Friday 30 December 2011

RACING POST SATURDAY DECEMBER 31st 2011 NEW YEARS EVE




RACING POST SATURDAY DECEMBER 31st 2011
 NEW YEARS EVE
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY DECEMBER 26th 2011 TO SUNDAY JANUARY 1st 2012
TURFCALL
HORSERACING A UNIQUE AND REMARKABLE SPORT
 

TODAY'S CARDS Newbury. Warwick. Uttoxeter. Lingfield Park. Punchestown. Tramore.
http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/cards/home.sd

AFTER AN AMAZING YEAR TIPPING WHICH SAW HIM RETURN A 63.69PER CENT PROFIT PRICEWISE IS PRIMED TO END 2011 BY ....
GOING OUT WITH A BANG

Newbury and Warwick are live on C4 with FINGAL BAY, WALKON and CUE CARD in action Previews and Pricewise page 14.


RACES SHOWN ON TERRESTRIAL TV

2:05 NEWBURY Betfred Goals Galore Novices´ Chase (for the Hallowe´en Trophy) Cl3 2m2f110y CH4 Card Betting
2:20 WAR Bet With williamhill.com On Your Mobile Handicap Chase Cl4 3m110y CH4 Card Betting
2:35 NEW Betfred Mandarin Handicap Chase Cl3 3m2f110y CH4 Card Betting
2:50 WAR Best Odds Guaranteed With williamhill.com Mobile Handicap Chase Cl4 2m4f110y CH4 Card Betting
3:05 NEW Bathwick Tyres Challow Novices´ Hurdle (Grade 1) Cl1 2m5f CH4 Card Betting
3:40 NEW totescoop6 Levy Board Handicap Hurdle Cl2 2m110y CH4






Thursday 29 December 2011

RACING POST FRIDAY DECEMBER 30th 2011 BETFAIR UNDER ATTACK

RACING POST FRIDAY DECEMBER 30th 2011
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY DECEMBER 26th TO SUNDAY JANUARY 1st 2012


TODAY'S CARDS Haydock Park. Taunton. Lingfield. Wolverhampton
http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/cards/home.sd 



GRAHAM GREEN and STUART RILEY BETFAIR UNDER ATTACK
"BETFAIR yesterday left open the door for the Gambling Commission to probe its £23 million VOLER LA VEDETTE fiasco as it tried desperately to quell the flood of critisism that began when it voided all bets in running on Leopardstown's Christmas Hurdle on Wednesday ...

RACING POST THURSDAY DECEMBER 29th 2011 BETFAIR VOID BETS TOTALLING £23m IN LAY FIASCO



RACING POST THURSDAY DECEMBER 29th 2011
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY DECEMBER 26th 2011 TO SUNDAY JANUARY 1st 2012


TODAY'S CARDS Kelso. Doncaster. Southwell. Kempton Park.
 Leopardstown and Limerick.

"HURRICAN FLY misses ISTABRAQ Hurdle. TONY O'HEHIR

"BETFAIR void bets totalling £23m in lay fiasco.  PAUL EACOTT Reports.





Wednesday 28 December 2011

RACING POST WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 28th 2011 WELLWISHERS THRONG THE STREETS OF DITCHEAT TO WELCOME HOME KAUTO STAR AFTER HIS KING GEORGE HEROICS ON MONDAY



RACING POST WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 28th 2011
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY DECEMBER 26th 2011 TO SUNDAY JANUARY 1st 2012
m.racingpost.com


TODAY'S CARDS Leopardstown. Leicester. Catterick. Lingfield. Wolverhampton. Limerick.
RACINGPOST.com  RELIVE KAUTO STAR'S INCREDIBLE CAREER IN PICTURES
http://www.racingpost.com/horses/home.sd?story=666625 

LOOK and LEARN from yesterday’s racing action December 27th 2011

VIEW SOME RPTV RACE RECORDINGS
LEE MOTTERSHEAD
NEWS YESTERDAY AT CHEPSTOW
CORAL WELSH NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE
WINNER
LE BEAU BAI a muddy marvel as he comes back for more
REVIEW CHEPSTOW YESTERDAY

RACING EDITION MEDIA

 http://www.racingpost.com/   Racing Post Television

COMING UP THIS WEEK IN THE RACING POST

TOMORROW MORE GREAT FESTIVE RACING 
"The mighty HURRICAN FLY is set to star in the ISTABRAQ Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown.

