General Chat

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

Should we all self censor now then?

Is offence not given, but taken?

Im posting my view of the situation, which is what freedom of opinion is all about. Its my opinion and just that, which concludes he was being a drama queen. If someone thinks differently, well thats fine because thats their view of the situation, we dont all have to agree and we dont all have to take offence by the words drama queen.

We live in a world now where people are scared to express their views and opinions for being criticised by and ostracised by the group

You only need to read the comments from the likes of FM, COD and Charlie to see you can easily express different perspectives without resulting to name calling of other posters and saying they are being overly sensitive. It’s just not a productive way of having a fruitful conversation about this difficult issue.

[robith]

I don’t want to seem insensitive here, and I really do appreciate the bad image it casts on the sport (to those who need little excuse) but what really offends people here? Genuine question. It’s insensitive to the owners, but why are we so effected by it? He hasn’t hurt or injured the horse personally, just made a bad call by sitting on the horse. People have done a lot worse and received smaller punishments compared to what people are calling for on here/Twitter.

Literally no one has said they're offended. Everyone has criticised a high profile trainer for treating an animal in his care with immense disrespect in a moment of high sensitivity. Racing gets a lot of stick but always defends itself by the high level of care the animals get. This makes it look like all those "glue factory" jokes are true. That we're all heartless bastards in the grip bloodlust, cruel spectators at the coliseum baying for blood in exchange for a few pence.

I mean you can't see how bad this looks fella? You can't see it being tweeted every time a horse dies at the races? Everyone carrying it on placards outside Aintree? That a potential owner might go "I could sink 500k into a horse a love and the second something ill happens that lad will use him like a foot stool"

No personal criticism meant here but in my experience when people say others are "offended" it's a way of trying to minimise their criticism rather than engaging with it.

Edit: I'm also going to stay out of this thread for a while too, as any time the conversation remotely diverges from racing it all becomes "snowflakes/everyone's too PC/offended/cancel culture" and I expend enough energy in my normal life having to put up with all this Culture Wars nonsense, I'd like my horse racing interest to be a respite from it

[Big Bucks]

OK I wanted to stay away from it along as possible, can I please stress that this is my opinion, I respect everyone else's on the topic and would appreciate the same.

Firstly, I do believe it is very bad taste and doesn't look good for the sport. However, I really hope the media, social media and whoever else don't blow this out of proportion, my worry is they will! 2 weeks away from the greatest sporting event in the calendar for many of us and this here will likely be dragged out across the main stream media, NON fans of the sport doing everything they can to slam and shame the game we love! They are licking their lips with ammunition to slander the sport!

AGAIN IMO, I don't have alot of emotions towards the image like I've seen plenty show regarding it. IF it was my horse, dog or whatever animal and he was sitting on it then yes I would be furious, sad and want to knock the fuck out of him! But it's not! Again yes it is wrong and bad taste, we all have our own levels of things to be offended about, but I feel more for whoever owns that horse or had connections to it than the random Tom, dick or Harry.

I dont want to come across like I'm defending him as reading it back it seems that way, I just feel in this day and age the world has gone PC mad and another example will be made out if this and could burry the game! Most if us have all done stupid shit in our lives, he's an idiot as he's a public figure, his rep has obviously taken a massive hit here and rightly so, but again I don't think it's as bad as people are making it out to be!

Talking about banning him for life etc is extreme in my opinion. Yes a fair trial and decision needs to be made, what that punishment is, or what I believe it should be I don't know yet myself!

I would be more gutted for his employees etc if they were to strip him.

Am I too insensitive?

The thing I want to know is, why know? Has someone held this image over him for sometime now? Has there been a huge fallout in the camp? Or who leaked it? pribably never know but such a shame it's fucking another shitty talking point over the last year!

[ToniC]

Has there been a huge fallout in the camp?

No fury like a woman scorned...

[ryanh97]

OK I wanted to stay away from it along as possible, can I please stress that this is my opinion, I respect everyone else's on the topic and would appreciate the same.

Firstly, I do believe it is very bad taste and doesn't look good for the sport. However, I really hope the media, social media and whoever else don't blow this out of proportion, my worry is they will! 2 weeks away from the greatest sporting event in the calendar for many of us and this here will likely be dragged out across the main stream media, NON fans of the sport doing everything they can to slam and shame the game we love! They are licking their lips with ammunition to slander the sport!

AGAIN IMO, I don't have alot of emotions towards the image like I've seen plenty show regarding it. IF it was my horse, dog or whatever animal and he was sitting on it then yes I would be furious, sad and want to knock the fuck out of him! But it's not! Again yes it is wrong and bad taste, we all have our own levels of things to be offended about, but I feel more for whoever owns that horse or had connections to it than the random Tom, dick or Harry.

