2 examples this morning really did my head in. On Radio 5 live Luke Harvey referred to the vveteran Canford Cliffs facing the uyoung pretender Frankel. maybe I'm missing something but I wouldn't call a 4 year old a veteran. Mind you the whole "this is exactly like Ali v Frazier" current running through the whole discussion was sickening anyway. As I read the daily Express oin the tube this morning I could harldy believe my eyes - "Computerman" commented that such wide margin wins as Frankel's in the 2000 Guineas often take a lot out of a horse either metally or physically. Fair enough - we can all think of examples. However, when we think of such examples I very much doubt any of us would use the following prose to back up our statement: "recent examples iinclude Hawk Wing's Lockinge success and Harbinger's king George win - neither won another race." This man is paid very good money to give an expert opinion and presumably doesn't even realise that Harbinger never actually raced again having broken down on the gallops. I knowo many will think it's just another ill informed rant by someone who likes moaning but surely we are entitled to expect better from paid professionals?
Chippy, I am not sure why they chose such a ludicrous analogy in the first place. Frankel has won since winning the Guineas, so looking for evidence that a wide margin success subsequently leads to failure seems a little vacuous. You should switch papers from the Daily Express to the Grauniad. Then you would spend most of your journey trying to work out what the article actually said!
Chippy, many of the "Media Personnel" get the jobs through prior involvement, but many of them just aren't professional nor even well spoken. Luke Harvey and Willie Carson are two prime examples, although I'm not disrespecting them as people. Personally I'd much rather they employed 'professionals' who were prepared to apply themselves and acquire the knowledge, rather than some of the idiots on TV. Yet it's the way of the world, I'm afraid. The same goes for many politicians. We'd be much better off sourcing top businessmen to run the country- instead of these corrupt, egotistical MPS who can't even answer a direct question with "yes" or "no." Re. Frankel and Canford Cliffs, what's the big deal? Have we so few top horses nowadays that people go overboard when two of them meet? I'm more concerned about yet another small field for a Group Race- such lack of ambition amongst owners and trainers, given the value of place money alone!
With no disrespect to UK racing Tam, the lack of numbers in a lot of G1 races is a mystery to me too Tam. Even the sniff of a decent purse will see horses coming out of the wood work.
My dad reads the Express and follows Computerman semi-religeously. He does have his fair share of winners but has dropped an almighty faux-pas with that write-up. So bored at work, trying to resist a trip to the sweety machine downstairs ................
OddDog, get down to that sweetie machine and send me some midget gems. One packet only, please (they give me constipation).
Oddy - based on morning prices he hit a 4,972/1 4 timer at goodwood yesterday. Admittedly it's unlikely anyone would have backed them as a lucky 15 or yankee but he did also get the place pot up which would most likely have made a very tatsy each way accumulator.
Tam I'm afraid they don't do Midget Gems in Germany, I can offer you Gummi Bears Chippy - yup, sounds like a typically good day for the Computerman. If I'd backed those 4 I wouldn't care what he had written
Tam I hate the things myself. What's a PD? I keep thinking Puff Daddy but I'm sure you didn't mean him right?
Tamerlo: What top businessmen would you source, for a start? Some of them haven't done too well lately? Know what you're getting at, but there are so many who are bigger crooks than a lot of parliamentarians?
Willie Carson at the weekend was quite amusing Willie: Workforce doesn't like going right handed, that's why he got beat today Claire: He did win the Arc at Longchamp Willie thinking to himself, how am I going to wriggle out of that daft statement Willie: He was being held in on the rails by other horses in the Arc That women loves picking up on her co hosts cock ups, you'd think she would just keep her mouth shut, as most of the viewers probably don't know the direction of Longchamp. Either way it made Carson look like abit of an idiot, quite amusing
I'm with Filon on this one. I would not want the country run a load of businessmen - what a nightmare. Career politicians have been much-maligned but throughout history most of our best leaders have been just that. Racing needs to 'big up' clashes such as the one today. There was a lot of coverage and it led on the Five Live sorts bulletins - racing does not often do that. I love CC but it is wonderful to see a true superstar stamp himself as one of the all time greats.
Filon, I'm not doubting that a lot of businessmen are crooks- and it would take all night to put my views here- but I don't think many top politicians are competent in economics. You only have to look at the economic nightmare that is the "public sector/civil service/NHS" to realise that many of these politicians couldn't survive two minutes in the private sector.
Shergar - that Carson incident was really cringe making. For once i felt sorry for him as he really did not want to be there after what he'd seen - poor bloke couldn't even think straight.