ALASTAIR DOWN The ever incisive writer looks back at the whip forore

PICTURES OF THE YEAR. 2011 through the lens of top photographer Edward Whitaker.
 

FRIDAY WHAT A YEAR!
RODNEY MASTERS charts the ups and downs of a dramatic 2011 in Bouquets and Brickbats
 

DON’T MISS THE RACING POST THIS FESTIVE SEASON


HORSERACING A UNIQUE AND REMARKABLE SPORT





Tuesday 27 December 2011

RACING POST TUESDAY DECEMBER 27th 2011 PRICEWISE ON THE CORAL WELSH GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE CHEPSTOW 2.10. 3m5f



RACING POST TUESDAY DECEMBER 27th 2011
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY DECEMBER 26th TO SUNDAY JANUARY 1st 2012


TODAY'S CARDS  Chepstow. Kempton Park. Wetherby. Southwell. Leopardstown and Limerick.

KAUTO STAR  

"EARNS legendry status with stunning fifth King George win Report, reaction and Alastair Down pages 2 - 6


JMC TURFCALL
KEY CONFIGURATIONS THAT CAME INTO SHARP FOCUS IN YESTERDAY'S KING GEORGE  GIVING KAUTO STAR THE EDGE OVER LONG RUN
The horses proved the ground at Kempton Park yesterday was more testing than advised. SAM WALEY-COHEN and LONG RUN found it difficult, the horse struggled when tiring, to get his big frame into winning mode, making a brave attempt to catch KAUTO STAR but not quite managing it. A brave, brave try though in these conditions.

RUBY WALSH and KAUTO STAR by far the most experienced horse in this race. His light frame, nimble step, terrific spring his love of life and the job in hand shone through confirming his great trust and confidence in RUBY WALSH, Clifford, Rose Loxton and Paul Nicholls Team Spirit at home,  where all the prep work is carried out, so often forgotten on the racecourse in the excitement of the moment.  




RPTIPPING

TOM (Pricewise) SEGAL The Punters Champion

ON THE WELSH GRAND NATIONAL Page 21.

Tom today has this to say "NOTHING any racehorse achieves today or any other day will surpass what happened at Kempton yesterday, but there are a couple of top-class staying handicaps to get stuck into in Wales and Ireland and it could be that RUBY WALSH is the man to concentrate on again.

"Once again RUBY proved himself the best ever with a brilliant ride on KAUTO STAR in the William Hill King George, and while he might have his work cut out on ON HIS OWN in the Paddy Power Chase (3.05) at Leopardstown, I think this is a well -handicapped horse who is a lot better than he has shown so far.

"The worry is his lack of experience in this big field of handicappers, but that is where Ruby's class comes in and, from his low weight, ON HIS OWN is going to take an awful lot of beating. .....



JMC TURFCALL COMMENT

The Racing Post bring us news this morning from PAUL ROY Chairman of the British Horseracing Authority Regulation (BHA) he tells us today that his
abiding wish for the New Year is  "To sort out the issues regarding the future funding of the sport." So why has he not managed to do this yet? Surely he has had plenty of time? Why did he allow the Government to sell the Tote when the Tote did not belong to the government in the first place?
 

Roy goes on to say this morning " I definitely think that things are moving forward on that' . But frankly speaking Mr Roy how do you think that anybody is going to believe you? Firstly you are a banker among bankers and we are all acutely aware at present the way the poorest of the poor in this country are getting ripped off each and every day by bankers.