I dont want to come across like I'm defending him as reading it back it seems that way, I just feel in this day and age the world has gone PC mad and another example will be made out if this and could burry the game! Most if us have all done stupid shit in our lives, he's an idiot as he's a public figure, his rep has obviously taken a massive hit here and rightly so, but again I don't think it's as bad as people are making it out to be!

Talking about banning him for life etc is extreme in my opinion. Yes a fair trial and decision needs to be made, what that punishment is, or what I believe it should be I don't know yet myself!

I would be more gutted for his employees etc if they were to strip him.

Am I too insensitive?

The thing I want to know is, why know? Has someone held this image over him for sometime now? Has there been a huge fallout in the camp? Or who leaked it? pribably never know but such a shame it's fucking another shitty talking point over the last year!

I would agree that a life ban is extreme. However him walking in a winner in 2 weeks would be dreadful. If Appreciate It takes a fatal fall in the Supreme and Elliott is jumping for joy while walking Ballyadam in, that will be horrendous.

[Eggs]

....now the Elliott statement has been released, it’ll be very interesting to see if mainstream TV media (Sky News et al) think this is worthy of reporting.

[Anay Turge]

Literally no one has said they're offended. Everyone has criticised a high profile trainer for treating an animal in his care with immense disrespect in a moment of high sensitivity. Racing gets a lot of stick but always defends itself by the high level of care the animals get. This makes it look like all those "glue factory" jokes are true. That we're all heartless bastards in the grip bloodlust, cruel spectators at the coliseum baying for blood in exchange for a few pence.

I mean you can't see how bad this looks fella? You can't see it being tweeted every time a horse dies at the races? Everyone carrying it on placards outside Aintree? That a potential owner might go "I could sink 500k into a horse a love and the second something ill happens that lad will use him like a foot stool"

No personal criticism meant here but in my experience when people say others are "offended" it's a way of trying to minimise their criticism rather than engaging with it.

I literally opened up my statement by saying I see how bad this looks?! My personal opinion is people are more disturbed by the initial shock factor of the image, before thinking about it. I’m not defending him, but I don’t think the punishments being called for match the crime he’s committed.

There are literally videos of top jockeys punching horses, recent trainers actively drugging horses. Fuck me, there’s a top flat owner keeping is own daughter hostage. Where does this tasteless picture rank in with those?

[ryanh97]

....now the Elliott statement has been released, it’ll be very interesting to see if mainstream TV media (Sky News et al) think this is worthy of reporting.

Agreed, and I've just noticed it's the 7th story down on my BBC news app

[Muswell]

Whilst obviously awful I note a distinct difference between the treatment of this and a certain high profile flat owners behaviour amongst ‘racing’ people

[MTR]

....news that Brazilian variant of Covid has been found in Gloucestershire is more bad news.

I’m a nervous wreck

[Quevega]

I personally think he should be fined and also made to do community work in a horse rescue centre or something similar.

Something that would both embarrass and educate him and also hurt him in the pocket,
Any training bans and not being able to run horses would be punishing others for his stupid actions.

Gordon is his own boss.
But he answers to his owners, and they can make their own minds up what they want to do with their horses, both now and in the future.

The only other thing that springs to mind is the recency of this photo.
If it was several years ago (and I'm sure I've seen this before somewhere) - was it ever dealt with at the time ?
I assume it wasn't made public and therefore not dealt with.
But if it has, then he shouldn't have to be dealing with it again and again.

And someone should help him to read and write cos the potato and paint method is clearly not sufficient in this day and age.

It's a shame cos I don't think he's done a lot wrong.
But it is all about perception, and it looks fucking horrible.
Like the soldiers taking selfies with dead Iraqi's.
Probably really brave people and would jump on a grenade for others but moron's at the same time.

[SamuelP]

Awful image and only he and the people who were there know the full context of what was happening at the time and how this picture came about. It does look utterly despicable though, and if I owned a horse I wouldn't send him to Elliott's after seeing this. I'm guessing he'll be suspended now. They can't have him banging out winners while he is being investigated, especially at Cheltenham. But I don't think it's fair for the owners (if they don't move on), stable staff and ultimately the horses not to be able to carry on for the foreseeable so surely someone steps in for the short term.
I think a key factor in the what happens next debate will be from the investigation. If they find that there is more to this, for instance a culture of disrespect to the horses, or even abuse, then surely the yard is heavily sanctioned or closed down. If it's an isolated incident it's up to the authorities what they deem as appropriate consequences for Elliott.

[Old Vic]

Lets not get descend into a lot of whataboutery.

It is massively disappointing and a real difficulty for those that love racing.

[ComplyOrDie]

I would agree that a life ban is extreme. However him walking in a winner in 2 weeks would be dreadful. If Appreciate It takes a fatal fall in the Supreme and Elliott is jumping for joy while walking Ballyadam in, that will be horrendous.

You think he's going to do that after all of this?

[Quevega]

You think he's going to do that after all of this?

That's a tricky one