Predictive text or Freudian slip trudij! Either way Barbaric does apply, even though connections did what they did out of love for the horse. Also look at poor St Nicholas Abbey and Red. I do wish a lot of people I know understood how difficult it is to treat horses.
#YourStorm
Mr Brightside
All posts are based on the following:
I know what I'm talking about/ I'm having a stab in the dark
I'm bored/ You're an idiot and I'm poking you with sticks
#YourStorm
Mr Brightside
All posts are based on the following:
I know what I'm talking about/ I'm having a stab in the dark
I'm bored/ You're an idiot and I'm poking you with sticks
Interesting that both Nico de B and Lizzie Kelly wondered whether the Grand Annual was the right race to have as the get out stakes ? I would promote the Martin Pipe up the card and return the County Hurdle to its traditional slot .
Poliglote.
What reasons does Alastair Down give Ardross?
Due to pumped up human emotion going into the last race (the jockeys that is) and a 2m hurdle race being safer than a chase under those conditions.
Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."
Was dark in those days , they started at 5.50 if they were lucky, remember standing in front of the winners enclosure when Winnie The Witch came in, everyone else had gone home.
It's speed that kills and the number of runners is a contributory factor.
Totally unconnected with that, I'd make the bumper the last race.
The older I get the better I was.
Bumper used to be the last race, as I'm sure you know Archie, but it's bordering on a novelty race as it is and runs the risk of attracting little interest if moved to the very last. I'd imagine that's one of the reasons for the move in the first place.
I'd put the Gold Cup last personally. There's a real "after the lord mayor's show" feel about the course for the last three races on Friday at present and this would eliminate that immediately. I'm not sure what the chances of a low winter sun are in this month - as that would completely scupper the idea - but I don't ever recall it causing a problem with the County or Grand Annual.
Something quite fitting about saving the best to last as well - in an Arc type way.
Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."
I wouldn't change anything because I really don't see what difference it'll make. The issue was the landing side of the fencw. We've never seen this problem before, and now there are suggestions things should be moved around. The same number of races would have been run on the same courses so the ground would have been an issue anyway.
The first circuit pile-up in the Grand Annual was caused by too many runners and too many gung ho jockeys. There is no 'tradition' argument for the last race being the Grand Annual and, if the bumper is so unpopular, it will result in a much more ordered exit from the course for spectators. It's a no brainer if it keeps the RSPCA onside.
The older I get the better I was.
I agree: make the GC the last race. Start earlier that day if the sun is a concern. Very much an anti-climax feeling for the races after it. It would make getting out of the course/car parks more of an effort, but so what? I personally love the bumper and always stay for all the races anyway so makes no difference to me what order they are in, but think the GC would 'sit better' as the last race.
Can' see them ever running the CGC as last race on the card, There's normally fresh turf railed off for it, and the furore over the over the ground for the last race, this year, would be magnified tenfold.