Retirements & Departures 2011

It's not me saying he was ungenuine with Mullins, it's the race card notes writer (one of your Press room buddies, perhaps?). I've no idea how bad he was with Mullins, or not. But the key to the animal seems to have been in pointing, so why not keep him where he's thriving? You know me, daft as a brush, all the time.
 
Running in a point to point isn't a whole lot different to running in a 0-95 handicap chase, in fact running with a weight of 9-12 it'd arguably be an easier race. As I said, since the horse broke down it's immaterial really whether it was running in a 0-95 novices handicap chase, an open point to point, a 6f sprint, whatever. In fact the good to firm going at Plumpton would have been by far the easier ground to encounter than in any point to point this weekend where the ground has been consistently faster than the roads leading to them.
 
I'll be happily surprised if the cute-named IS HIMSELF ABOUT survived breaking down in only his second Bumper tonight at Fairyhouse. Big shame, as the horse had managed a most creditable 5th from the usual capacity field previously. Looked to be going all wrong behind just 4f from the start.

Shadz, I take what you say.
 
Just found that out, Bobbyjo - I saw they'd all got up and run off, but one to the right of camera looked to be stiff behind, so perhaps that was him. Big shame, as the 4 y.o. had plenty of promise and it's always more bitter, I think, when they've done nothing wrong themselves.
 
Wasn't meaning to preach Kri - just pointing out that, despite what a lot of people would think, running a horse in a 0-90 (or 0-95 in this case!) handicap chase especially during 'summer jumping' is actually the easier option versus running in a lot of point to points which can be surprisingly competitive.
 
It surprises me, Shadz, given that some ptp fields are so tiny - although perhaps after Plumpton's last showing, I should say that tiny fields aren't the sole purview of points! I'd have thought the hurly-burly of more horses upsides in handicaps might've been more daunting, but I don't doubt the competitiveness of ptp riders at all - I realise some may lack finesse or style, but they don't lack in gung-ho attitudes, from the very little I've seen or heard.

RADIO EIRANN, 6 y.o. trained by Charlie Swan and ridden by Nina today, broke a leg during the Bumper at Ballinrobe, his first outing this year, following just two last year.
 
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Was going to the Hackwood P2P on BH Monday but just found out its cancelled due to "lack of entries" - most of the other meetings scheduled for that day have at least 80 runners over 7 races - taking an average of min 10 per race then thats more than were entered in Ascot yesterday!
 
Points round here are only getting a couple of entries - ground is rock hard, even on the courses known for soft ground. I agree with SL (blimey!) - far safer in my view going summer jumping on racecourses with - hopefully - decent groundsman than some of the p2p courses. Went to the Cothelstone t'other day and it was a bit cringeworthy at times looking at some of the riders/entries and how they were riding round...
 
If you water properly and race on the right ground you'll get the runners.

Been to three Points this month - not too many runners at Marks Tey on 2nd April but enough for competitive racing, Guilsborough always water well as Gerald Bailey is COC there and there were a high proportion of declarations compared to entries whilst the Maiden was split at entry and Chaddesley Corbett also watered to produce great ground for the Lady Dudley Cup.

Some areas always end up with poor enough turnouts - mainly the South East with 5 or 6 horse races the norm but even with watering we really do need a wet few weeks prior to the end of the season in June.
 
The problem with point to point tracks is that so many just don't have the ability to water - Lockinge being one, for example. There were still no walkovers last Monday which was a surprise for many, even those organising it! They worked hard to produce safe ground by going over it with two machines, aerovaters or somesuch which do something like turn over the top of the ground & inject air or somesuch.

Ballydoyle - a point to point with 80 entries, especially on this ground and on a bank holiday, will be doing well to get 40 runners.
 
Waiting for confirmation but Catch Bob was very unsteady on his feet after his fall at Perth.

Sad to hear about Washington Irving.

Just had it confirmed that Catch Bob was beyond saving:(
 
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Oh, poor CATCH BOB - he did look wobbly, but I was hoping he was just a bit dizzy from the crash.

Yes, WI was with O'Brien up to winning the Ledwige Maiden in October 2008, then off to Howard Johnson and the Wylie ownership, B/j.
 
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krizon said:
Oh, poor CATCH BOB - he did look wobbly, but I was hoping he was just a bit dizzy from the crash.

Yes, WI was with O'Brien up to winning the Ledwige Maiden in October 2008, then off to Howard Johnson and the Wylie ownership, B/j.
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Unfortunately Bob broke his shoulder, and his promising young jockey Tony Kelly was taken to hospital where they found he had broken his elbow.
 
Have there always been so many horses collapsing after races or was I just not aware of it in the [pre internet] past? I rememeber a horse collapsing at Uttoxeter many years ago after a race, and that shocked me.
 
That's bad news about Tony Kelly, cj. So many jocks battered at the moment, and I assume poor lads Toole and Hawkins still hospitalised and not yet recovered from their horrible crashes?
 
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