General Chat

[Diamond Geezer]

Brilliant, thanks for this, I was looking for this last night without success...

Posted it on this thread yesterday.There was me thinking moderators read the threads.

[Istabraq]

Posted it on this thread yesterday.

Apologies, it appears to have been missed by myself and other admin.

Thanks to everyone posting useful quotes/links etc, this is a obviously a very busy time with significant traffic, hopefully useful info doesn't get missed/lost...

[Outlaw]

Lydia Hislop's viewpoint on the GE story

https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/...oathing/189771

She can certainly write ! Great vocabulary too.

[Johnoman66]

Got this added with Hills if anyone's interested. Abacadabras, Longhouse poet, Sporting John, Chantry house, It came to pass all top 5 @50/1. 56/1 with boost

[robith]

Gordon Elliott rumours were in the Popbitch email today. First time I've ever been ahead of their rumours!

EDIT: Here's the piece

>> Big Questions <<

Who's asking what this week?

Top Irish horse trainer Gordon Elliott's career is in meltdown, thanks to the release of a shocking photo of him sat taking a phonecall on a dead horse. But why has this old picture surfaced now? Could it have anything to do with another rumour going around the tracks at the moment about a recent incident that involved a fistfight, a private bar, a young stable girl, and a top Irish horse trainer who got caught by his better half with his trousers down? (If so, it might also help explain why a certain racing presenter hasn't been seen on camera for a while...)

[FinalFurlong91]

"He'll be entered in the Irish National and the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse," said trainer Paul Nolan. "More than likely, he won't be going to Cheltenham.

"Unless there was something unfortunate to happen to anyone, our plan is to go to Fairyhouse rather than Cheltenham. I'm happier with him now than at any stage of the season so far, I'm very happy with how he looks – he's more conditioned."

Owned by the Toberona Partnership, Latest Exhibition is rated 153, a mark that would have resulted in him carrying 11st 3lb in the 2019 Irish National and 11st the year before.

Nolan added: "You need an awful lot of luck in running for an Irish National, and that's why we've given ourselves the option of the novice chase too, but we'll talk to the owners and see closer to the time.

"There's only one Irish National, it's one of the greatest races we have in Ireland. Hopefully he'll still be in good shape come then."

he would surely take a lot of beating off 153

[Hurricane fly]

That would be Our Duke esc lumping on

[Bayoffreedom]

If the horses and staff are allowed to carry on as per normal or as near normal anyway, that’s brilliant.

That is the most likely route I would think. A ban of, say, a year and have something to come back to. An interim trainer (they already have someone in mind by all accounts) would keep thing ticking along and allow staff and owners to keep their horses there. There is no condoning his actions but some proportionality needs to be struck and, ironically, waiting until Friiday for the enquiry may allow for a more considered and less emotive judgement.

[TigerRolllllll]

That is the most likely route I would think. A ban of, say, a year and have something to come back to. An interim trainer (they already have someone in mind by all accounts) would keep thing ticking along and allow staff and owners to keep their horses there. There is no condoning his actions but some proportionality needs to be struck and, ironically, waiting until Friiday for the enquiry may allow for a more considered and less emotive judgement.

Nick Luck podcast discussed this as most likely and Gordon may even volunteer this.....they thought it will happen

Def agree - keeps all jobs, right for sports image and fair punishment

[robith]

Anyone getting phantom notifications? It says I have 1 but when I click there's nothing there

[Our_Duke]

That would be Our Duke esc lumping on

Genuinely spent a few moments going "how do they know me and how do they know I'm lumping on this?"

[SeanRock]

A very good point. I also saw a very good synopsis in this thread about how some people defer to comedy to make the best of a bad situation, this is also a very Irish trait. Apologies in advance if this gets a little dark but it needs to be highlighted.

For full disclosure, I was born and raised in rural Ireland with a strong farming background, with horses and all sorts of farm animals. Death is part of the occupation, you become desensitized to it, you almost have to if you wish to remain in the trade. Do not get me wrong, what Elliot and others have done is incredibly stupid and it does no positive to the game of racing. But in the grand scheme of things, it should not be a hanging offense! When you are the carer of 300+ horses, its impossible to have emotional attachment to them all. Sitting on a dead animal while grinning at the camera is idiotic and is not a good look, but for some context, what do people think happens to the horse as part of next steps in disposing the body? There are no animal grave yards. That horse would have been picked up by its hind legs and loaded into the back of a truck to the local knackery. There the carcass would be skinned and disemboweled before being chopped up and on tomorrows menu at the local hunt kennels or Dublin Zoo. Having someone sitting on the horse is disrespectful however the disposal of the horse isn't?

I have friends who teach kids in urban areas and the disconnect between animals and human is amazing if they are anything to go by. Some were shocked to learn where milk on their shop shelves actually comes from for example, never mind when the conversation is raised of where their meat is coming from.

Unfortunately racing will pander to people who are so far removed from the realities of animal ownership and livelihoods that revolve around animals. They will recline on their leather chairs after their lamb dinners, happy in the knowledge that something they were told is cruel is being knocked down a peg or two.

It's a momentary lack of judgement that shows a distinct lack of class - Elliott should be punished accordingly. Owners moving their horses away is the worst punishment he will face and rightly so

Echo this in it’s entirety again. Wise words PP. My sentiments exactly...

[The King Pimm]

What do predict the outcome will be for Gordon today?? I’m not sure if they conclude their investigation today but I hope so. I think a 2 month ban and significant fine but I’ve got a sneaky feeling he may get off lightly with a strongly worded warning and commitment to change and be free to travel over to Cheltenham with his depleted squadron. Predictions??

[Ribocco]

What do predict the outcome will be for Gordon today?? I’m not sure if they conclude their investigation today but I hope so. I think a 2 month ban and significant fine but I’ve got a sneaky feeling he may get off lightly with a strongly worded warning and commitment to change and be free to travel over to Cheltenham with his depleted squadron. Predictions??

Even if he is allowed to travel to Cheltenham (which I very much doubt) he would need to go to the doctors and have a brain scan if he even considered it!

[ToniC]

What do predict the outcome will be for Gordon today?? I’m not sure if they conclude their investigation today but I hope so. I think a 2 month ban and significant fine but I’ve got a sneaky feeling he may get off lightly with a strongly worded warning and commitment to change and be free to travel over to Cheltenham with his depleted squadron. Predictions??

I echo that really. Part of me does think there has to be some chance of a whacking great fine, a public apology & a ban on attending the races in person until next season. Don’t know how likely that is, but I think it’s not beyond the realms of possibility - important to remember I think he hasn’t actually broken any rules as such but I’d think a ban is more likely. An interesting point of note is that the justice presiding over the hearing is Phillip Reynolds sister.

if the genera consensus is that the punishment isn’t harsh enough I wonder could that leave the door open for the BHA to stick their oar in again? Doubtful but you never know. I think provided he’s not at Cheltenham in person they will be satisfied enough to let it rest as it is.