The legal threat and persecution you place upon all those who have achieved bloodhorse literacy,  your purpose to bang as many as possible of them up in the tower of London, or send them to the gallows, appears to be far more your bloodhorse illiterate style.
 
The bloodhorse literate remain forgotten by the government, forgotten by the racecourses, forgotten by the bookmakers, forgotten by the public, forgotten by the BHA and Mr Roy, forgotten on the public highway, mow as many of them down as possible when you get the chance, forgotten in the bloodhorse illiterate Burnham Report, forgotten by Lord Donoghue and his bloodhorse illiterate government commission.

Government and BHA to encourage as many families as possible to have a day out at the races to aid further government theft.  Surely the government and BHA be called into question over running a bloodhorse illiterate Department of Culture Media and Sport?





Monday 26 December 2011

RACING POST BOXING DAY KING GEORGE SPECIAL MONDAY DECEMBER 26th 2011


BOXING DAY KING GEORGE SPECIAL

RACING POST BOXING DAY MONDAY
DECEMBER 26th 2011
KING KAUTO V?

"Last season's brilliant winner and Gold Cup hero LONG RUN plus superstar stablemate MASTER MINDED stand in the way of a sensational fifth
King George win for people's champion KAUTO STAR ."


Lavington Stud Petworth

PEERLESS PRICEWISE WITH TODAY'S BETTING PEARLS
THE PUNTERS CHAMPION

CARDS: Kempton. Wetherby. Wincanton. Ffos Las. Market Rasen. Wolverhampton. Huntingdon. Towcester. Fontwell. Leopardstown. Limerick and Down Royal.

Victor Chandler LIVE RACING ON YOUR MOBILE  victorchandler.com



Saturday 24 December 2011

RACING POST SATURDAY DECEMBER 24th 2011 CHRISTMAS EVE - INSIDE ALL THE CARDS AND FORM FOR A STELLAR BOXING DAY DON'T MISS IT



RACING POST CHRISTMAS EVE SATURDAY DECEMBER 24th 2011
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY 19th TO SUNDAY 25th DECEMBER CHRISTMAS DAY


RP HISTORIC MASTERPIECE - DON'T MISS IT -
STUDY AND LEARN
RP A KEY PART OF YOUR HORSERACING ADVENTURE

MONTY ROBERTS and BLUSHING ET JOIN UP
 

THE  OLDEST - YET THE VERY LATEST ADDITION TO A  TRULY REMARKABLE SPORT

Josh Gifford Team


RACING POST AND C4 LIVE RETURN ON BOXING DAY FOR KEMPTON PARK'S SPECTACULAR DAY OF ACTION.
JOIN UP
C4 LIVE THE MORNING LINE 8.30am to 9.25am
C4 LIVE AFTERNOON ACTION 1.15 - 3.40pm FROM KEMPTON PARK 1.50. 2.25. 3.00. 3.25

12 PLAYS OF CHRISTMAS "RP TIPSTER TEAM' ADD ALL THE SEASONING TO THE SPECTACULOR MIX OF COMPETITORS ALL FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN PLACE IN THE WINNERS ENCLOSURE

BUT WHICH 'TRAINERS TEAM' WILL BE FINDING THE GOLD IN THIS CHRISTMAS CRACKER? AND WILL THE  'RP TIPPING TEAM' BE ABLE TO ASSESS THE BEST 'DEAL OR NO DEAL' IN THIS CHRISTMAS THRILLER ?

A Racing Tack - Room


"PRESSURE IS ON LONG RUN INSISTS NICHOLLS" 

RUBY WALSH and KAUTO STAR JOIN UP



LEE MOTTERSHEAD picks up the vibs from champion trainer Paul Nicholls
"WALSH 'crucial' to KAUTO STAR'S bid for revenge in King George."

YES, YES, YES.


