What a great race and what a great day.Hats off to all involved.I thought it was better than Royal Ascot combined.
Well done Ches on the winner. So You Think has no more excuses. Simply not as good as they said. He is very good. Not great. Dubai Prince tailed off, was everything okay with him?
I see another jockey gets prizemoney taken off him. Soumillon is absolutely furious, but once again he knew the rules before he broke them. The BHA will change the rules so its not both prizemoney and riding fee, but at the end of the day its up to the jockeys to adhere to the rules. Not sure why they are blaming the racing authorities for them losing out on money.
SYT and Snow Fairy running neck to neck every race. That´s just how good he is, in the Arc and today. He´s very very good, but not great.
Harsh Nass, easy to say he knew the rules but hes a jockey from a different country and this is his first day riding under these rules it would be easy to forget these utterly stupid rules when he has not riden under them before today. One thing i dont get with these is why they BHA never trialed them on the AW over the winter after this flat season to see if they were workable, to bring them in on supposedly British racings biggest ever meeting is just moronic. Honestly why bring in these rules at the end of a season on the week of a massive meeting. Another point is that these rules will be even more unworkable in NH, 3m+ races and you can only hit your horse 7 times, not a chance.
* eight over jumps that should say. Still completely unworkable and these will be shown to be unworkable in longer distance races.
also for soumillon to lose over 50k in his prizemoney for him striking a horse one more time than the rule allows is another point of ridicule
I'm in Dubai and so can't watch the BBC thread on the Frankel race - can anyone send me a link of it?
LG, AtTheRaces will have it on their site. Hardy, fact is they know the rules and as professionals they should adhere to them.
I TOTALLY agree Nass Stupid rules but they are in place, and as pro's they know what the results are, i still think they need changing or better attempts at explaining what why and how the whip is applied to the horse to the public and not through the voice of a washed out failed bookmaer who has to appear on stupid celeberity TV shows to enhance there pay befor big races take out ad space in the red tops and explain in lay man terms about the use of the whip as i get to know the fat northern jocks better i can tell you all without doubt they adore horses and care passionatley about there welfare
It's an absolute joke. It will soon come to the scenario where jockeys based in Ireland and France will refuse to ride in the UK because of the lunatic whip rules. For the sake of racing, I really hope that the BHA will immediately put a halt to the ridiculous new rules and admit that they got it well and truly wrong. I was over on the BBC TV Messageboards earlier and there's a thread running about the "cruelty" of horse racing with reference to the suspension of jockeys owing to the new rules. Talk about making a rod for your own back - or in this case, a whip for your own back.
Awesome day at Ascot thank god British racing has Frankel, pure magic....only backed 1 winner FG thanks RV.
Alrite guys- back from a fantastic day at the home of jump racing!! Great weather, great racing and a couple of winners what more could you want!!
What a great day's racing at Ascot today. Champions Day will grow and grow in status because it takes place on a great course. Once it is fully established it will knock the BC into a cocked hat. The apprentice race would obviously have to go though! We also had the bonus of Hayley Turner on the Beeb - I'm sure she will have a career in the media one day. Soumillon falling foul of the new rules just shows how crazy they are. It was a great race in the last two furlongs and at no stage was he abusing the horse. It should not just be about the number of times the whip is used - it is also about how and when it is used and whether the horse is responding or is tired. So You Think is admirably consistent and tough but his limitations have now been fully exposed. Frankel should be even better next year as he seems to be an easier ride every time he runs. Well done to the authorities for making the brave step to go for the Champions Day.
Frankel starting to look like he will actually improve for the step up in distance. if they'd had another furlong today he'd have won by 10. He was drawing right away at the death. Can't wait until next year and hope he can keep his unbeaten record intact.
Just back from the Ale House but that sounds a pretty fair resume Fulkes...It was a greater success than predicted,courtesy of Frankel and SYT putting their reps on the line and the support the large yards gave it. Still needs tweaked,and the date and make up of the card are certainly things that need to be worked on.This fixture needs a top 2-y-o race.It doesn't have to be an all aged fixture...perhaps commit heresy and move the middle park here.Ffs nothing currently remotely resembling cogent is emanating from the BHA in any case.
Yea - she's great Dexter! I forgot to mention the Beeb's disastrous decision to ask the brainless Carson to talk about the whip issue. The idiot started talking about giving the horse a whack! Clare should have kicked away his box at that stage so that he disappeared off the screen.
