In Memoriam (Racing People)

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Clive Smith, Owner of two of the best in recent years in Kauto Star and Master Minded has died aged 82.
Fell out with Nicholls over sending KS to Laura Collet to be retrained for dressage (not a great decision imo) and didn’t get back into owning.
 
jinnyj said:
Clive Smith, Owner of two of the best in recent years in Kauto Star and Master Minded has died aged 82.
Fell out with Nicholls over sending KS to Laura Collet to be retrained for dressage (not a great decision imo) and didn’t get back into owning.
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Also fell out with David Elsworth.Did he also own Royal Auclair.
 
Indeed.
Remember seeing him at a Festival six or seven years ago and he was yesterday's man, on his own and no one even noticed him.
Sad really, he had some top top horses even if he was cold in interviews.
 
Ronnie O'Neill, father of Rachel, Shark Hanlon's partner.
He stood some fine NH stallions at Whytemount Stud, including Stowaway, and was a decent man by all accounts.
There is a fabulous tribute to Ronnie by Martin Stevens on Good Morning Bloodstock , the Racing Post daily update today Monday.
 
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Just seen - that’s so sad. He really didn’t look well at cheltenham last week, I’m so glad he was able to be there. Unlikely we’ll ever see his quality again.
 
Quite shocked to see headlines just now but as you say he looked terrible at Cheltenham and has had a long documented drink problem. Superb writer though.
 
It’s great that he was able to be present at Cheltenham for the naming of the press room. I also thought he didn’t look well but it’s a shock to hear this news so soon afterwards

RIP your great writing will endure for a long time
 
Incredibly sad. A superb writer who made you feel you were at the race he was describing. Was fantastic on channel 4s morning line with big mac and Jim mcgrath of timeform. Also the highlight of my racing week used to be the Sunday forum on at the races. The banter on their was brilliant.
He did look very fragile and he looked years older than his age. R I P. You won't be forgotten and I'll enjoy your writings in my fotage.
 
At the height of his alcoholism he was drinking 100 bottles of wine a month -infamously puked his guts up at JP's Punchestown barbecue.
As someone who recently had to have a conversation with a brother about his drinking I feel sorry for him and the family that he leaves behind.
I am reminded of something that Irish journalist Declan Lynch wrote -Irish mental hospitals are full of very intelligent people that just can't stop drinking.
I look forward to vintage footage appearing on YouTube in the next few weeks.
Rest In Peace.
 
LUKE said:
At the height of his alcoholism he was drinking 100 bottles of wine a month -infamously puked his guts up at JP's Punchestown barbecue.
As someone who recently had to have a conversation with a brother about his drinking I feel sorry for him and the family that he leaves behind.
I am reminded of something that Irish journalist Declan Lynch wrote -Irish mental hospitals are full of very intelligent people that just can't stop drinking.
I look forward to vintage footage appearing on YouTube in the next few weeks.
Rest In Peace.
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Clearly another extremely talented person who had problems then.

Yes, mental hospitals have plenty of those too. Drink or no drink.

In some ways in the modern world, the more it gets dumbed down, the more real intelligence, the like Alistair possessed, is actually viewed as an illness.

At least every man and his dog knew Alistair's worth as a broadcaster and writer.
 
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Just catching up on this thread.

I was under the impression Clive Smith died in 2019 or so because Mrs O and I were sitting next to him at a pizzeria in Sorrento (did he have a house on Capri?) and remember saying to her not long afterwards that they'd said on TV that he had died. Can't think who else it might have been [who died].

I also thought Alastair Down died a few years ago due to his struggles with alcohol. Don't know why I thought that.

I do find I'm getting more and more resigned to the fact that my time is coming to an end and trying to accept it. Hopefully I can squeeze in a few more long-term breaks away or even finally find a place in Spain to stay longer term.
 
RIP. Great writer, I'd thoroughly recommend his book "Cheltenham et al, the best of Alistair down" to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Just catching up on this thread.

I was under the impression Clive Smith died in 2019 or so because Mrs O and I were sitting next to him at a pizzeria in Sorrento (did he have a house on Capri?) and remember saying to her not long afterwards that they'd said on TV that he had died. Can't think who else it might have been [who died].

I also thought Alastair Down died a few years ago due to his struggles with alcohol. Don't know why I thought that.

I do find I'm getting more and more resigned to the fact that my time is coming to an end and trying to accept it. Hopefully I can squeeze in a few more long-term breaks away or even finally find a place in Spain to stay longer term.
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Are you thinking about the guy who owned Big Bucks?
 
simmo said:
RIP. Great writer, I'd thoroughly recommend his book "Cheltenham et al, the best of Alistair down" to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
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Many thanks for posting this - this had slipped me by and wasn't aware of it - insta ordered a copy from Amazon and will await it's arrival with baited breath
 
So sad, he was a great journalist.
I also thought he looked really ill last week (and I'm quite surprised to see he was only 68 - I feel he looked a lot older) but it was great that he was able to be at Cheltenham for the naming of the press room and could enjoy the day in his honour.
Thoughts with his family and friends
 
I already have Cheltenham et Al. A very good read but my favourite memories of him involve his pieces at the end of the C4 Cheltenham highlights programmes.
 
Flagship uberalles said:
Ah sad news indeed - hard times for the family again after the tragic death of their daughter a few years ago.
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I don't remember that? What happened? I knew his ex-sister in law briefly and was told about the severe drinking problem them. It was why he was let go by C4.
 
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