2007 Departures - Horses In Training

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I've often heard about races being delayed because the ambulance wasn't back out on the course but not a vet :huh:
 
There are always 2 vets (at least - think big NH meetings usually have about 4 strategically positioned aound the course and someone hovering for anything in the stables) The only Flat course I know about is Salisbury where you'll have one down at the start and following the race - and one in teh padock and about for the stables. This is before you get to the official JC vets who are there for dope boxing etc.
Its not unusual to have to wait for a vet while there is a race on - then one will come back to hte stables as soon as they can after, so Im a bit sketchy on the figures,but Im fairly sure its abou that many.They have delayed racing for a vet being held up beore - but it causes much more hassle if there arent enough doctors/ambulances on course.
 
If I'm watching racing on atr I usually go into the kitchen to make a cuppa when an Irish race comes on, unless it's a graded race and/or I know a few of the horses, as it's all too possible to see something like that happen
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Often, I wonder why some people on this forum even follow Horse Racing if they have such a problem with it!
 
My Dad was telling me yesteday how he had a furious row with a car driver who had parked his car in front of the emergency gates to the Newbury racing stables. In the end the police had to get involved as he refused to move his car saying that someone had said it was OK to park there. The gates clearly say "strictly no parking" as it's the route the horse ambulance and vets use. This bloke had parked in the O & T car park and then just abandoned his car and clearly had no right to be there as (when my Dad checked) he was neither.

Some people are just clearly ignorant, arrogant or just damn lazy - or possibly a mixture of all three.
 
Originally posted by Bobbyjo@Jan 12 2007, 03:26 PM
Often, I wonder why some people on this forum even follow Horse Racing if they have such a problem with it!
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Nobody likes to see a horse get hurt, but I know it's all part of the sport and I justify it to myself - rightly or wrongly - by telling myself that these horses are bred to race, without racing they wouldn't have existed, and they are well looked after.

However, what I cannot stomach is seeing a horse suffer needlessly, and if there is a racecourse accident I would expect, in the 21st century, to see the racecourse staff do everything they possibly can within their powers to minimise that suffering.

To see a horse still stricken at a fence when the field continue round for the 2nd circuit, with no vet yet in attendance, is quite sickening in my opinion.
 
Mel, no, not quite right there about the screens. People nowadays are far less like the old racing crowds who used to see broken legs very visibly and see horses shot directly in front of them, along with the attendant thrashing around.

You've got a number of people now who'd probably be well-meaning, but useless, in trying to rush to 'help' and another type who'd want to take photos and gawp. The screens are primarily to give privacy to the VET, since nowadays they're (usually) less ready with the humane bolt, but may need to spend a bit of time with a stricken horse. It's not helped if some Johnny-on-the-rails is bawling out 'is he all right?' and distracting him. There are sometimes also - if the scene is within running distance - grooms, trainers, or owners in attendance - and they don't want the public yelling out gratuitous advice or snapping the inevitable damned photos. I know I wouldn't want a picture of me in floods of tears, while my horse was down, being videophoned to someone's pal as 'hey, look at this drama!'.

We don't normally invite the public to a yard to watch a horse be shot, or to see the vet euthanise our pet cat or dog - I don't think there's anything to be gained from showing the process to thousands of people, many of whom will be very upset by seeing the process, although there are just as many who will just shrug their shoulders and say 'well, that's racing'. Racing plays a lot more to being a 'family' experience these days, not just for the grizzled old hunting types, and while one shouldn't cosset children from life's realities, I don't see the point in scuffling around for ages with a distressed horse in front of them. I realise that some forumites are more robust about these things than others, but I see no problem in also taking into account the more sensitive souls who aren't from farming, huntin', shootin' and fishin' backgrounds and who will go home sick at heart by viewing a horse in its death throes. It's not coy or twee, I think, to find the damn screens and certainly have the vet to hand in a timely manner.
 
EPICES and BLAKESHALL BOY in the 4.50 at...Wolverhampton :( Commentators are saying that Epices was pulled up suddenly having broken down or suffered some sort of problem, and Blakeshall Boy ran into the back of him. The 7lbs claimer riding BB has been taken to hospital.
 
They think Epices had a heart attack during the race and Blakeshall Boy ran straight into the back of the horse pulling up. They have just said they are not sure if Blakeshall Boy was put down or not although this had been confirmed earlier. The jockey (Mark Coumbe) is in a neckbrace but is evidently conscious.
 
Pretty sure you can add Liscannor Lad to that list from Leopardstown today, a horrific fall. Good old servant, sad to see.

Possibly Satoha from the Beginners Chase as well, slipped up and unseated before the second last. Appeared to be nasty.
 
Breathing Fire

They just interviewed his jockey on RTE and replayed the fall which was...in the circumstances...slightly odd
 
The RP Online Comments in Running tonight has BREATHING FIRE as the only fatality at Leopardstown, so, with good luck, no others died. If any of our respected Irish correspondents can update us on them, it would be good.
 
Danny Howard and Gary Hutchinson were taken to hospital from Leopardstown,Gary with broken collarbone.Andrew Leigh stood himself down and Paddy Flood was stood down after kick to the back,he said he thought his horse had heart attack.
 
Liscannor Lad looked to be swinging horribly on the ground to me, so I hope I'm wrong about himself and Satoha
 
Well, that's a relief about the lad - crocking-up two joints in one go wouldn't be great fun. Good news, but I wish the RP would be consistent in its wraps, or gave updates, so we all knew who was okay.
 
Oh, don't tell me I've offed another live one, Colin! The presenter said 'and ROUGE DE BEAUVOIR's very bad and... what looks like fatal fall... " and then they said something later on the wrap about the race being 'marred, or tarnished' by the horse's fall. I figured they wouldn't if the horse had got up at last. It'd be nice if that was the case, though.
 
Neither does the RP analysis, so we're none the wiser. There was also a rather odd, possibly off-microphone moment after the race, where you hear one of the presenters say dolefully, "I'm dispirited after that." But it might've been that he'd just lost his dough! Maybe we'll find out, maybe we won't. But it does make you wish they'd follow through their sorrowful remarks about the fall marring the race - they usually say 'you'll be glad to know that the horse eventually got to its feet', don't they?
 
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