LEE  "It was WALSH partnering KAUTO STAR to a record- breaking four consecutive victories in racing's Christmas Classic but injury prevented him from participating in last season's rescheduled renewal, in which the iconic chaser could manage only a distant third under replacement rider TONY McCOY.
"When LONG RUN and KAUTO STAR renew rivalry on Monday, McCOY will be watching from the stands and WALSH competing from the back of his great friend, who delighted his legion of fans when defeating the King George and subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup hero in Haydock's Betfair Chase. Eight lengths separated the two mighty chasers on that occasion (19.11.2011) but Nicholls remains adamant that the one to beat is LONG RUN, the sponsor's
5-4 favourite for an enthralling King George that, as expected, retained all eight remaining entries - including KAUTO STAR'S stablemate MASTER MINDED - at yesterday's final declaration stage.
 
"The pressure isn't on us this season - it's on LONG RUN" said Nicholls. He's the reigning champion and we go into the race as underdog."

"Stressing the importance of having  WALSH aboard William Hill's 3-1 second favourite, Nicholls added: "One thing that is crucial is that RUBY rides him this season. I think that's worth an enormous amount to KAUTO."
"By saying that, I don't mean any criticism of TONY McCOY. "He was a bit unfortunate in last season's race. It was a very high -  pressure ride and he'd never sat on KAUTO in a race. RUBY has ridden him throughout his career, he know him better than anybody  and the two of them get on so well.

"RUBY gets such a tune out of KAUTO and the horse has so much confidence in him.  Having him on this time is worth a lot. It's a massive plus.

"In another change to last season's race, KAUTO STAR will be minus the noseband that was worn in 11 consecutive races until being removed at Haydock. There was no real reason why I took it off, just a gut feeling. We put it on him because he used to make the odd mistake and we wanted to help him to concentrate, but he seemed to jump better without it

"KAUTO STAR and his King George opponents seem likely to be watched by a typical large Christmas crowd, with Kempton yesterday warning that the track's premier enclosure could sell out on raceday. More than 20,000 racegoers watched KAUTO STAR win three of his four King Georges, while 14,489 turned up last January, when LONG RUN  triumphed in a contest moved from its traditional date due to bad weather.
"Kempton chief executive Amy Starkey said: "My expectation is that we will have over 20,000 people. We're going to be selling tickets until 1pm on Christmas Eve and there will be badges for sale in all enclosures on Boxing Day. However, there is limited availability in the premier enclosure, so I would advise anyone who wants to buy tickets for that to be here when gates open at 10am."
END
Who's going to win the King George? Michael Dickenson, two-time King George winner as a trainer "I was so impressed with LONG RUN in the Gold Cup that I would hope he could win the King George, I'm a big fan of his jockey, who is a superb horseman and rides very well."
END

JMC TURFCALL
If RUBY and  KAUTO perform as they did at Haydock on November 19th their brilliance will be unbeatable.  All the formidable fences at Kempton taken at racing pace demand an accuracy second to none, over 3 miles a gruelling test.  LONG RUN will undoubtably strip fitter this time, he is a much bigger horse than his senior, KAUTO STAR. 

 At dusk on Friday the track was saturated by heavy rain. Clerk of Course Barney Clifford said "I think everyone wants ground on the slow side of good and I think that's what we'll have."
DESERT ORCHID WON THIS RACE 4 TIMES

HEARTS WILL MOST DEFINITELY BE RACING
 AT KEMPTON PARK AT 3pm ON MONDAY


Friday 23 December 2011

RACING POST FRIDAY DECEMBER 23rd 2011 CHRISTMAS STARS HENRIETTA KNIGHT AND TERRY BIDDLECOMBE WHAT AN ACT TO FOLLOW THE TOPS

RACING POST FRIDAY DECEMBER 23rd 2011
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY DECEMBER 19th TO SUNDAY DECEMBER 25th 2011

CHRISTMAS WEEK WITH THE STARS TO INCLUDE THE HORSES

TODAY'S CARDS  Dundalk and Meydan  RPTIPPING with today's best bets http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/cards/home.sd 

C4 LIVE LINK CHRISTMAS INFO http://turfcallmorningline.blogspot.com/



CHRISTMAS STARS
"At the end of a traumatic year they're bidding for a third King George victory."

