Can I just say...

Just for the record he hasn't pissed me off. I've found the banning of Tanlic ridiculous. Others didn't and that's fair enough. On the whole though I've been away from Talking horses for a while. Since I've returned I've found it a very weird place and I think even this thread strikes me as weird with the half apologetic on somebodys behalf for pissing off regulars ? To finding that funny? Followed by thanking someone for opening of multiple race threads on a horse racing fourm ? Which coincided with comments made to the mod about the layout of the forum making it difficult to find the current racing threads.

I don't think the place has changed for the better even though there are still some of the old guard aswell as one or two of the new ones who I think are great people and with good horse racing knowledge.

I've deleted the 2 main threads I'd posted here as I don't feel it's the right place for them and won't feel comfortable posting as I do in which I always will touch on difficult subjects or had at least planned to and tend to tread quite close to the line with attempts at humour. It's clear that I'd always have to tread too carefully for my liking. Although I'm not completely withdrawing from talking horses as there are still some people on here who's views I respect and some who I'm even more interested in. I won't be posting so much and will limit anything I post to a much less personal level.

If talking horses ever morphs back into some sort of place where I feel free to post what I like without reprisal and starts to look more like a horse racing forum again then maybe I'll start again. Until then this weird social space is not for me.

Toodles.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I warmly welcome the separate threads on the big races this weekend.
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I enjoy the racing every day of the week, but it's increasingly a "When Saturday comes...." sport nowadays with contests that used to be in midweek (Kingwell Hurdle?) increasingly moved to a Saturday.

Monday is a big day for looking forward as the BHA seem to give themselves Sunday off and the six-days for Saturday become five-days on the Monday with Sunday's six-days thrown in for good measure.

And so many firms like to price up the big Saturday races ante-post nowadays.

I just thought it made sense to get some individual race threads with Oddschecker links going nice and early for us all.

I'm glad you like the idea, Maurice, and I look forward to reading your thoughts in due course.
 
Very sad it's come to this. This should be a site where the banter should be friendly and strong opinions shouldn't offend especially as most of us are getting on and surely seen and heard it all before. I'm well aware that everybody sees things differently but surely guys we can agree to disagree. We've a fabby Cheltenham round the corner so let's all take a breath and look for the positives out there.
There is loads if you just look for them.
 
Also nice, for me anyway, to see so many long-established race names still kicking about.

The Victor Ludorum, the Rendlesham, the Kingwell, the Queen Henry Stakes (ok, the last one might be off The Day Today) - tradition is alive and well!
 
I have noticed that essentially there's a growing divide between the political left and right on this forum.

Again, I'm probably stating the obvious, but someone needs to state it anyway, politics is a divisive subject.

It's the reason people in their day jobs don't rant on and on about it, unless they have to, but it divides people, more so in 2025 than ever before.

Since we do have chit chat, and therefore political threads will come up, I guess serious divisions are now par for the course.

A positive to this is, it must attract new readers, and provide plenty of interest, but when it goes wrong, the entire forum can get torn apart like recently.

I of course, like true diplomats, never get too party political, (he says with tongue in cheek), and I see the truth and falseness of pretty much anything.

It's boring, seeing grey areas, you know.

If those folks at the Foreign Office would like a guy like me on board, they know how to get in touch.
 
Am I still in General Racing Topics? 😂

And I thought my content in Chit Chat was mad. 😂

Just to say two more Saturday races has now been added for your viewing pleasure, dear reader.
 
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Marb said:
I have noticed that essentially there's a growing divide between the political left and right on this forum.

Again, I'm probably stating the obvious, but someone needs to state it anyway, politics is a divisive subject.

It's the reason people in their day jobs don't rant on and on about it, unless they have to, but it divides people, more so in 2025 than ever before.

Since we do have chit chat, and therefore political threads will come up, I guess serious divisions are now par for the course.

A positive to this is, it must attract new readers, and provide plenty of interest, but when it goes wrong, the entire forum can get torn apart like recently.

