In Memoriam (Racing People)

Highclere's Crepello half brother, Carnival Night stood near me at Clongeel Stud.
He was a top sire of show jumpers and eventers, got a few winners also.
A pity Sheikh or Coolmore did not lease her a Derby runner this year ; Saga so near but yet so far at Royal Ascot another disappointment.
Pity Pour Moi spoiled the Carlton House party that Derby day: even John Magnier got emotional .
The Queen enjoyed her visits to Richard Hannon immensely as indeed anyone on here would also, even the NH brigade.
May HRH Rest In Peace, She served us all well.
I imagine Camilla will make the most of the Royal Studs and stock.
 
James Delahooke died yesterday.(77)
The man responsible for Khaled Abdulla's great success , having sourced Dancing Brave, Rainbow Quest, dam of Danehill, and ancestors of Frankel, Enable and Snookera, dam of Hasili a true blue hen.
Bought Kalaglow, Ela Mana Mou , To Agori Mou Lear Fan, Cacoethes among others for Guy Harwood in his golden era.
His interview with Racing Post a few years ago is well well worth a read.
Top amateur in his day also and Border Burg one of his .
Rest In Peace.
 
Saturday's racing abandoned and the bigger races postponed until Sunday.

This is the right decision.

Also, all professional football matches this weekend have been postponed. Another decision I think is right and fitting. While I don't see the logic in a monarchy in the 21st Century, I accept that the country I live in is one and that a majority of the population probably want that to remain and will want to come to terms with the loss of their head of state for whom they obviously held a very deep affection.

I do think it would be unseemly for major sports to carry on so soon after the event.
 
The New Yorker put it succinctly and accurately. All that needs to be said.

"Elizabeth, who died today at ninety-six, led a life made up of privilege and sacrifice, and even those who resented the former acknowledged the latter."
 
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Tanlic said:
I hope the Palace continue to run her horses under The Exors Of The Late Queen Elizabeth for as long as possible.

It'll be quite a huge celebration of her life the next time one she woned comes home in front.

She made no secret of how much she loved the game
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Great clip thanks for sharing, Tan. Will play this on my radio show tomorrow.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Saturday's racing abandoned and the bigger races postponed until Sunday.

This is the right decision.

Also, all professional football matches this weekend have been postponed. Another decision I think is right and fitting. While I don't see the logic in a monarchy in the 21st Century, I accept that the country I live in is one and that a majority of the population probably want that to remain and will want to come to terms with the loss of their head of state for whom they obviously held a very deep affection.

I do think it would be unseemly for major sports to carry on so soon after the event.
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There might not be much logic, desert, but people seem to need and want a figurehead to rally around and to cherish. Our monarchy stands above politics, so political divisions do not get in the way and that is its “logic” I suppose. And the pomp and splendour makes for good TV and tourism, too :)
 
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barjon said:
There might not be much logic, desert, but people seem to need and want a figurehead to rally around and to cherish. Our monarchy stands above politics, so political divisions do not get in the way and that is it’s “logic” I suppose. And the pomp and splendour makes for good TV and tourism, too :)
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Cheers, barjon, probably a topic for discussion away from the racing at a more appropriate time but maybe Nostradamus's prediction will be fulfilled.
 
Tanlic said:
It takes a very special type not to have felt emotional or shed a tear at this news Jinny
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Oh I’ve had lots of moments! I was listening to Radio 2 this morning in my studio while finishing some framing jobs and Ken Bruce was playing “gentle music”. Several songs got me blubbing and I had to just sit down.
 
Evie Magnier Stockwell died Saturday aged 97.
Mother of John ( Coolmore ) , David and Ann (O'Callaghan ) Fairyland and Hit It A Bomb ran in her colours in recent years.
Her twin sister died a few weeks ago and like HRH Queen Elizabeth she was a regular at the races , walking unaided with her grand son through the crowds.
Married to Tom Magnier (Grange Stud) in 1947 , he died in 1962 and John managed the farm.
Tom Hogan remembers taking a mare to be covered by Fortina one morning and when they arrived they had to wait until John finished milking the cows before the mare was covered.
May she Rest In Peace.
 
Steve Beal who a few may know from Racing TV has passed away. I think he used to be a presenter on there? I was at college with him years ago and he was a lovely guy. Used to sit next to him and he was a racing encyclopaedia. He can only have been a year or two older than me so it’s quite a shock.
 
[FONT=&quot]
(Irish Times)
The death has taken place of six-time champion Irish flat jockey Liam Ward. He was 92.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Among Ward’s 10 classic winners in Ireland was the legendary Nijinsky who he rode to victory in the 1970 Irish Derby.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ward was Vincent O’Brien’s main rider in Ireland at that time and in that role also won a number of races on Nijinsky as a two year old, including the 1969 Beresford Stakes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]He was champion jockey four years in a row between 1956 and 1959 as well as in 1953 and 1961.[/FONT]
 
Liam Ward was a classic gentleman.
He wore the best clothes, drove the best car, was a member of the best golf club and generally lived a charmed life.
One day, at the start of a four runner race at the Phoenix Park when asked by another jockey what his race was he replied "to keep as far away from you as possible !"
His early career highlight was riding as first jockey to Tommy Shaw, private trainer to Ann Bullitt-Biddle, an American heiress and socialite who owned Palmerston House and stud of 800 acres.
In the late 1960s after the Australian jockeys left he rode as Vincent's first Irish jockey.
Defeat on Sir Ivor in 1968 Irish Derby at 2/9 ? by Ribero and Lester was a lowlight but Liam made up on Nijinsky two yeras later.
He owned and managed Ashleigh Stud after ; I remember on a class visit to Irish National Stud in 1984/5 he drove out the avenue in a Porsche .
May he Rest In Peace.
 
Gerry Gallagher , travelling head lad to M V O'Brien from Ballymoss era to Royal Academy died late October.
Always at his master's side he attended meticulously to his horses and later to Dr O'Brien himself, acting as chauffeur when Vincent retired from training.
My racing buddy Paddy Mehigan tells a great story of a day he witnessed a Con Collins debutant juvenile "falling out the stalls " before losing the race in a photo.
Next time out Paddy moved heaven and earth to get to the races on time to have a massive bet on this "winner without a penalty " , only to watch it out run by a Ballydoyle runner himself well beaten on debut.
His companion that day was known to Gerry, who met them later that afternoon and told them they really fancied their two year old winner who had improved hugely from his first run.
The horse was Kings Lake !
 
One of the voices of the Grand National when I was growing-up - John Hanmer - has passed away at age 82.
 
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