"Henrietta Knight and Terry Biddlecombe in a compelling and unmissable
 interview with Peter Thomas

KEMPTON KING?
Six key form specialists test their stamina to win the festive highlight. 



King George VI Runners and Riders



GREYHOUND PULLOUT INSIDE
BAGS TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL
JIM CREMIN "Super six to battle it out ...

CROWNING MOMENTS QUEEN OF THE TURF



The year that HAYLEY TURNER made her breakthrough to the big time and what a breakthrough it was  -  though 4 decades later on  .....
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2011

STAND BY FOR REAL LONG RUN THIS TIME
JON LEES
"Romantics dreaming of a fifth victory for KAUTO STAR  in the William Hill King George VI Chase were yesterday given a wake-up- call by SAM WALEY COHEN, "LONG RUN feels great."  LONG RUN, last season's conqueror of the former Kempton champion, will be "difficult to beat" when the two superstars reoppose on Monday ...... 

JMC TURFCALL The horse who performs best as the race pans out to be,  will win,  but which horse will that be? 


SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARDS
 THURSDAY DECEMBER 22nd 2011 BBC1


 
Winner MARK CAVENDISH


 
Tennis player NOVAK DJOKOVIC
 

Thursday 22 December 2011

RACING POST THURSDAY DECEMBER 22nd HIGHLIGHTS OF 2011 POUR MOI partner MICKAEL BARZALONA WINS THE BRITISH DERBY AT EPSOM

RACING POST THURSDAY DECEMBER 22nd 2011
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY DECEMBER 19th TO SUNDAY CHRISTMAS DAY 25th


TODAY'S CARDS  Hereford. Sedgefield. Southwell and Thurles. RPTIPPING page 8



"REMEMBER THIS? PETER THOMAS Relives the moment that left us all gasping as MICKAEL BARZALONA celebrated his thrilling Derby success with POUR MOI."
Pic MICKAEL BARZALONA stands up in his irons aboard POI MOI  BEFORE  passing the winning post, so sure he had won the British Derby.

JESSICA LAMB "Power pull plug on FLY betting after Stars cash
"They can do what they like' says trainer Mullins."


BLOODHORSE ILLITERATE BRITISH HORSERACING AUTHORITY  REGULATORS (BHA)

"BHA WARNED CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE to avoid a miscarriage of justice 
TONY SMURTHWAITE investigates the fallout from racing's biggest corruption case to see what lessons can be learned." 
 
 
 
TONY MARTIN  "Talks to the trainer better known for his handicapping exploits who believes he's found the horse to catapult him to an even bigger stage.
"Handicap king going into Grade A battle with BOG WARRIOR
Interview Jonathan Mullin. "Going into battle at the top level with WARRIOR...."

SPURS V CHELSEA " RPSPORT special on tonight's big Premier League clash, live on Sky."


“DON’T MISS THESE FESTIVE TREATS IN THE RACING POST TOMORROW

WIN £1,000 Put your knowledge to the test in our Christmas Quiz, sponsored by Betfair.



HENRIETTE KNIGHT  “SOMERBY’S trainer and her husband Terry Biddlecombe talk to Peter Thomas.”



ON SATURDAY CHRISTMAS EVE SPECIAL “Your chance to study all the Boxing Day cards, with full form and Spotlight verdicts.”






Tuesday 20 December 2011

RACING POST WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21st 2011 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

RACING POST WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21st 2011
RACING POST WEEK MONDAY DECEMBER 19th TO SUNDAY DECEMBER 25th 2011
racingpost.com/mobile


TODAY'S CARDS Ludlow. Ffos Lass. Wolverhampton Kempton and Downpatrick


HEAD TURNER "HAYLEY'S back with a smile at Kempton, ankle fine as TURNER makes her comeback ...

