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Irish Racing Thread

Oxford said:
Ok, I guess I'm being naive and haven't had a chance to see the video of the race but can someone explain why Slim says The Wallpark " is the biggest joke of a cheating horse this year by miles without telling me that I'm stupid for asking ...Thanks
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Full Result 4.00 Cheltenham | 13 March 2025 | Racing Post

Rated 155 after this run over hurdles.

Full Result 3.37 Naas (IRE) | 9 November 2025 | Racing Post

Full Race Result from the 3.37 at Naas on 9th November 2025.
www.racingpost.com www.racingpost.com

On his first chase start, he drifted from 5/4 to 5/1. That caused a stir, but since then his hurdle form has gone into the memory hole and we are supposed to pretend he is struggling over fences. He is currently rated 12lbs inferior over fences. Isn’t it amazing how all The Great Man’s horses end up rated lower over fences? It is so boring and blatant cheating. If he wins some race at Cheltenham, well backed, then punters will cheer and the corruption will go unpunished for the millionth time.
 
Slim said:
Full Result 4.00 Cheltenham | 13 March 2025 | Racing Post

Rated 155 after this run over hurdles.

Full Result 3.37 Naas (IRE) | 9 November 2025 | Racing Post

Full Race Result from the 3.37 at Naas on 9th November 2025.
www.racingpost.com www.racingpost.com

On his first chase start, he drifted from 5/4 to 5/1. That caused a stir, but since then his hurdle form has gone into the memory hole and we are supposed to pretend he is struggling over fences. He is currently rated 12lbs inferior over fences. Isn’t it amazing how all The Great Man’s horses end up rated lower over fences? It is so boring and blatant cheating. If he wins some race at Cheltenham, well backed, then punters will cheer and the corruption will go unpunished for the millionth time.
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Well, the horse is well handicapped, for sure.

Looking for an edge, we might notice that he seems better on better ground; 'good and good to yielding features a lot.

I've on occasion heard the phrase: "He never jumped out of the ground". Can anyone tell me what that means? Might I presume that a horse's jumping can deteriorate if he's not happy on the ground (or maybe just heavy ground)?

I wonder because The Wallpark never jumped a twig, did he. Atrocious the way he kept slowing up approaching his fences.

All that said, didn't he make up loads of ground come the line.

There's talk of a tilt at the NH Handicap but he's have to carry top weight in that, wouldn't he?

Just some thoughts. :)
 
Literally it means what it says.
The suction/gluey effect of the heavy ground made it difficult for the horse to jump.
Slower jumping, ears back, head to one side, making more effort than should be necessary.
Lossiemouth's performance at Leopardstown last Sunday was a case in point, both for running and jumping.
Faster ground makes for a totally different horse.
I remember 2013 at Cheltenham on Tuesday morning the Irish horses stretching out for morning exercise on the circular all weather strip.
Willie's batallion came out and galloped full tilt on the grass inside the all weather to get a feel of the faster ground, heavy ground being in the description most days that winter and spring.
2014 everyone was galloping inside the all weather while Willie's came out , did a relaxed canter and then grazed while public present, horses and staff had a meet and greet in the morning sun.
Willie won 4 races that day...
 
I don't think some people realise how some horses really lose confidence in that sort of ground. I was talking to a friend last night who said her horse kept refusing to jump out hunting on Saturday when he normally pops over everything. I asked what the ground was like and she admitted it had been awful and he had struggled in it. I suggested that jumping out of the ground was almost certainly the cause.
 
jinnyj said:
I don't think some people realise how some horses really lose confidence in that sort of ground. I was talking to a friend last night who said her horse kept refusing to jump out hunting on Saturday when he normally pops over everything. I asked what the ground was like and she admitted it had been awful and he had struggled in it. I suggested that jumping out of the ground was almost certainly the cause.
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Thanks for those relies Edget and JJ.

Another question:

I hear two versions. One is that trainers would never race their charges on unsuitable ground because it can ruin them, but then seeing, I think, trainers doing just that in order to get their horse's mark down.

Can anyone enlighten me?
 
Both happens. It's an easy way to get a few pounds off without raising any suspicion from the stewards if it then goes and pisses in next time off a revised winnable mark.

