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Point Blank: Harry Cobden Has Sold His Soul to Wear the Green and Gold

Ian_Davies said:
Not everyone wants to be a "JP," reet.

Maybe those who seem endlessly fascinated by him harbour that aspiration - and that would explain why he's discussed so much - but the world actually contains plenty of people (and not necessarily wealthy people) who honestly wouldn't want to swap lives or bank accounts with him.

They're not part of any "we," because they don't want to be like him, consequently there's nothing they can learn from him.

Everyone's different.
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Your underlyng assumption stinks
Very comfortable in mytown skin,thank you.
 
I'm genuinely sorry to hear that - it wasn't directed at you, personally.

I never make assumptions about individuals, especially those I've never met.

I never once doubted you were comfortable in your own skin - it was more than you might have doubts (doubts I'd share tbh) that all others are always comfortable in theirs.
 
Great piece Slim but at 27 years old what young man would not sell his soul to get in to the inner circle of their profession knowing they will be made for life.........I would say probably 99% of 27 year olds.
Same for traders in the city they would bite your hand off just to go up a floor.
 
luckyme said:
at 27 years old what young man would not sell his soul to get in to the inner circle of their profession knowing they will be made for life
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One who valued a sense of retaining personal dignity over money?

Not a trade off most who had pursued a career as a City trader would be terribly likely to consider, granted - among then it might be 99.99%, not 99% - but obviously there's a world of different value systems outside that bubble, so, among 27yos globally, it might be somewhat lower than 99%.
 
I can't think of any forum member who has ever said they wanted to trade places with JP financially.

Far from it, if there's any obsession it's from those who can't stand the sight of the bloke.
 
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Yup, to read this thread anyone would have thought that any jockey who has the temerity to get up on a horse for JP, or has trained for him, tended his horses, or associated with him in any way must have sold their souls for JP is the Devil incarnate. From many of the comments he apparently masterminds a crooked organisation that spreads its tentacles far and wide infecting everything they touch.

Really! Please provide some evidence that he strays beyond what is practised (and accepted) generally. And maybe spend a little time digging up some of the better things - millions donated to charity and good cause, trainers kept afloat with a few horses etc, etc - with as much enthusiasm as digging the dirt. Oh no, that wouldn’t be the style would it.
 
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There's no doubt he puts millions into the sport in one way or another but I'm cynical enough to believe he wouldn't be doing it if he wasn't taking out more than he is putting in.

As for Cobden, is he still smarting from losing out on the £500k prize for the jockeys' cup competition last season? And, by the way, I don't recall hearing that competition mentioned this season. Was it binned after one season?
 
I've not been too well for over a week with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and IDD (Irritating Davies Disease)

I'm trying to catch up with the important things in life, but I thought I'd have a look in here first.

I don't really care who owns, trains or rides the horses that I back. I must admit years ago that I did, but have learned otherwise.

As for Cobden, or anyone else taking the money, I don't blame him. It took me sometime to realise that loyalty to employers is not a good idea.
 
Desert Orchid said:
There's no doubt he puts millions into the sport in one way or another but I'm cynical enough to believe he wouldn't be doing it if he wasn't taking out more than he is putting in.

As for Cobden, is he still smarting from losing out on the £500k prize for the jockeys' cup competition last season? And, by the way, I don't recall hearing that competition mentioned this season. Was it binned after one season?
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Yes, there must be a grey area in between, absolutely detesting the guy, wanting to be him, and then keeping a healthy cynicism.
 
One who valued a sense of retaining personal dignity over money?

very few of them about even less 27 year old ones.
 
Dignity doesn't pay the bills, never has done, and never will.

Us humans , including gamblers will either get richer or poorer, in some percentage terms.

None of us will stay exactly the same.

There's no such thing as breaking even with dignity intact, and Harry would end up poorer for giving the opportunity a miss.

Aim to stay the same, keep your 'dignity' and then risk going broke I reckon.

Tis the way of the world...do footballers have much dignity by the way?

Why would jockeys be any different?

Or those multi millionaire snooker players wanting the World Championship to leave Sheffield, for the financial haven of somewhere like Saudi Arabia.

Dignity? Offer me 500K a year to turn up at the races every Saturday to host ITV Racing and then see how dignified I am. :)
 
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barjon said:
Yup, to read this thread anyone would have thought that any jockey who has the temerity to get up on a horse for JP, or has trained for him, tended his horses, or associated with him in any way must have sold their souls for JP is the Devil incarnate. From many of the comments he apparently masterminds a crooked organisation that spreads its tentacles far and wide infecting everything they touch.

Really! Please provide some evidence that he strays beyond what is practised (and accepted) generally. And maybe spend a little time digging up some of the better things - millions donated to charity and good cause, trainers kept afloat with a few horses etc, etc - with as much enthusiasm as digging the dirt. Oh no, that wouldn’t be the style would it.
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This sounds like the typical rebuttal of Ireland's greatest ever tax cheat from a Limerick resident.
 
Ian_Davies said:
Genius - Walsworth never disappoints.

Maybe this thread was an acquired taste - I'm enjoying all the responses now.
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From my point of view, I feel people are making a jump that I did not intend. The reality of the anointment is that he will be working for the most corrupt organisation in racing. That has nothing to do with money, age, or talent. The Great Man’s brand is his unending loyalty to people in racing, yet he’s just sacked his most successful jockey, and that story has been lost in the endless fawning over Harry Cobden, who isn’t even an upgrade in talent.
 
barjon said:
Must have missed that - when was he found guilty of criminal tax evasion?
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It’s been proven in court that he’s a tax exile. I’m sure your reply will be that it’s legal and totally within his rights. Fine, but it’s morally bankrupt. He was also one of the bondholders in the banking crisis of 2008 that held Ireland over a barrel and created the highest unemployment this century. But let’s not hold that against The Great Man.

www.irishtimes.com

US insists JP McManus not Irish resident when over $17m won

Racehorse owner and businessman seeking $5.2m tax refund on 2012 gambling winnings
www.irishtimes.com www.irishtimes.com
 
walsworth said:
As for Cobden, or anyone else taking the money, I don't blame him. It took me sometime to realise that loyalty to employers is not a good idea.
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I'm not too bothered by the fact that Cobden is doing this and if financial security is the overriding motive then fair enough.

I speak as someone who has, in the past and despite working in the public sector, found ways to increase my salary by applying for posts offering more money than I was on and allowing the interview panel to decide if I was worth it.

That said, I can look at myself in the mirror over my decision to walk away from a job in which my superiors were less than subtly asking me to 'find marks' for students in order to let them pass assessments because better results for the institution meant more money from the government. I told them to make me an offer and i'd walk away. They did and I did. Would I have walked away if they hadn't made the offer and just decided to make my life hell until I resigned, I really don't know and am thankful it never came to that.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I'm not too bothered by the fact that Cobden is doing this and if financial security is the overriding motive then fair enough.

I speak as someone who has, in the past and despite working in the public sector, found ways to increase my salary by applying for posts offering more money than I was on and allowing the interview panel to decide if I was worth it.

That said, I can look at myself in the mirror over my decision to walk away from a job in which my superiors were less than subtly asking me to 'find marks' for students in order to let them pass assessments because better results for the institution meant more money from the government. I told them to make me an offer and i'd walk away. They did and I did. Would I have walked away if they hadn't made the offer and just decided to make my life hell until I resigned, I really don't know and am thankful it never came to that.
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Most certainly financial...Harry loves the wonga!
 

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