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HRI publish a weekly supplement which lists all sorts of things, including horses deceased/gelded and more recently, retired. It’s a very useful thing, although I wish they kept an archive (or if they do, I wish I could find it!).
Has a small share in him, so very happy to report Brave Emperor has been retired and will be putting his hooves up with regular partner Luke Morris. Physically checked out fine after being brought down in Doha I don’t think he ever mentally got over it.
He was a pleasure to be involved with and I’m delighted Luke is taking him home.There’s been an upsurge in overseas buyers for horses that might previously have gone on to a NH career too – I’ve had a couple through syndicates that I thought would be NH types but they’ve either gone privately or at auction to continue a flat career in places like Italy.
Disappointed to see Cumani as main co-host; she knows her stuff on fashion and flat but I’d much rather have a proper jumping lass in her place. Especially as there should be nothing but the racing to talk about.
Are ITV still mainly using other suppliers camera streams?
Those saying Byrnes was worse, and Elliott didn’t “murder anyone”…
Byrnes didn’t make national and international news, get Dene Stansall airtime, or indeed be found guilty of anything other than negligence for leaving the horse unattended in the yard. He also had to wait two years for a hearing, which the IHRB took into account when they set the sentence. They didn’t charge him with bringing horse racing into disrepute.
As for murder, purely from the point of view of racing’s reputation, it would have been less damaging to the sport. And it would have been outside IHRB jurisdiction as he’d be in jail.
King’s Dolly has a 2020 foal by Workforce, presume she is back with her owner-breeder
No, deal with it.
The two best racehorses in the world, unbeaten and invincible possibly until they meet – doesn’t get much better than that and the prolonged expectation keeps the excitement going.
The two best flat horses in the world – at different distances. If you genuinely think it "doesn’t get much better than that" that’s a bit sad really. I don’t find the prospect of a competition in which one horse will be at a total disadvantage particularly exciting.
Why can’t people just be thrilled Black Caviar is coming over and let her continue to be a champion at what she does best, while Frankel gets to be a champion at what he does best?
Seems harsh to do it at this point of the season, as he’s done pretty well that blip aside. I’m not sure I’d send him to the trainer whose stable jock has just been outfoxed by the wily rogue, either.
If he’s smart enough he’ll remember that slamming on the brakes is a very effective way of ensuring one can have an easy spin round. I’m quite looking forward to seeing what happens next, we could have a new Chaninbar to enjoy – or if we’re lucky, a new Vodkatini.
The thing I don’t understand about PC is the idea that if they’re not happy with him, he’ll go in the Jewson. Surely he needs to be 100% wherever he goes?
These trainers who hang back to the last minute really annoy me, why can’t Dave Pipe come clean and say where Grands Crus will run, or at least say what events will determine which race he runs in. They do these stable tours on RP but never ask the question. Presumably he is going for the RSA but if Kauto or Long Run fail to get there he will switch.
Because the main reason appears to be a fundamental split between trainer and owner over the target, and if you are trying to persuade someone to your point of view you can’t come out and tell everyone where your weaknesses are in the argument.
The challenge for Geraghty will be when to let him go. This could be a fairly small field with Cue Card making the running. So long as there’s no mishaps with Cue Card, Geraghty should be able to wait until the turn for home to kick him on, but the way he’s travelled in recent races, he might be in front sooner than that
Can’t wait.
Will Cue Card be going fast enough? Andrew Tinkler was at a preview evening last week and said he thought Newbury was run at championship pace; the intention was to keep Sprinter in behind French Opera as long as possible but he breezed past without even trying.
If you want to beat him maybe you’re looking to set a moderate pace over the first few and hope he gets so frustrated he makes an error, or runs off and runs out of puff?
(edited to add – ah, it was Warwick Tinkler was at, didn’t see Ganjaman had kindly posted a write up)
Nicholls said Kauto wasn’t finishing his races last year, and that that was more apparent than ever in the Gold Cup and at Punchestown(his last 2 races of the year).
He says it has been worked on, and seemingly been cured. Right this second, that can’t be doubted. To what extent though, is the question.
I wonder if he’s had a little bit of tinkering….
Betlarge is mostly right in what he says but I am in the Henderson camp. I followed his horses (the likes of Remittance Man) when I was much younger and didn’t really pay attention to trainers (unless it was Stan Mellor, because my mum told me to). Joining Elite has made the trainer more visible to me as obviously I’ve been on a number of visits down to Seven Barrows in the past decade – although it’s been Fondmort rather than any Elite horse that’s been my favourite in that time.
Himself is right in that the referring to horses as "persons" is a bit odd but I suppose I’m used to it now. But I’ve found Henderson unfailing polite and friendly, despite the fact he always seems to be dashing about at the yard – I once went to Lambourn Open Day wanting to see a specific (and very new) horse to the yard, asked Nicky where I might find him, and he immediately called over one of his lads who took myself and my friend to a set of stables away from the main yard. While I’ve seen Paul Nicholls at the races I never feel I can go up to him whereas I have done so on a number of occasions with Nicky – he seemed genuinely delighted when I enquired after Trabolgan once.
I understand some peoples’ attitudes following recent events but I suppose I’m not a big punter; all I care about is the horse and as long as the horse lives to fight another day I don’t care about anything else. If anything I think my pro-Henderson stance has been strengthened by the amount of class-based hatred I’ve come across, and I don’t really understand it – no matter how you start, you still have to be able to do the job, and being a policeman’s son hasn’t stopped Nicholls becoming champion.
But I like to see the smaller yards doing well too – was thrilled for the Tizzards last weekend, and it’s great to see Charlie Longsdon get over some humps this season.
The 10-1 quoted for Captain Conan is very poor value. He won today because, i think, he was fitter and more suited to the conditions that his rivals. Big, long striding horse in soft going up that hill.
Surely he won today because his rival decided to head off to the stands as soon as the rail ran out!
Gold Cup day 2011. From the early start on the gallops, getting to see Hurricane Fly led out for a pick of grass, to almost turning myself inside out screaming them home in the Gold Cup. Much as I love both horses, my heart really wanted Denman to beat Long Run, and the reception The Tank got on his return made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Wandering over to the testing boxes afterwards to see both horses, and missing the next race(s).
I’m so glad I made the most of what’s turned out to be my last chance to see Denman on a racecourse.
Ok, a bit long to be a moment… so there was a moment when Denman outjumped Kauto and I thought the race was his, and could happily have died right then.
(and the sharp intake of breath when he was a bit hairy at an early one)
That might have been the water jump, mightn’t it? Certainly it was the only jump that assistant trainer Ben Pauling wasn’t happy with afterwards, reasoning that the fence wasn’t big enough for Sprinter Sacre to know what to do with it.
Kempton of two days ago has no water jump. Cheltenham in March, of course, does.
The Henderson operation has become more wary of water jumps over the years (it was once such at which Geos was killed in a Point-to-Point at Tweseldown in 2007), and I’d not be at all surprised if it eventually came out that Sprinter Sacre will have undergone some intensive practice over a mock-up water at home between Doncaster and Cheltenham.
gc
Yes, it was the water – thanks for giving me and excuse to watch the race all over again! He did seem a bit surprised to find it was actually a fence.
