2007 Departures - Horses In Training

Status
Not open for further replies.
THE colourful career of the Oliver Carter–owned Venn Ottery has taken a final, fatal twist, with confirmation on Sunday that the 12-year-old had to be destroyed after fracturing his pelvis for a second time at Newbury on Saturday.

There had been some pre-race concern over the chaser, whose form had declined dramatically in point-to-points, being asked to compete with the stars in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who saddled Venn Ottery to his only four victories, in a three-week spell in 2004, called it "an utter disgrace" in his Racing Post column on Saturday. And on Sunday he added: “When he goes a mile and a half, pulls up and then has to be put down afterwards, it’s terribly sad for the horse. I felt very strongly about him running and hopefully there will be some lessons learned from it.”

That remark was directed towards the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, and the HRA’s spokesman Paul Struthers confirmed that events surrounding Saturday's debacle would be investigated further.

Sent off 200-1, Venn Ottery trailed round in last until pulled up by Andrew Glassonbury when tailed off at the top of the home straight. He was taken to a local veterinary practice for X-rays on his back and pelvis.

They revealed he had fractured his pelvis in a different place to before, and vets decided to end what had become a controversial career.

This sad, final chapter is sure to reopen the debate over no-hopers competing in Graded races - the Game Spirit won by Well Chief was Grade 2 in name but Grade 1 in nature.

Sue Gardner, Venn Ottery’s registered trainer, admitted that she had been against running, but owner and permit holder Oliver Carter had insisted.

Carter had similarly stepped in in 2005, when overruling Nicholls to enter his pride and joy in both the Champion Chase, for which Carter forgot to declare the tongue-strap, and Gold Cup.

Venn Ottery finished 35 lengths seventh of eight to Moscow Flyer in the former, and was pulled up behind Kicking King in the latter.

A distressed Gardner said on Sunday: “What's happened is heartbreaking. It was unfortunate as it could have happened on the gallops and, as I had instructed, his jockey at Newbury was not pushing him.

“But he should not have been in that race. I didn’t enter him or declare him – Oliver insisted that the horse ran and I tried to persuade him not to run.

“If I hadn’t turned up with the horse, I would have been fined. I told him the ground was too soft and the race too hot, and he said he would take the horse to the races if I didn’t, and then slammed the phone down.”

Struthers said on Sunday: “If the trainer suggests one thing and the owner has taken a decision that is not in the best interests of the welfare of the horse, that is something we would have to look at.

"We rely on the integrity of trainers to know if horses are fit to continue racing and we are satisfied they do.

"In this case Venn Ottery was entitled to run and we must be very careful about intervening if a trainer wants to run.”

The HRA doeshave the power to withdraw horses, which it enforced at last year’s
from the RP

Cheltenham Festival, when the Fergus Wilson-trained Astonville and Turnium, who had both run in the Champion Hurdle, were withdrawn four hours before the Gold Cup after being inspected by the Jockey Club vets at the track.

Venn Ottery, after 23 successive defeats, shot into the limelight during a meteoric rise under Nicholls, who was sent the 80-rated chaser by Carter and guided his rating to a high of 149.

He finished fifth to stablemate Azertyuiop in the 2004 Champion Chase and was still running creditably the following spring, when he finished seventh to Katarino in the Fox Hunters at Aintree, when trained by Martin Pipe.

In Saturday’s contest, his subsequent decline was reflected in a rating of 120 - but that mark was not the lowest in the race, and the vet on duty checked Venn Ottery as a matter of course as he was having his first run for a new trainer, and was wearing a tongue-tie.

Going into the contest, his form, taking into account point-to-points and hunter chases, read 'PFPFFF70' - but the HRA had no reason to act, as his record under rules was a rather more encouraging-looking '477PF70'
 
From todays Racing Post:-


THE colourful career of the Oliver Carter–owned Venn Ottery has taken a final, fatal twist, with confirmation on Sunday that the 12-year-old had to be destroyed after fracturing his pelvis for a second time at Newbury on Saturday.

