RIP SYNCRHONISED- please log in to view this image RIP ACCORDING TO PETE please log in to view this image
I wish you wouldn't put the pictures up Wooly. (Needless to say, I don't mean that.) Always brings tears to my eyes. RIP.
Amen Dan. I'm still depressed about it, especially Pete - I watched the little feature the Beeb did on him, how the family had him as a foal, lived with them as a pet and how thrilled they were at his success. It was clear how much they loved him, and I can well imagine how they must be bitterly regretting the decision to run him yesterday.
The highs and lows of the greatest steeplechase in the world. Devastating for the connections of According to Pete, I was at the National yesterday so didn't get to see the BBC coverage but it sounds like he was there pride and joy and its just terribly terribly sad. Synchronised should have never been in the field, As I said in a previous post it looked a touch of greediness from connections to have even declared him for the race and after all he had done for them this year he didnt deserve that. How many times in years gone by as a Gold Cup winner been aimed at the National a couple of weeks later? Can you imagine Paul Nicholls thinking of the National for Kauto and Denman in years gone by after there heroics at Cheltenham. When I heard about Synchronised I was fuming, The worst part about it all is the fact Tony McCoy had previous stated that the horse wouldn't be suited to Aintree. Hindsight is a funny thing. Poor poor horse... RIP Synchronised and According to Pete
Hindsight is 20/20, if Synchronised had run well people would have said it was a great decision to have him take part. I think it's very unfair to blame connections of the horse, who have his well being at heart. They wouldn't have run him if they didn't feel he was up to it.
They have such similar markings as they are both descended from Sadler's Wells - Synchronised being by the great horse and According to Pete being by a son of SW. The big white face is one of his trademarks. RIP
Bought a tear to my eye http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4258916/Pics-show-joy-of-the-Grand-National-and-despair-of-horse-deaths.html Especially-
A moving statement from JP McManus in today's Racing Post: McManus: we feel deep sadness and devastation By Andrew king 10:55AM 18 APR 2012 JP McMANUS on Tuesday night spoke for the first time about "the deep sadness and devastation" caused by the loss of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised in the John Smith's Grand National on Saturday. In a statement delivered in conjunction with Jonjo O'Neill, Tony McCoy and the owner's racing manager Frank Berry, McManus deflected any criticism levelled at Aintree and declared that what happened to Synchronised was the result of a freak accident rather than any fault of the racecourse. He said: "Jonjo, AP, Frank and I, and all our families, feel a deep sadness and sense of devastation about the loss of the horse and we will always cherish the memory of how great he was in winning the Gold Cup at the festival the previous month. "What happened to him appears to be nothing more than a freak accident as his fall did not cause him to lose his life; it was running around loose afterwards. It remains difficult to understand how it happened but regrettably it did. "However, we all remain huge supporters of the Grand National despite all the sadness, as it is a truly fantastic spectacle that is viewed by millions on TV around the world. It should not be devalued in any way." McManus added: "Emotions ran high on Saturday for everyone involved and I would personally like to thank Aintree for all their helpfulness, kindness and consideration in the aftermath of what turned out to be a very exciting race for the connections of Neptune Collonges. "Two years ago we all felt the elation and sheer joy of standing in the winner's circle after Don't Push It took the prize. Luckily he is still with us and relishing his retirement, so we all know what a special feeling it is to win what is the world's greatest steeplechase. "Racing is full of ups and downs because it is a very competitive sport, but in any sport things happen over which nobody has any real control. Sometimes it can be for the good and sometimes, such as Saturday, it can be for the bad." Synchronised had landed his first Grade 1 when winning the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December and also among his nine successes were hard fought victories in the Midlands and Welsh Nationals. McManus concluded: "Losing any horse is very sad but one as brave as Synchronised is a very big loss for all involved. He has been laid to rest at Jackdaws Castle, a place where he was much loved by all and where he thrived from the first day he went into training. "He has left us all with amemory of what a superb equine athlete he was and his name is etched deep in the annals of jumping history as the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. We are all very proud of what he achieved for us and the sport as a whole." The statement "He has been laid to rest at Jackdaws Castle, a place where he was much loved by all and where he thrived from the first day he went into training." brought a lump to my throat.
