General Chat

[ryanh97]

https://mobile.twitter.com/AtTheRaces/status/1366330854545457153

Good interview from Fitzy on Sky Sports Racing this morning.

[Garrison Savannah]

Newbury have released Hennessy tickets for sale. A long way off maybe, but the fact you can now buy tickets feels a big positive to me and I am going to celebrate (by eating a Nutella pancake [alternative brands are available]).

It’s a meeting that I always enjoy and I know it’s not the start of the season, but it always feels to me like it marks the start of the season proper.

[JackieMoon33]

I agree that his explanation is plausable.
But it doesn't matter really, does it ?

Betfair have thrown him under the bus pretty early too.
He could do with someone (like a leading owner) coming out in support pretty sharpish, otherwise it'll be like dominoes.

The problem for anyone showing support is they would need assurances that this is the only thing that is going to come to light.

It will be difficult for leading owners to come out in support without potentially damaging their own reputations. Most of them will have business reputations to consider and also have family and friends who may be appalled at what's happened. Even with any form of assurance, I'd say it's more likely that they join the exodus.

[Hurdles or chasing]

Bans or fines or whatever he potentially might get. They wont have the impact on him I would imagine of having to see Envoi being taken out of his yard and going to Mullins or Henry. That would haunt him for a long long time IF it happened

[TigerRolllllll]

Betfair just dropped him.....association terminated with immediate effect

[charlie]

https://mobile.twitter.com/AtTheRace...30854545457153

Good interview from Fitzy on Sky Sports Racing this morning.

Good interview. Gets really emotional doesn't he. Twitter awash with anger and outrage, but I think those at the heart of the game (other trainers, jockeys, owners etc) will be more bitterly disappointed than anything else.

[ryanh97]

Probably an unpopular view this.
When I first read GE's description of the photo, I scoffed. As I assume 99.9% of folk did, but on reflection I have at least some doubt now in my mind. He could be largely telling the truth.
If you were posing for a "humorous" pic on a dead horse would you be thinking hang on this will be even funnier if it looks as if I'm on my phone? Probably not.
So assume he has actually sat down to take a call (bad taste as that is). If someone shouts across at him, then indicating "give me 2 minutes I'm on the phone" wouldn't be the weirdest response, and how would you indicate that to someone without speaking? Exactly as in the picture if you're like me.

As I said this view may not be popular but it's possibly not as cut and dried as the vast majority are assuming.

I get where you're coming from Moby, but the grin on his face and the peace sign that he does every single time he has a winner tells the story for me.

[ryanh97]

Good interview. Gets really emotional doesn't he. Twitter awash with anger and outrage, but I think those at the heart of the game (other trainers, jockeys, owners etc) will be more bitterly disappointed than anything else.

They will be but they have to come out and condemn him for it. As someone else highlighted, the racing post doesn't even come close to doing it. If none of the other trainers condemn the behaviour, they all look complicit and I can see why people have that view.

[Quevega]

They will be but they have to come out and condemn him for it. As someone else highlighted, the racing post doesn't even come close to doing it. If none of the other trainers condemn the behaviour, they all look complicit and I can see why people have that view.

Not even headlines in the Irish horse racing media.

[ryanh97]

Not even headlines in the Irish horse racing media.

Exactly. What do we expect people to think?

[Exar Essay]

If Elliott is named trainer still, given that any ban surely won't take effect until after Chelts, would he even travel over?

[TheEagleHasLanded]

If Elliott is named trainer still, given that any ban surely won't take effect until after Chelts, would he even travel over?

He’d have more front than Blackpool to come over now surely!!

[Redbridge]

No excuse for Gordons actions but we live in a world that is completely alien to me with Face/Twit/Whats and filming and photographing every aspect of their lives.

I grew up without all this shit in my life and what happened at work and play stayed in the group except for the odd gossip that got exaggerated and no one believed a word.

And so gallows humour was a big part of our lives, you can't expect those that we leave to clear up our mess of death be it humans or animals not to become immune and need a glimmer of humour to help cope with cleaning up life's mess otherwise you would end up topping yourself as a way of dealing with it

Yes, they are our loved one's and pets but we always leave it to others, of course we expect reverence in our presence being the bereaved but those that deal with it daily need a safety valve.

I wonder how many Firemen, farmers, doctors, nurses, could cope with tragedy without some form of escapism and leaving work behind them. how many dead animals has Gordon had to deal with throughout his career and sad as it may be with the lose it is just another of life's statistics to be dealt with by him and he was most likely ordering the JCB to come to gallops to remove the animal because that's how farm folk deal with dead animals like it or not.

He was stupid to allow the image to be recorded and it should be a lesson to all.

[Splinterboy82]

Any ban & appeal (look at Burns, still trained a DRF winner under appeal) means he’ll technically still be able to have runners at the festival. Think the main question here is all about owners brand reputation. Let’s use Cheveley Park as the best example. They have 4 high profile entries including the most talked about horse in training with him. They’re in the NH game for the love, not money. They run one of the biggest breeding operations in the world. If I was working in PR at that company, none of those would be running due to brand reputation - because even if they are moved, story by association / link is still negative PR. That’s how big corporates work. I personally do not think we’ll see Envoi Allen, Sir G, Ballyadam or Quilixios at the festival. Really hope I’m wrong - fear branding & business will come over fun & passion though

[Muswell]

I mean people are aware of how thoroughbreds are buried right? They cut off their head, heart and hooves and bury them?