There had been some pre-race concern over the chaser, whose form had declined dramatically in point-to-points, being asked to compete with the stars in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who saddled Venn Ottery to his only four victories, in a three-week spell in 2004, called it "an utter disgrace" in his Racing Post column on Saturday. And on Sunday he added: “When he goes a mile and a half, pulls up and then has to be put down afterwards, it’s terribly sad for the horse. I felt very strongly about him running and hopefully there will be some lessons learned from it.”

That remark was directed towards the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, and the HRA’s spokesman Paul Struthers confirmed that events surrounding Saturday's debacle would be investigated further.

Sent off 200-1, Venn Ottery trailed round in last until pulled up by Andrew Glassonbury when tailed off at the top of the home straight. He was taken to a local veterinary practice for X-rays on his back and pelvis.

They revealed he had fractured his pelvis in a different place to before, and vets decided to end what had become a controversial career.

This sad, final chapter is sure to reopen the debate over no-hopers competing in Graded races - the Game Spirit won by Well Chief was Grade 2 in name but Grade 1 in nature.

Sue Gardner, Venn Ottery’s registered trainer, admitted that she had been against running, but owner and permit holder Oliver Carter had insisted.

Carter had similarly stepped in in 2005, when overruling Nicholls to enter his pride and joy in both the Champion Chase, for which Carter forgot to declare the tongue-strap, and Gold Cup.

Venn Ottery finished 35 lengths seventh of eight to Moscow Flyer in the former, and was pulled up behind Kicking King in the latter.

A distressed Gardner said on Sunday: “What's happened is heartbreaking. It was unfortunate as it could have happened on the gallops and, as I had instructed, his jockey at Newbury was not pushing him.

“But he should not have been in that race. I didn’t enter him or declare him – Oliver insisted that the horse ran and I tried to persuade him not to run.

“If I hadn’t turned up with the horse, I would have been fined. I told him the ground was too soft and the race too hot, and he said he would take the horse to the races if I didn’t, and then slammed the phone down.”

Struthers said on Sunday: “If the trainer suggests one thing and the owner has taken a decision that is not in the best interests of the welfare of the horse, that is something we would have to look at.

"We rely on the integrity of trainers to know if horses are fit to continue racing and we are satisfied they do.

"In this case Venn Ottery was entitled to run and we must be very careful about intervening if a trainer wants to run.”

The HRA does have the power to withdraw horses, which it enforced at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, when the Fergus Wilson-trained Astonville and Turnium, who had both run in the Champion Hurdle, were withdrawn four hours before the Gold Cup after being inspected by the Jockey Club vets at the track.

Venn Ottery, after 23 successive defeats, shot into the limelight during a meteoric rise under Nicholls, who was sent the 80-rated chaser by Carter and guided his rating to a high of 149.

He finished fifth to stablemate Azertyuiop in the 2004 Champion Chase and was still running creditably the following spring, when he finished seventh to Katarino in the Fox Hunters at Aintree, when trained by Martin Pipe.

In Saturday’s contest, his subsequent decline was reflected in a rating of 120 - but that mark was not the lowest in the race, and the vet on duty checked Venn Ottery as a matter of course as he was having his first run for a new trainer, and was wearing a tongue-tie.

Going into the contest, his form, taking into account point-to-points and hunter chases, read 'PFPFFF70' - but the HRA had no reason to act, as his record under rules was a rather more encouraging-looking '477PF70'.
 
"Rather more encouraging looking"?! They're having a laugh, aren't they, with that sort of distant form? I'm appalled at this Carter man creature - he must be an egomaniac, with delusions of personal grandiosity and without any remorse about how he might act on them. Tragic that the horse didn't stay with Nicholls, but good on him for speaking out - too often, there are weasel words all round, covering the tracks of others who don't deserve it. Hopefully, Carter's permit is pulled after this. If the HRA isn't robust enough, I hope the RSPCA gets stuck in. Yet another unedifying blot on racing's well-smudged copybook.
 