"HAYLEY TURNER blew away the cobwebs at Kempton yesterday with her first rides since breaking her left ankle four months ago, writes Bruce Jackson

"Turner,  who  suffered the injury at Bath at the end of August was pleased to be back after the enforced break to her spiralling career which reached new heights this year with her Group 1 sprint successes on DREAM AHEAD and MARGOT DID . "I've been riding out for the last month and just need to get stronger ....



By Tony O'Hehir "Mullins keeps own counsel over FLY run. HURRICANE FLY was yesterday installed 8-11 favourite by Paddy Power for next week's ISTABRAQ Festival Hurdle despite a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding his participation at Leopardstown."

"HIGHLIGHTS OF 2011
  Steve Dennis recalls the most controversial Grand National in years and the way the race has been altered in the face of a public outcry.
Pic " BALLABRIGGS DESERVES MORE PRAISE THAN HE RECEIVED BACK IN APRIL"
 
"FAREWELL TO THE MAN WHO HELPED RESTORE THE RACE'S FORTUNES.
"THE Grand National lost one of the staunchest defendants in September with the death of Ginger McCain, the lovable maverick  of a trainer who won the National four times and embodied the race more than any other  individual in the modern era.

  
"McCain's name - it was actually Donald, but everyone called him Ginger - will live for ever in racing legend alongside that of RED RUM, the sure - footed, Flat - bred national icon he trained to win the Aintree marathon three times, the only horse to achieve such a feat, RED RUM'S  exploits  made him the most famous horse in the world and ensured  McCain became a household name far beyond his unconventional yard in the back streets of Southport.
"Despite the emotional victory of AMBERLEIGH HOUSE in the 2004 National, 30 years after RED RUM'S second triumph. McCain was destined to be remembered for just one horse, a fact he recognised and was happily resigned to. "Everyone called me a one -  horse trainer but it never bothered me," he said. "I just used to laugh and say ' yeah, but what a bloody good job I made of the one I had."
 
"Always a straight talker on a multitude of touchy subjects and consequently no stranger to controversy, McCain was a one - off, a legend in his own lifetime. And for all his days of glory he may well have derived the greatest satisfaction of all from seeing his son Donald  carry on the family tradition with BALLABRIGGS.

"He died two days short of his 81st birthday. More than a thousand people attended his memorial service in Liverpool Cathedral; many millions mourned his passing.




STEVE DENNIS "NO WINNERS AT AINTREE - ONLY LOOSERS".

"ALWAYS a race to remember, the Grand National. The 2011 edition is no exception, although it may linger longest in the memory for all the wrong reasons.
 

"The event is occasionally labelled the 'peoples race', but unfortunately many people didn't like what they saw at Aintree this year, and the repercussions of that will be felt for years to come.

"The Grand National is under more pressure than any other race because more people watch it than any other race, and because it makes unique demands on the horses who compete and is perpetually under scrutiny  from those in the business of horse welfare and from those who imagine themselves in that business. This means that when things go wrong the whole world sees them go wrong. This year, quite a lot went wrong.


"The result itself was universally acclaimed as a satisfactory one , the gallant victory of BALLABRIGGS providing trainer Donald McCain with his first National and perpetuating  his family's outstanding record in the race.


"BALLABRIGGS  was well fancied, and trained, ridden and owned by popular members of the racing fraternity. Unfortunately, his victory quickly became something of a footnote to the outcry that broke around all heads in the immediate aftermath , which took two distinct aspects.

"Sometimes horses die in races. Death is an unavoidable fact of life; racing has its dangers and now and then horses  (and jockeys) fall prey to them. Joseph Stalin once said that "a million deaths are a statistic, one death is a tragedy ."

"It may be unpalatable to admit it but the case exists for adapting that doctrine for use in the public perception of racing like so - 'one death at out-of-the-way Fontwell is a statistic , one death in the white-hot-glare of Aintree is a tragedy.'

