Punchestown

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
Joined
17 August 2005
Messages
28,818
Location
Devon
Visit site
How brilliant was Gods Own? So pleased for them. Simonsig ran a blinder too, I hope he is sound afterwards. Yorkhill very disapointing. The Mullins horses have had a long season and perhaps it was showing?
 
You do wonder when a horse has a craching fall like Vautour did at Aintree how long it takes the bruising to come out completely? Think how long it takes us to recover from deep tissue damage. He didn't look as though he had his flair with him today.
It does make you realise how good Sprinter Sacre was to win at all three festivals.
 
I've not seen any of the racing today but Mullins is pushing a few of his horses now.

I'm trying to figure if I can get there for my horse on Saturday. He is in very good hands as usual if I don't make it but it will be Pete's last ever ride so I kinda want to be there.
 
Pete - as in Mr Russell!? (sorry, bet he would hate that!) is he stepping down? That is a shame. I hope you can mke it to cheer him on.
 
Clodagh said:
Pete - as in Mr Russell!? (sorry, bet he would hate that!) is he stepping down? That is a shame. I hope you can mke it to cheer him on.
Click to expand...

Peter Buchanan lol! He is retiring from race riding. He rode his last horse in Britain at Perth last Friday and has promised me he will hold out to ride Sky on Saturday and bow out at Punchestown. He rode his first winner there so it is fitting he should go out there.
 
Clodagh said:
I did wonder if Rule The World REALLY had to be there but actually he ran really well. Odd though, you would think he had covered his training bills this season.
Click to expand...

I think the word greed covers the situation nicely. I suppose the horse is very fit and no doubt well or he would not have been entered. Perhaps we are too fluffy in thinking the horse has done his bit and should be let down down for summer. He is a commodity rather than the cherished companion that our horses are to us.
 
I can sort of understand why they ran him again today....he was obviously fit and well and they had the chance to run a national winner in a novice chase, this was the last chance to do so and I guess they thought, why not ? It will probably never happen again and as it turned out he ran well enough, no harm was done and he can go off for his holiday now. People can be very judgemental !
 
bonny said:
I can sort of understand why they ran him again today....he was obviously fit and well and they had the chance to run a national winner in a novice chase, this was the last chance to do so and I guess they thought, why not ? It will probably never happen again and as it turned out he ran well enough, no harm was done and he can go off for his holiday now. People can be very judgemental !
Click to expand...

Yes I think they can ,maybe the team thought it was a nice gesture to let the the crowds on his side of the water see him in action. I am sure they will have had the horses interest at heart.
They are a lot tougher than we give them credit for. I would have a lot bigger concerns about running Vatour after that fall so soon but wouldnt dream of criticising WM for it as he knows and sees the horse every day.
 
EKW said:
Peter Buchanan lol! He is retiring from race riding. He rode his last horse in Britain at Perth last Friday and has promised me he will hold out to ride Sky on Saturday and bow out at Punchestown. He rode his first winner there so it is fitting he should go out there.
Click to expand...

Well you really have to make it.

As regards RTW I don't think Mouse Morris would have run him unecessarily, he never seems to rush his horses. If no one had an opinion there wouldn't be any point of a forum, would there. :-)
 
bonny said:
I can sort of understand why they ran him again today....he was obviously fit and well and they had the chance to run a national winner in a novice chase, this was the last chance to do so and I guess they thought, why not ? It will probably never happen again and as it turned out he ran well enough, no harm was done and he can go off for his holiday now. People can be very judgemental !
Click to expand...

After the GN, the owner said as the horse was quite fragile as he had fractured his pelvis before they may well retire him, just imagine if he had fallen fatally the antis would have had a field day.

The big name Mullen horses are over the top Im sure, dont forget its not just all the racing they have had but they have clocked up a lot of travelling time which will take it out of them.

EKW I hope you get to go on Saturday to see your boy run and he runs with credit and comes home safe,

I wish Channel 4 televised Punchestown, I would loved to see Cue Card run today, Its a shame Don Cossack is out of the race but its still going to be a nail biter.
 
Dobiegirl said:
After the GN, the owner said as the horse was quite fragile as he had fractured his pelvis before they may well retire him, just imagine if he had fallen fatally the antis would have had a field day.
Click to expand...

He's fractured his pelvis twice apparently.

I'm not a softie when it comes to NH, but I was really disappointed to see him running. O'Leary was quoted as saying he owed them nothing after his race, so why risk it? They could have paraded him before the race - like Bobsworth etc paraded at Sandown. Great that he came home safely but was it necessary?

In regards to the Mullins horses, I think Yorkhill looked like he's had enough, he didn't look happy throughout did he? I wonder why Annie Power isn't running too, I was looking forward to seeing her again.

Today's all about Cue Card for me, I was so sorry for Don Cossack's connections to hear of his injury, but it's still going to be an exciting race. Good luck Team Tizz.
 