I of course, like true diplomats, never get too party political, (he says with tongue in cheek), and I see the truth and falseness of pretty much anything.

It's boring, seeing grey areas, you know.

If those folks at the Foreign Office would like a guy like me on board, they know how to get in touch.
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Grey is good in certain situations.🤣
 
Isn't this the sort of thing I get completely "hated on" (check me out with my 21st century online urban dictionary expressions - you'd better be impressed, if you're reading this, Daniel, and haven't quite got round to flouncing off yet) for?

At least I post my tongue-in-cheek whimsical nonsense in chit chat.

Not to worry. 😂
 
Marb said:
I have noticed that essentially there's a growing divide between the political left and right on this forum.

Again, I'm probably stating the obvious, but someone needs to state it anyway, politics is a divisive subject.

It's the reason people in their day jobs don't rant on and on about it, unless they have to, but it divides people, more so in 2025 than ever before.

Since we do have chit chat, and therefore political threads will come up, I guess serious divisions are now par for the course.

A positive to this is, it must attract new readers, and provide plenty of interest, but when it goes wrong, the entire forum can get torn apart like recently.

I of course, like true diplomats, never get too party political, (he says with tongue in cheek), and I see the truth and falseness of pretty much anything.

It's boring, seeing grey areas, you know.

If those folks at the Foreign Office would like a guy like me on board, they know how to get in touch.
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We certainly are more divided than ever. Everybody feels they are right and don't listen to others points of view not helped by social media whose sole purpose is to maximise revenue which is best achieved getting folk angry. As I approach my old fart stage I've found staying away from divisive political arguments has made life so much more enjoyable and I focus on the things that give me joy and fulfilment something draining my energy arguing with folk who are never going to change their mind doesn't. It's a free(ish) country so feel free to get angry if that's what suits but in my experience just not going down the rabbit hole makes life so much sweeter.
 
Ian_Davies said:
In my experience getting a bigger price ante-post than the SP about a winner is what makes life so much sweeter. 😂👍

Sixth attempt to get the thread back on topic.^ 😂
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I agree but the way my luck has gone (Rachel Riley and Carol Kirkwood didn't turn up naked at my door last night after all) I'd end up with a non-runner.

Back on topic?
 
Coach miguel said:
We certainly are more divided than ever. Everybody feels they are right and don't listen to others points of view not helped by social media whose sole purpose is to maximise revenue which is best achieved getting folk angry. As I approach my old fart stage I've found staying away from divisive political arguments has made life so much more enjoyable and I focus on the things that give me joy and fulfilment something draining my energy arguing with folk who are never going to change their mind doesn't. It's a free(ish) country so feel free to get angry if that's what suits but in my experience just not going down the rabbit hole makes life so much sweeter.
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I understand this.

Just in terms of topic matter, my post was in direct response to Danny's post about the state of the forum.

I think my post makes sense if you read it in relation to Danny's post beforehand.

Danny might say his post was in relation to the original post started by DO, aswell.

I'm not seeing where this thread went off topical at all, really.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I agree but the way my luck has gone (Rachel Riley and Carol Kirkwood didn't turn up naked at my door last night after all) I'd end up with a non-runner.

Back on topic?
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Oh it was your Chinese that they dropped off at my house was it? I sent them away with a flea in their ears because they'd brought boiled rice & I specifically asked for fried rice.
 
You sent away a naked Rachel Riley and Carol Kirkwood?????

That's more of a wasted opporchancity than not backing the Plymouth Argyle - Queen's Park double yesterday!!
 
2017diary said:
Naked you say, can't say that I noticed tbh - now if it had been Rosamund Pike & Aishwarya Rai..........
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Never heard of the latter so I googled her (are you jealous?)

Much as I've loved Indian women since Miss India won the Miss World contest back in the early 60s, she doesn't really do it for me and Rosamund Pike lacks the nyuch-nyuch factor for me.
 
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