Alec Wildenstein Dead

V

Venusian

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The death has been announced of Alec Wildenstein, brother of Guy, one of the co-owners of the "casaque bleue" colours made famous by his father Daniel. He leaves a son, Alec, and a daughter, Diane.

Recent top performers he's owned or co-owned have been such as Westerner, Aquarelliste, Bright Sky, Kotkijet and Jardy.
 
Well I'm not going into mourning :what:

Yes he was the 'ear-plug chap'. Insisted on running his horses in earplugs et Royal Ascot and totally against the Rules, he insisted the jockeys remove the plugs when they got near the stands so the horses woudl be freaked by the sudden noise and go into 'flight' mode - ie run faster. It's OK under Rules to use plugs but not to take them out til after the finish

He got fined for it and a lot of raps over the knuckles, but got away with it. Imo on the last occasion when he'd been heavily warned, Westerner should have lost the race, and Wildenstein's horses banned from racing in the UK.

A thoroughly nasty piece of work by all accounts
 
Westerner had his earplugs removed at Royal Ascot just once, in 2004, when he lost the race to Papineau.

In 2005, when he won (at York), the earplugs stayed in.

I loved that horse. Wildenstein was a lucky man.
 
He'd ordered that done with other horses before though, hence the big controversy on the day
It wasn't as if he hadn't been warned.

Agreed, a great horse, but I could never rejoice when he won
 
Risk Seeker was the other horse who'd had the earplugs trick employed in Britain - there was no such rule against it in France IIRC.

The other controversy on the day (of the 2004 Gold Cup) were his sore-loser comments about Godolphin - bizarre, groundless accusations of doping.
 
Westerner was also one of my favourite horses. So much talent for a stayer. I loved the day I saw him at the Arc. Backed him to pick up a place too. Happy days.
 
I think he will not be missed by the racing world.


He had in common with his father his lack of symphaty but he lack the knowledge of the old one.
 
I actually think he will be much missed in the racing world; I for one would miss his colours a lot.

He campaigned brilliant horses; he was very outspoken, so what ?? Westerner was a brilliant horse, much better than Papineau, so Wildenstein was upset and did not hide it, and the press had a field day and even choses to mention this again. Now, many other rules are broken in british racing on a daily basis, and to make such a fuss about some earplugs was beyond me than and is still now.
 
I agree, I too will miss the colours, and the horses. The quality of his bloodstock, well the family bloodstock, is incredible. That is the loss to racing.

I think people did not like him because he was not a gentleman. He lacked certain manners expected of fellow men, and more often of rich men.

I was there when he berated the boys in blue for cheating by winning with Papineau. It was uncalled for, and embarrasing for everyone including the paying public. He did have a right to display his emotions of course, but I think people would rather he had been a little better behaved about it. A poor loser is never respected in any sport.

When he won though he did enjoy it and showed that emotion too, so at least he was happy occasionally!

However I loved Westerner and also hated to see how people did not always welcome that horse winning - it was not the horse's fault his owner was rude.
 
Certainly agree with Isinglassn as usual she does find better words.

Wildenstein certainly was not everybodys cup of tea, but he continued a valued familiy tradition, something quite rare these days in racing too, I think. He had great horses on the flat, over jumps (Kotkijet was the rare french jumper who dragged me to the bookies again and again) and even trotters. As said, I sincerely hope the Wildenstein colours will not vanish.
 
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