There was an interview with Rich Ricci on ATR, I didn't watch all of it, but he was disapointed with how his horses ran yesterday, perhaps he asked that she not be risked?
 
I cant watch it Im afraid as I have someone coming to see one of my foster dogs, If I had known I would have made another time. Is it possible someone could record it and put it on here please.
 
I'm also disappointed Rule the World ran as I thought they were going to retire him after the national due to his fragility and not owing them anything. Especially in just a novice chase.
 
Well Cue Card went the way of all the other top horses this season. At least he is safe and sound. He was pulling like a train early on, I thought he had stopped doing that. He never really travelled like his best.
Road to Riches got up OK, he only has a cut leg, I thought he was a gonner it was a horrible heavy fall.
I like Carlingford Lough, what a game horse, he never stops trying.
 
Mariposa said:
He's fractured his pelvis twice apparently.

I'm not a softie when it comes to NH, but I was really disappointed to see him running. O'Leary was quoted as saying he owed them nothing after his race, so why risk it? They could have paraded him before the race - like Bobsworth etc paraded at Sandown. Great that he came home safely but was it necessary?

In regards to the Mullins horses, I think Yorkhill looked like he's had enough, he didn't look happy throughout did he? I wonder why Annie Power isn't running too, I was looking forward to seeing her again.

Today's all about Cue Card for me, I was so sorry for Don Cossack's connections to hear of his injury, but it's still going to be an exciting race. Good luck Team Tizz.
Click to expand...

Sorry I find this a little bit of double standards you are criticising the running of RTW yet looking forward to cue card( A horse not without his issues) running can you please explain what the difference is between the two. I would suggest RTW actually performed the better of the two
 
Last edited:
^^^^^^^^^ This absolutely; you can go to the well too many times even when they look so well.

I only saw it on Paddy Power so small scene and freezing but it looked a messy race, not suited to CC at all; glad RtoR is ok, it looked awful.

Sorry was meant to be under Dobie!
 
I hope Road to Riches is OK, I went back and rewatched (having fed the family) and he looked very wrong behind walking round when he got up. Maybe just bruised or perhaps they can tie up?
 
Last edited:
It is a real skill to keep any horse at the top of his game for months on end. Those top chasers would have come in probably late July 2015, so effectively have been in ascending levels of work for 9 or 10 months. Add in the travelling and even the most placid types will be pushed to be at their very best at the end of the season.

Surely the achievement of a maiden winning the GN is enough to satisfy any trainer and owner. I doubt we will see this years Badminton winner having a run around a one day event 3 weeks after achieving the greatest accolade in eventing.

Maybe I am judgemental, fluffy and cannot see the bigger picture.
 
I can see why they ran Rule The World - he was eligible, the trip and ground were fine and it was a decent prize pot to be had. Logistically it was the right thing to do, especially if he had been well at home.

Morally?! Well! That's another story!
 
popsdosh said:
Sorry I find this a little bit of double standards you are criticising the running of RTW yet looking forward to cue card( A horse not without his issues) running can you please explain what the difference is between the two. I would suggest RTW actually performed the better of the two
Click to expand...


I don't think they're even comparable.

With RTW the owner suggested in the media that they going to retire him and that he owed them nothing, and then he was declared to run again a few weeks later. That lovely photo of the horse back at O'Leary's stud with his family seemed the fairytale ending and it appeared that he was going off to enjoy his retirement, and I for one love a happy ending. I am delighted that he came home safely.

With Cue Card there's been no suggestion of retirement this season and the horse have run amazingly - Colin Tizzard even said in the winner's enclosure at Aintree that they were heading to Punchestown, so how are they comparable? Lots of NH horses have had 'problems' and 'issues' - I'm not disputing that, but had my horse just won the biggest race in the world after having overcome some serious issues, would I risk him so soon again on ground that didn't suit him? No, probably not. We're all allowed our opinions.
 
Mariposa said:
I don't think they're even comparable.

With RTW the owner suggested in the media that they going to retire him and that he owed them nothing, and then he was declared to run again a few weeks later. That lovely photo of the horse back at O'Leary's stud with his family seemed the fairytale ending and it appeared that he was going off to enjoy his retirement, and I for one love a happy ending. I am delighted that he came home safely.

With Cue Card there's been no suggestion of retirement this season and the horse have run amazingly - Colin Tizzard even said in the winner's enclosure at Aintree that they were heading to Punchestown, so how are they comparable? Lots of NH horses have had 'problems' and 'issues' - I'm not disputing that, but had my horse just won the biggest race in the world after having overcome some serious issues, would I risk him so soon again on ground that didn't suit him? No, probably not. We're all allowed our opinions.
Click to expand...

I totally agree and I would go further and say if it was my horse he would have been retired after the GN just like John Hales did with Neptune Collenge
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top