by Stable Lad
Those owners on millionaires row can relax a little now, mainly because the main English Classic, the Epsom Derby, has been done and dusted, mopped up again by the insatiable Ballydoyle winning bandwagon.
The Winning Post – North to Catterick
June 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment
by Stable Lad
Do you recall me mentioning a few weeks back about the strategy of the team from Ballydoyle with regard to the Chester May meeting?
Well, they did prove once again that these tactics are worth their weight in gold, for along with picking up some nice prizes, the visit also showed Aidan and the team what the relative strengths were on both sides of the water.
The Winning Post – The Oaks and The Derby
May 31, 2013 By Leave a Comment
by Stable Lad
At last, we are into the countdown for the biggest Epsom meeting of the year, whicjh of course includes the two prime classics, the Oaks on Friday, and the Derby on Saturday.
The Winning Post – bureaucracy at its worst
May 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Frankie Dettori. Pic: Wikimedia Commons
by Stable Lad
Well, we witnessed bureaucracy in the racing world at its very worst over last weekend, with the very late obstacle to the anticipated return to the saddle of the irrepressible Frankie Dettori, when the French racing people refused to renew the Italian jockeys licence to ride, he having finished his six-months period of suspension on Sunday last.
Frankie was due to return to racing on Monday this week at Leicester, with his agent Ray Cochrane having already lined up a full list of mounts there, and also at the following days meeting at the Nottingham racecourse.
Changing fortunes
May 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment
by Stable Lad
THE world of horseracing is absolutely chock-full of traditions, most of which go back a very long way, and are deeply attached to the realms of chance, good and bad fortune, and all that goes with these imposters in life.
How many times have you seen a “coincidence” bet come up, to do with specific names and numbers, and even sometimes to things as basic as birthdays etc.
The Winning Post – “a catastrophic error”
May 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
by Stable Lad
“I made a catastrophic error!”. This was the frantic response of the renowned trainer at the British end of the Godolphin Empire, which has its stable in the heartland of English racing, at Newmarket, an area which is commonly known in racing circles as “Headquarters”.
The Godolphin people have been racing from here for years, and it is mainly from here that the irrepressible Frankie Dettori used to operate when riding in England.
Here come the classics
April 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Frankie Dettori. Pic: Wikimedia Commons
by Stable Lad
ON the weekend of the 4th/5th of May, we will have the first two classic races of the season at Newmarket, the 2,000 Guineas, for colts, and the Fillies race, the 1,000 Guineas, both races to be run over the famous Rowley Mile testing straight course.
These races have been won by many outstanding exponents of the turf, and it is the strong hope that this year the races will produce again a horse that can go on to win an Oaks or a Derby later on in the racing year.
West Cork Profile – Deirdre Goggin
April 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
THE sport of road trotting to the outsider may seem like a male dominated sport like many other equine events but 26-year-old Deirdre Goggin has dispelled that myth and to those of us who follow this unique sport see this popular Goleen native as one of the best riders on the circuit.
This year she enjoyed her best season to date amassing a total of 16 winners from a total on nine meetings and only lost out in the jockies championship by a single win.
Back to the flat
April 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
by Stable Lad
It has always been very noticable, that when we are all through with the big festival at Cheltenham, followed quickly by the the sheer excitement of the Grand National and Aintree, racing goes into a kind of a lull, and seems to be marking time, getting ready, and having a long look at the early Classic races on the flat.
A dangerous trade
April 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment
by Stable Lad
Well, both Cheltenham and Aintree have come and gone for another year, with each meeting leaving us with some disturbing memories regarding injuries to both jockeys and horses.
Now, it is a fact that those sad type of misfortunes do occur fairly regularly in horse racing, especially in the “over the sticks” branch of the sport, although, when it does happen in flat racing, thankfully not too often, the speed that the horses are travelling at means that it usually has a serious outcome.