I flagged up Riskintheground as being a potential ground dependent horse who seems to have been run over the wrong trip and wrong ground on Saturday as an example
 
jinnyj said:
Both happens. It's an easy way to get a few pounds off without raising any suspicion from the stewards if it then goes and pisses in next time off a revised winnable mark.

I flagged up Riskintheground as being a potential ground dependent horse who seems to have been run over the wrong trip and wrong ground on Saturday as an example
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I mean, his name gives it away ;)
 
jinnyj said:
Both happens. It's an easy way to get a few pounds off without raising any suspicion from the stewards if it then goes and pisses in next time off a revised winnable mark.

I flagged up Riskintheground as being a potential ground dependent horse who seems to have been run over the wrong trip and wrong ground on Saturday as an example
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Totally agree JJ.
 
John Oxx refused to run Sea The Stars in the Irish Derby 2009.
His reasons; top class horses get bottomed unnecessarily as they try too hard, ruining their future prospects.
Camelot running in the race 3 years later was a case in point; it exhausted him and left it's mark on the remainder of his career.
An animal that can take care of itself, not trying too hard unless asked , is less of a risk.
Any youtube expert might be able to find Ted Walsh's Thyestes Chase review the year Dun Doire won the race, 2008 or so.
Isolation camera was on the horse and jockey and Ted explained how the horse "Wasn't doing a tap" but responded to every squeeze Paul Carberry gave him to improve his position gradually through the final circuit.
" If Paul had left him alone he would have stayed where he was ", words you never hear in a Stewards Inquiry.
Like all things, running any animal on less than optimal conditions _(for the animal in question ) carries a health warning; the better the animal, the greater the warning.
 
edgt said:
John Oxx refused to run Sea The Stars in the Irish Derby 2009.
His reasons; top class horses get bottomed unnecessarily as they try too hard, ruining their future prospects.
Camelot running in the race 3 years later was a case in point; it exhausted him and left it's mark on the remainder of his career.
An animal that can take care of itself, not trying too hard unless asked , is less of a risk.
Any youtube expert might be able to find Ted Walsh's Thyestes Chase review the year Dun Doire won the race, 2008 or so.
Isolation camera was on the horse and jockey and Ted explained how the horse "Wasn't doing a tap" but responded to every squeeze Paul Carberry gave him to improve his position gradually through the final circuit.
" If Paul had left him alone he would have stayed where he was ", words you never hear in a Stewards Inquiry.
Like all things, running any animal on less than optimal conditions _(for the animal in question ) carries a health warning; the better the animal, the greater the warning.
Click to expand...

As a test case. Staffordshire Knot will be interesting next time out. He's had two hard races now on bottomless ground. I wouldn't want to be on him next time.
 
edgt said:
John Oxx refused to run Sea The Stars in the Irish Derby 2009.
His reasons; top class horses get bottomed unnecessarily as they try too hard, ruining their future prospects.
Camelot running in the race 3 years later was a case in point; it exhausted him and left it's mark on the remainder of his career.
An animal that can take care of itself, not trying too hard unless asked , is less of a risk.
Any youtube expert might be able to find Ted Walsh's Thyestes Chase review the year Dun Doire won the race, 2008 or so.
Isolation camera was on the horse and jockey and Ted explained how the horse "Wasn't doing a tap" but responded to every squeeze Paul Carberry gave him to improve his position gradually through the final circuit.
" If Paul had left him alone he would have stayed where he was ", words you never hear in a Stewards Inquiry.
Like all things, running any animal on less than optimal conditions _(for the animal in question ) carries a health warning; the better the animal, the greater the warning.
Click to expand...
Edgt....quoting Ted with anything...look at his interviews on the late late with Ruby......Horrile little fooks the two of them.
 
luckyme said:
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Saw this one earlier
https://twitter.com/x/status/2021691216916607328
. Didn't realise Synchronised was backed in from 16s to 8s on the day of the Gold Cup. Also includes the bloke that used to invade the parade ring after Sizing John won the Gold Cup.

Think it was Big Mac's last Cheltenham on Channel 4. Although people fawn for the days of Channel 4 coverage over ITV, the final three years after they dropped Big Mac / Alastair Down / Francome / Tommo really weren't the same.
 

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