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There is a review for Global Racing at
http://horseracing.about.com/od/bookrev … 12209a.htmWhat is missing on the website?
Thanks for the link. Nothing missing on the website, just I prefer a good book to spending even more time on my laptop.
The standard and detail of information is incredible, and is an interesting prospect for those that enjoy the analytical side of horse-racing.
Would anyone be able to recommend any books on Hong Kong racing, that would give an insight into the current scene?
I’m far from a Ballydoyle apologist, but there is nothing to suggest these incidents should be suspected as being excuses; on the contrary, O’Brien should be applauded for being open about the condition of his horses.
I would take the train from Cambridge to Kings Cross, and the Eurostar from St Pancreas to Paris. Your total time from Camridge to centre of Paris should be just a little over 3 hours (factoring in getting to St Pancreas 30 mins before departure).
Gus, hardly comparable still, is it?
Sea the Stars will most likely end up running in 6 top class races, where he will have been at his peak. Kauto Star will probably run in 2 (Gold Cup and King George), or 3 at the very most, in addition to a nothing race at Down Royal.
Who used the word selfish? Not me. Pietersen baiting? Absurd.
I said the shot was poor judgement. It was. I said KP is a great player. He is. I would say I have it perfectly in perspective.
I never said you! I agreed with your post, and thought it was in perspective.
Jeremy said he was selfish, and I combined two posts; quoting yours to say I agreed with your points, and using this to show I disagreed with jeremy’s charge of selfish play, and the Pietersen baiting that seems to go on both occasionally on here and very much in the media whenever he makes an error of judgement.
Pietersen is a great player, the best in England by a distance. Yesterday’s shot was terrible. It was the wrong shot against a poor spinner, in a needless attempt to manufacture a run (a single at most). Shot selection is an essential part of batsmanship, as is judgment. 69 against that attack on that pitch was not good enough for a man of his ability when he had already played himself in.
You don’t believe me, ask Geoffrey Boycott, Ian Chappell, indeed any of the great players who were watching and commentating on that yesterday. Pietersen has the ability to be one of the greats. The likes of Cook and Collingwood congratulate themselves on averaging forty. KP should finish with an average pushing 60. He should be comparing himself with Lara and Tendulkar, he has the ability to make chanceless double-hundreds. I want to see him use that ability to grind teams into the dust on a regular basis, to be ruthless and clinical, not make flashy fifties and forties.
Like Jeremy, I don’t know what the ‘usual suspects’ reference is all about, but par for the course on what is becoming the grumpy old man forum.
I agree with nearly everything in your post, but have put the shot into the context it deserves. Criticise him for the shot, and most of all the selection after Hauritz pitched it where he did, but lets put it into perspective.
Pietersen selfish because of a poor selection of shot? Come on.
It seems any time he makes the semblance ofa mistake, the already-sharpened knives are out for him.
And, old chap, I’m far from grumpy; quite the opposite. I’m enjoying this cricket massively (maybe not the last few hours), and would just like the Pietersen baiting to be put into perspective, both on here and especially in the media.
What chance have England now? They need a quick couple of wickets
Sorry if ‘Usual suspects’ caused offence – I am referring to the ridiculous hyperbole in the media concerning one bad shot.
Jeremy – the Times? Hardly an authority on anything sport-related, is it?
But by the same token, didn’t your mum and dad always used to tell you off for judging yourself against the worst, rather than aiming for better, when you’d show them your dismal report card and say, "Well, I still beat four other kids in my class!"?
Same principle.
Except it’s nothing like the same. He scored 69, the BEST in the class, as he usually is. He also hasn’t got to where he is in cricket by comparing himself with the lower echelon of cricketers or standards, and it’s grating to see the usual suspects come out after 1 poor shot, with cliche-ridden points and attempts to convince themselves their pre-conceived notions were correct.
I just don’t understand what people want sometimes.
I find it both amusing and frustrating that people are happy to accept all the great points about KP, but whenever something goes awry, out come the claws. What about the switch hit – did you say the same then? That is essentially a silly shot, but one which has come off. Yes, he played a poor shot, but to say or infer that he is selfish, is very wide of the mark. I would also agree with a lot of Andrew’s points about his determination and motivation, but add he is succeeding, and find it baffling people are only to quick to criticise.
He played a poor shot, nothing else. Get over it. Only in England.
Ps. He top scored (again) in case anyone didn’t notice.
It really comes down to what you want and take from reading – would you like a writer in control of his craft, who has a well-deserved place in literature, whose use of words means a sentence can be enjoyed for many minutes, such as Beckett, Genet, Joyce or Celine, or do you want to read a story, which although they are nine times out of ten very poorly written, holds great interest for you because of your interest in that sport or sporting ‘icon’?
If you know what you want, and that provides you with enjoyment, that’s all you can hope for.
On the subject of sports biographies, I would have much the same opinion as Drone, and certainly couldn’t put it any better.
At his prime, Salse, not necessarily his form right now. I hope not to have mistaken you.
No, you haven’t at all. I think his prime on RPRs was about 119, which means he would probably need to slightly improve to win this.
However, if the rain keeps falling, he must have a great chance tomorrow.
At his prime, this field doesn’t hold a candle to him. Betting with interest.
With what piece of form is this?
I like the horse too, but he needs more rain (some forecast) and to improve on past performances to progress past the likes of Duncan (& others).
I’m surprised you have bought into the Rip Van Winkle hype CH.
He has never been placed in a Group 1 or 2, and has no excuses for his runs to date. Added to the fact you’ll have a 3 pound penalty (Heffernan riding in UK) and Sea the Stars who has easily beaten him twice, not to mention Conduit, Twice Over & Cima de Triomphe, who have all put in superior performances to RVW. He would be 10 or 12/1 if trained by anyone else.
I’m the last one taken in by any hype about the horse Andrew- in fact I laid him in the Derby. My reasons for backing him now include the excellent each-way shape to this race, the poor recent record of Derby winners (Motivator, Authorised anybody?) and the fact that he fits the profile of several recent winners. He reminds me a bit of Hawk Wing in that they kept banging on about how brilliant he was but he kept underperforming on the track. He did however have some good days, the Eclipse being one of them. I don’t think it’s out of the question that RVW could do the same and I’ll be very surprised (and a lot poorer) if he doesn’t hit the frame in a very uncompetitive looking race. I can’t see Conduit having the speed for a Group 1 at this trip.
I can’t see any possible way he can turn around things with STS, but of course I could be wrong. I don’t see this race set up as an each way race for RVW, as you have Archipenko, Cima de Triomphe and Twice Over, in addition to Sea the Stars and Conduit, who should finish in front of him on all known form, even factoring in potential improvement from the 3 year olds.
I think Rip Van Winkle should be 13/8 or 7/4 lowest to place.
However, what may help the three year olds is the overly generous weight for age scale.
I’m surprised you have bought into the Rip Van Winkle hype CH.
He has never been placed in a Group 1 or 2, and has no excuses for his runs to date. Added to the fact you’ll have a 3 pound penalty (Heffernan riding in UK) and Sea the Stars who has easily beaten him twice, not to mention Conduit, Twice Over & Cima de Triomphe, who have all put in superior performances to RVW. He would be 10 or 12/1 if trained by anyone else.
