a slab of naval gazing.
I for one am looking forward to tomorrow and Thursday.
Yep. But we all make mistakes. Wonder if Big Mac will be ranting and raving about it on the morning line tomorrow? Bet not. Now, if it had been Tierry Doumen doing exactly the same thing…
Anyway, a great day and a terrible day at the same time. I had an awful feeling this morning that something horrible was going to happen to Istabraq – I am so relieved he has retired intact.
On a brighter note, I thought the cheer for Istabraq when he’d pulled up (and once it was obvious he was sound) was very heartening. A wonderfully sporting farewell to Istabraq.<br>
I only caught a quick glimpse before the camera panned away, but I was a little annoyed to see Tony McCoy having a tantrum after the fall when Valiramix was down (skull cap thrown to the floor etc). It looked obvious to me the horse was about to get up, and indeed he did and managed to canter for a short while before Tony finally caught him.
Having said that (and I don’t want to be flinging blame around and causing controversy), I doubt it would have made a difference to Valiramix if Tony had got a hold of him earlier.
Don’t know if anyone else noticed, I’d be interested in your opinions, maybe it was nothing.<br>
