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Tino,
an exceptional first post, sir; I look forward to more of the same.  I simply can’t agree with thedarkknight’s analysis of coolmore and I’m disappointed, if not surprised, that Meshaheer has jumped on that particular bandwagon. Who exactly are O’Brien’s "Yes Men" exactly?
Dilysb,
I don’t think young Mr Spencer was particularly criticised for his riding of Hawk Wing in the Guineas, the general feeling being that HW was unsuited by racing alone and on slower ground.  Strangely enough, I believe that those tactics probably brought out the best in him, and it’s hard now to imagine him going eyeball to eyeball with "The Rock" and coming out on top.
RD,
I have a strange yet compelling feeling that said article was penned by a member of this very forum – will AP’s anonymous defender please make themselves known……
<br>                    :scratchchin:
<br>….come on – you know you want to!
I’m afraid so – he looks a million dollars, but he didn’t want to battle today, and that’s the difference between a very good horse and a great one.
Not wanting to gang up on you, PR, but any bookie worth his salt will refund stakes on horses backed ante post which were declared to be non-runners at the time the bet was struck – it’s in the rules!
If a trainer says, "I don’t think I’ll run this horse in the Derby", but Joe Public asks for a price, he will be given one, with the caveat that the horse is an unlikely runner. Demand will ensure that a price is quoted, but that means that the betting public believe the trainer will in fact run, despite his words.
If a horse is not entered, bookies will note that it needs to be supplemented, and where a horse can not be supplemented into a race that has closed, all bets on said horse are void.
The major bookies are very PR conscious and will not look to stitch up punters for a few hundred quid.  If you have been refused payment personally, then sorting this out would be a doddle – there are several members with good connections to major bookies on this forum who could verify this.<br>
As part of the Amelia syndicate, I’ll respond to apracing’s question about our ability to predict when she was going to win by saying that in retrospect we believed the Leicester race was spot on, but at the time there were those among us who believed that optimism was running too high, and we’d expected he to win at Wolverhampton on her previous start only to be disappointed, and in my opinion this is typical in racehorse ownership.
I know of someone who owned a horse which won two races over two flat seasons and was told to back it on every one of its umpteen starts except the two that it won, when it started at 50/1 and 40/1!!
That shows how easily owners can be misled about the chances of their horses, either because dodgy logic dictates a good or bad run which fails to materialise- (many horses run best undercooked for example, and when they’re at peak fitness disappoint because they are over the top mentally) or they misinterpret the opinion of the trainer (or worse).
Another one chalked up:
Scottish Jamie was right – there is a 3yo Bahamian Bounty colt in Australia called Wear The Fox Hat, proof can be provided for any doubters out there.
Bad news is Betty Swallocks (or Swollocks) never saw the light of day.
On the subject of risque names Raymondo suggested Selosra slipped through the net; I can find no record of such an animal, but the rather more obviously named Our Soles To You amazingly went uncensored!
Nick,
everyone knows that Norfolk and Chance is nothing more than a betting shop joke – you know, novice punter comes into shop on Grand National day, and tells cashier he’s been given a hot tip – of course all he knows is the horse is called "Norfolk and Chance", which he repeats in a more and more agitated state to the bemused staff, until all becomes clear.
Ihaventalight,
I suddenly realised the deal about Toirdeabhlach; It should be pronounced Turlough and is a not entirely unknown Irish/Scottish/Welsh man’s name – there was a trainer called Turlough Donnelly who trained in Derbyshire until a couple of years ago (Mr Montague used to be with him).
Seagull,
you don’t fit the criteria needed to become a punter of mine, as you appear to analyse your stats properly :biggrin:
Tete Rouge,
no offence was meant in my description of messrs. Carberry and Walsh – they are both extremely talented jocks; the terminology I used was merely meant tio highlight the fact that McCoy’s workrate is frightening, and would probably be the road to attrition for any other rider, and should be credited accordingly.  Opportunity can come at a heavy price.
Anyone who produces statistics about the odds available on McCoy’s mounts or the level stakes loss he produces (especially in comparison with talented but comparatively indolent jockeys like Ruby Walsh and Paul Carberry) as evidence that he is overrated needs to get a grip of themselves.  If that’s the logic you use, I’d love to be your private bookie!
He excels in every aspect of the game, and those who pick up on his strength in a finish as his forte, obviously have no understanding about the value of presenting a horse correctly at a fence – the man is absolutely unrivalled at that, and his lack of serious injury is no fluke!
Those who mention Gordon Richards record as being more valid have a point, but while Sir Gordon hadn’t the luxury of helicopter transport and regular evening fixtures, theses days races aren’t started with the words "Ready, AP?", in the same manner as was the case for Sir G.
AP’s critics should watch his rides carefully for a week and pick out the steering jobs – there aren’t that many, I can assure you!
I’ve been a fierce critic of AP when he’s been wrong (and he has often enough), but he’s shown a combination of natural talent when adjudged the best rider in his first season as a conditional (not riding at all for Pipe incidentally, but still finished 4th in the jockeys table!), as well as a fierce determination, single mindedness and appetite for hard work.  He has also shown recently that he can learn from his mistakes and is, almost incredibly, getting even better each year.
I remember The Drunken Duck – Brod Munro-Wilson was the owner/trainer/rider – he looked awful but was fairly effective.
I believe Julie Cecil also had Betty Swallocks at the same time as Mary Hinge, but that one failed to make the racecourse.
A series that fits the bill are the horses owned by fearless punter Hugh O’ Donnell.  He had a horse called Finmental, which didn’t raise an eyebrow, followed that up with Mentalasanythin’ before producing Hesfinmentaltoo, which made it clear that "fin" was meant to be pronounced "effin" making the names rather more risque.
There’s nothing dodgy (apart from the way it’s said) about Aonfocaileile which is Irish for "another word".
Don’t suppose anyone remembers a useful animal in the late ’70’s called Muff Diver – honest Guv!
For anyone who missed the Noble Locks joke, it helps if you know that he’s a gelding!
I remember a son of Oats called Getting Plenty, which tickled me at the time.
On the poor pronounciation front, Hugh’s most successful horse in prestige terms was Crazee Mental who was beaten a short head in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. Knowing how the owner named his horses it was obvious how the name should be pronounced, but the entire BBC team insisted on calling her "Crazy Metal" throughout – v. annoying (made worse by the fact that yours truly backed her to win at 50/1!!).