As Gardner has pointed out she tried to prevent the horse from running on the grounds that the race was too hot and the going too soft.

She did not try to prevent the horse from running on the grounds that he was lame, unsound, unfit to race in anyway, or likely to break down. As she measuredly pointed out , this could have happened at home.

Even though he was in a hot race he was not being asked to be competitive and was ridden as instructed, with sympathy.

Now if the horse had run in a more suitable race, such as a 0-120 handicap , the stress of that race would have been just as much as was felt by the horse on saturday and possibly more so as he would have been more competitive in the lesser race

Had the horse not run on Saturday and waited for a more suitable race of Mrs Gardners choosing then there must be a good chance this injury would have happened anyway, or even before that ,in his next gallop. So please, lets not get into who is to blame, why and how.
 
I wrote this letter to the RP, see whether they print it, and I have found one or two or three spelling mistakes in it already (but thankfully know that the Racingpost does edit the letters, I really have to brush up my typing and spelling) :


" Betreff: Venn Ottery


Having been present at was meant to be - and in great parts was - a wonderful day´s racing in Newbury (Feb.10), the sad, and what now turned out, tragic note of the day was the running of, and subsequent passing of, the gallant Venn Ottery.

As an owner and breeder and lifelong racegoer me and my friends were shocked to see him being entered in such a race, let alone turn up. The horse we saw in the paradering was a disgrace to all involved, and I sincerely critisice his owner Oliver Carter and Mrs Gardner for daring to send the animal, in this stage of his career and in his condition, to race at all, let alone at the level asked. Having followed Venn Ottery keenly during his long and , yes, I call it honorable career, it was heartbreaking to see him being presented in such an awful state, to be outspoken, he looked a dead horse even before the race. I wonder, and have to add this here as well, what the racecourse vet was looking at, as here clearly was a horse that, albeit being able to walk sound, was in no way in the condition to race. It was clear for all to see that Venn Ottery was not even able to follow the field for the first furlong, and even though he was wisely pulled up - why did the jockey not complain about the state of his mount, clearly something much worse could have happend to him too? - but we feared the worst when we waited for Venn Ottery to come home and he did not appear back in the unsaddeling encloure. The subsequent calling for his owner over the speakers at the track, and it needed more than one call to persuade Mr Carter to go and see his his stricken horse, used and abused by his ridicolous ambitions, in the stable area, confirmed our worst fears. We urged a friend to call the stables and thought Venn Ottery safe, but now that the news of his death have been confirmed, sadness sets in.

Here was a horse, a raw and often unruly beast, but yes, with talent and character, clearly a rough diamont, ruined in a long career at the races by an owner who seem no longer be able to understand what he saw, and who used the horse to satisfy in skyhigh amitions, ambitions Venn Ottery tried so very hard to fulfiel. He shone bright when in the knowing and caring hands of Paul Nicholls, but not even satisfid with that, the horse had to be moved on again and again, until he was not even able to finish a point-to-point.

While even I understand that racing has its economics, horse racing too is about the horse, and it should be our responsibilty to care for them well, whoever naive this sounds. venn Ottery´s case shows the downfalls of our game, and leaves a very sour taste. Nobody was there to see in how much trouble the horse who was paraded in front of us already was, and even though he probably was not prominent enough for his death to cause great waves, I sincerey hope his death will not go unnoticed and serves as a reminder what price the horses have to sometimes pay for our pleasure. I wish that racecourse vets make more use of their power to withdraw horses before a race, or even, in a time where Hunter Chaser- races are regulated for much weirder reasons, to limit high-class races for horses with the needed form, ability and / or age. If Venn Ottery´s death would start some sort of debate, then at least his death served one, if oh so bitter, cause. "

was written with all the anger and frustration I felt (have to admit was before I got to see the RP where it made the front cover) - and while I can hear pleople saying there is more important things in life than a dead horse, its reassuring that we can talk about it.
 
