It’s amazing that amongst the leading owners on the Flat the only one’s whose money hasn’t been earned by brutalising and oppressing a nation is the Coolmore ‘lads’ and yet, for some unknown reason they get more flak on here that probably any other owner! Probably most of the votes, in this instance, come from the ‘marching and saluting’ brigade who worship the British Queen like no-one else! One thing that you do have to doff your cap to the old girl though is the way in which she gets thee and me to pay for her training fees whilst she gets to keep the prizemoney and other income! That’s quite a ‘deal’ that.
I can hardly be described as a Royalist, but "brutalising and oppressing a nation"? Come on now SBC, the government might, but not the royals as they are strictly ceremonial nowadays? Someone stuck something in your coffee this morning, obviously? I guess I should add, if they are "brutalising and oppressing a nation" why on earth isn't your pal Cameron doing something about it? Why, because he and his ilk are bowing and scraping to them much of the time?
Say what you want about HM Queen but you won't find a stauncher supporter of British racing - and her ancestors before her too. Coolmore are only in it for the money and the Arabs for the ego trip - trying to outdo each other with their expensive purchases much like they do with their football clubs. At least the Queen is doing it out of passion for the sport, and as a NH fan who ain't that bothered about flat racing, it wouldn't bother me if the Arabs built an indoor, fully air-conditioned replica of every flat racing track in the world and ran all their horses there every day of the year. But they won't of course, because the know it can't compare with The Derby, Guineas, Royal Ascot ....................... so bollocks to the lot of 'em.
Did they actually state any criteria used in awarding the award? If it's purely money won or prestigious races won then it will prove hard to look beyond the usual suspects, and rightly so. If however there are other considerations such as long term support to the sport and care for their horses post racing this would appear to open it up greatly. In my view a champion owner would be they who simply won most prize money but an award recognising owner of the year beyond financial considerations could really throw open the gates to a well deserved award. I would look for someone who had at least a dozen or so horses as this would demonstrate enough involvement but would imagine the winner would probably have a few more than that. I would expect them to show care for their horses throughout the complete process of racing and most importantly one who had in place provision to care for their horses once racing for them was over and new yearlings purchased. Many will never be able to forge a career at stud but still need someone to care for them. I am sure also many trainers will be aware of differences between owners with regard the stable interaction with many getting involved and helping and getting involved with the yard and the lads and lasses who serve their horses each day and others who barely know who does such a thing. There are other small things as well such as support of jockeys in giving up and coming apprentices opportunities. There are many things that could be considered and I would not know who would come out shining when such criteria were applied. The Sheikhs have done an awful lot for racing in general in supporting good causes within the sport, channel four racing etc. It's easy to criticise them and I certainly feel it is deserved as well in many cases, but we must be careful not to just be to scornful of them possibly just because we cannot relate to them. The Coolmore team also I feel get some flack because they are super confident and assured individuals and do not court approval which can turn us off a little personally as we tend like people who display certain PR friendly traits, the Coolmoore boys very confident persona does not always adhere to these. This is a fascinating subject actually as its the same with Jockeys and Ryan Moore comes in for a lot of flak because he is so PR unfriendly but this does not mean up close he is anything other than a fantastic guy, sincere and genuine. Sir Henry had natural personality traits that most people respond to a so became a hero among all classes where as Mark Johnston is harder to like and Michael Stoute an acquired taste. Apologies for going off track a little.
Still a disgrace apart from estimate can you name another decent horse she has bought/bred this year. darly obviously because there scandal this year but coolmore had some fantastic horses to run in Britain winning the derby and the st leger along with the coronation cup the Queen Anne stakes the juddmonte but all beaten by the winner of the gold cup . Idiotic patronage showed again
Mick Sorry but I do not understand your disgust. Is it with the decision makers or is it with the fact that the Queen got the award? If it's with the decision-makers then I can understand some annoyance but hardly disgust. As I said selecting the Queen seems a touch sentimental to me: coolmore were the top owners last year. If your 'disgust' is at the Queen getting the award then I'm sure the Queen didn't seek this award: to what end? In some respects I'd imagine it is a slight embarrassment. She is evidently not the top owner. As regards another decent horse I'd keep Queen's Prize on your side next year (Bold Sniper wasn't bad, nor Musical Comedy on the flat, and I'm sure Mr Henderson thinks he's got a decent novice chaser this season in Close Touch). As regards the criteria Bluesky feels worthy of consideration in assessing whom should be the top-owner The Queen would certainly be in the running, as I'm sure she meets all of those. Is SBC sure the exchequer is paying the Queen's racing costs? He may be right but I'd imagine a fair bit of it is self-funding. The Royal Stud has been established since the 1500s and historically is of real importance in the development of the thoroughbred. Unless the family were sent to Trafalgar Square to be guillotined I'd imagine if the UK became a full republic, instead of the quasi-republic it is, then she'd probably keep that property. At the moment she's also getting a handful of horses 'effectively' donated to her each year by the Aga Khan, Darley and Khaled Abdullah, which are obviously given out of deep respect for her. I don't think the taxpayer is paying for that. Estimate was amongst those. Other than that I agree with OddDog.
I must say that I've always been a big fan of owners like Khaled Abdullah and JP Mcmanus as they share their horses around a lot of stables which gives many trainers the chance to have a really decent horse in their yard.
Oh come on old boy! Cor blimey! Give me the ‘master key’ to Giddy Osbourne’s Exchequer and I’d be an even stauncher supporter of British racing! As for Coolmore being in it for the money...of course they are as they are a commercial operation whose very existence (like any business) depends on making profits. I say, surely no one can moan about them for that. I wasn’t just having a go at Her Majesty, God bless her and save her, in my original post by the way. I was, more than anything, referencing just how many of the leading Flat owners have their wealth based on the suffering and toil of others. Meanwhile, Reebs, my Knighthood is safe as they are administered by Downing Street and my admiration for Mr Cameron remains undiminished. On the subjects of ‘gongs’ it was no shock that Sir Henry received his so soon after Mr Cameron was ‘anointed’. The latter is a keen racing man who rightly rewarded such a fantastic man as Sir Henry. In 13 years of Mr Boom and then Mr Bust such accolades were handed out solely to their cronies and whoever gave ‘brown envelopes’ to ‘Mandy’ Mandelson. On the subject of my favourite owners I’d have to nominate the Coolmore ‘lads’, Sir Simon Cowell, dear old Henry Ponsonby and, of course, the forum’s favourite Mr Waley-Cohen senior.
SBC, You talk a lot of sense on here but I remember the debacle of BTRB: look it up. So I don't often have warm feelings for one of your faves. Dave's wife is almost an Astor (I think they got better even if Billy was silly).
I agree totally Dan, JP always comes across as loyal and generous and willing to give someone a chance, be it a trainer or Jockey. Prince Khalid fits this bill as well remaining loyal to Sir Henry throughout the lean times and also still supplying Amanda Perrett with horses year after year with little reward which I presume is an expression of loyalty to her father Guy Harwood. On the criteria I mentioned earlier about owners who give jockeys a chance to you know that the owner of Long Run has consistently allowed him to be ridden by an amateur jockey throughout his career, even in big races. This surely needs recognising.
Well, it's nice to know that Cameron and his fellow conservatives don't hand out knighthoods and peerages to their cronies. Do strut off politely, SBC, and try to be more explicit when you talk about " brutalising and oppressing a nation". Christ Almighty!
Chaps how come there is no knighthoods for the jump trainers and the flat lads get one every here-from a confused repulican