"Unfortunately, two horses were killed in the Grand National; ORNAIS fell at the fourth and broke his neck, DOONEY'S GATE fell at Becher's two fences later and broke his back. This was very bad; what made it worse was that on the second circuit the bodies of both horses remained where they fell, ORNAIS covered by a tarpaulin and DOONEY'S GATE shrouded in screens but both eminently visible to uncountable millions of  television viewers as exactly what they were - two dead horses.
  
"For the first time ever, the field was waved around the fences where ORNAIS and DOONEY'S GATE lay. This innovation, made possible by the narrowing of all the 'country fences' at Aintree, undoubtedly prevented even more unpleasant scenes and credit is due the Aintree executives for this initiative. The damage, though, was already done.

TIME up the long final fence and the line. No question of cruelty is applicable; it was, however, excessive use and the stewards banned Maguire for five days as a result.

"As the horses pulled up after passing the line, their jockeys dismounted and the horses were doused with buckets of water. This had the effect of suggesting to the uninformed that every finisher was on the verge of collapse, when this was certainly not the case.

"It was an unseasonably hot day and after four and a half miles were indeed in need of being cooled down. The buckets of water had been planned in advance and were not designated as an emergency measure - unfortunately, no-one told the media, who could only surmise, speak and write the worst when all the jockeys jumped off and the water was liberally applied.

"In all, then, the once-a-year viewing public were witness to horses killed in action, thrashed in order to win and then saved from collapse only by for desperate measures. From such a narrow perspective it looked very bad. There were complaints to the BBC and to the RSPCA, and the good name of the National was dragged through the mud.

"Had the day been overcast and had BALLABRIGGS won more easily, thus removing the need for Maguire to be so energetic, the occasion would have been  spared much of the public opprobrium. Chance is a major eliment in racing and Aintree and the National were unlucky.

"These days, though, the facts must not be allowed to get in the way of public perception, however uninformed or ignorant that may be. As racing seeks to woo a wider audience it must consider even the opinions of those who have little interest in the sport, with all the consequences that entails.

"The National fences have been altered - the fence that claimed ORNAIS has been trimmed by two inches, the ground on the landing side of Becher's

Brook has been raised to mitigate the drop. Other minor alterations have been implemented, although fears that both the field size and the lengthy run in to the first fence would be reduced were not realised.

"Cries of 'now it's just a glorified hurdle race' were heard, although not taken seriously. The Grand National still has it's teeth, it is still a fearsome test. And so it must remain.
  
"MAGUIRE'S whip ban may have contributed to the BHA's (bloodhorse illiterate) revision of the whip rules, although the process had begun months beforehand.  The necessity to be seen to be doing something to allay public disquiet about the whip was no doubt a factor in the new rules, a necessity impelled by the reaction to what must now be termed a fateful  day at Aintree in April.

"Next year, of course, the pressure before the Grand National will be even greater. All the horses must come home safely, all the jockeys must remember the new whip rules in the heat of competition, otherwise our motives will again come under fire. Those who seek to undermine the race and racing itself will be even more alert than usual for anything that might be considered unacceptable, no matter how unavoidable or unforeseen it may be.

"Of course BALLABRIGGS may well return for a second National, and should he defy convention by landing a famous double will get the perception and recognition he merits, which he merited last time. There were no winners in the 2011 Grand National, only losers - and BALLABRIGGS deserves better than that."



J MARGARET CLARKE TURFCALL
THE RIDING STANDARD'S of all those with rides in each and every National have or should have foremost in their mind, care for all the other competitors especially the horses, to ensure room enough is given to gallop and jump safely, not dangerously close up in a huddle of horses. Owners do not own horses to see them get badly injured, maimed  or killed in races, or at home in training.

Each licensed rider needs a coach throughout their riding career,  just as in other sports.  eg - you never see a tennis player competing at Wimbledon without a coach.

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW THE 2011 GRAND NATIONAL PANNED OUT TO BE


 



THE RACING POST - BE IN THE KNOW

 
HORSERACING A UNIQUE AND REMARKABLE SPORT