Your letter is well written

The trainer, in her report of what has happened has not claimed the horse was not fit to race. If the horse was not fit to race and she was being overruled by Carter on issues other than class of race and the going, then she she should have made a bigger noise beforehand.
If she felt she was being forced to race a horse that was not fit to race then she should have said as such but she has not.
 
ATR got a brief i/v from Struthers of the HRA this a.m. and Struthers said that the HRA would always support a trainer calling them to say they were being overridden by an owner, if they felt it was to the detriment of the horse to run. Mrs Gardner just seems to have been bullied into presenting VO by Carter, who she says told her, against her advice and plans, that he WOULD run, and then slammed the phone down on her. I think this is going to run a bit, and Carterpig's not going to come out of it the slightest bit well. I don't know how common it is for an owner to force a trainer to run their horse, but if this business stops one more sad incident, it won't entirely have been a waste of a horse.

Well done, crazyhorse, for the letter. Although ATR said that their presenter thought the horse looked 'better than he had for some time' yesterday - whether that means better than awful, I don't know.
 
Originally posted by Arkwright@Feb 11 2007, 09:56 PM
Just been posted on TRF that Fearless Foursome who has done so well for Nick Alexander this season has suffered a fatal injury on the gallops.
Click to expand...
A small write up from the RP

FEARLESS FOURSOME, who won all four of his starts in December, and was due to run at Kelso this Thursday, has died after fracturing his pastern on the gallops.

The eight-year-old improved his rating by 34lb at the end of last year, and trainer Nick Alexander said: "It is always sad to lose any horse, but to lose an improving chaser that we had bred and been immensely patient with, is particularly difficult. I'm sure he had a lot more to offer."
 
It's got to be extra tough when you've bred the horse yourself, and known it since it was a wee foal. So horrid when all that hoped-for promise is snatched away.
 
That's a real shame,a grand servant over the years for Ferdy Murphy and Sue Smith.

13 year old Gaiac was a fatality in the last at Huntingdon on thursday as well.
 
I was a bit upset to see TT running in the Eider at all, at age 12, esp after reading only yesterday what a literal and metaphorical 'graveyard' it has proved to be over the years for the winners and placed horses. He did run his heart out - it was great to see himleading for so long; that must have taken its toll, but he does seem to have been enjoying his racing lately so perhaps one shouldn't judge too harshly. He was a horse I've always followed, and will be sadly missed. His 2nd to Best Mate in the Gold Cup must have been his high point. RIP, TT
 
I Agree Headstrong.

While he had form on soft/heavy ground a mile further than he has ever won at in it aged 12 does not seem the easiest option for him, he always tries hard and paid the ultimate penalty this time.

I was uncomfortable with him running today though I feel for connections who I assume had his interests uppermost in their minds. I suppose it is easy to be critical after the event.
 
Originally posted by Colin Phillips@Feb 24 2007, 04:36 PM
Lordofourown broke a leg in the same race.
Click to expand...
That's awful, to come all the way over from Ireland and then to break down. I had an e/w on him and wondered why he suddenly vanished from the screen - I thnk he was well beaten then anyway and it's a shame he wasn't pulled up, which I'd assumed he was
 
Originally posted by Colin Phillips@Feb 24 2007, 04:08 PM
Trucker's Tavern died after suffering a heart attack after the 4 mile Eider Chase at Newcastle.
Click to expand...
Very sad news :(
 
Truckers Tavern seemed to be running very sweetly today and looked to be really enjoying himself.
 
It is a shame he died but as Gal said he looked to be enjoying himself. I'm sure it's best that they go when doing what they love the most with a quick, virtually painless ending.
 
I think what she means is virtually instant, he's not standing around for five minutes with a broken leg. It's a shame for the horse and all those involved with him but there are worse ways to go.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top