Some recent scribblings on Mick O'Toole for De Paper in case you can't sleep.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breaki...ad-867346.html
"And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.
And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."
Carl (14th September 2018), Desperate Dan (13th September 2018), edgt (13th September 2018), Grey (13th September 2018), Tanlic (14th September 2018)
Read it online last Saturday morning while I was having breakfast -a tremendously enjoyable read.
an capall (14th September 2018)
Thanks Colm. A fantastic read as always.
Enjoyable stuff cheers
Formely Fist of Fury
Sam Morshead has passed away aged only 63. V sad to read. I met him on a few occasions and he came across as a really nice guy.
tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito
Carl (26th September 2018)
Margaret Findlay (mother of Harry Findlay), owner of Denman passed away yesterday.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha who owned Beat the Bank and yesterday’s dead-heater Morando under the King Power Racing banner sadly confirmed dead in Leicester helicopter accident with four others
RIP
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sad to hear of the death of Nick Embiricos who with his wife Valda and their trainer Josh Gifford loyally kept the faith with Bob Champion during his long illness before he famously won the Grand National for them on Aldaniti.
The ordering of the paragraphs in that blog are mind-boggingly insensitive.
"And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.
And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."
Two of note this week.
Noel Reid of RTE Racing; he was the Saturday Racing face of Sports Stadium having been roving reporter on Airs And Races RTE Radio with Val Joyce when I was a lad.
Miles Napier, a bloodstock expert who wrote a few books on pedigree and had a weekly column in Irish Field among other publications
Rest in Peace both
granger (9th February 2019), redundant pal (9th February 2019)
Great memories, some people will find it hard to imagine that outside of live RTE broadcasts Sports Stadium was the only way to catch up on races of note from the past week (they showed the last few jumps/furlongs) if you weren't there in person.
I have reams of old cassettes with Noel and his choice blazers from years gone by stored away somewhere!
Peter Bailey, trainer of the 1970s.
Canasta Lad his best horse , a top hurdler before Arkle Chase victory in 1974.
Zeta's Son won a Hennessey and Prince Rock was a top staying chaser placed in Irish National behind Tied Cottage and in Welsh National also.
Probably an apocryphal tale but Cash had been mugged a short head on yet another MVOB good thing and was leaving the unsaddling enclosure at The Park when a Dublin voice rang out.
"Go way outta dat, Asmussen. Ye couldn't even ride Cathy Barry,"
Cash turns around and responds "Give me her number and I'll give it a try."
If only he'd been that smart in the saddle.
(*If Cathy Barry is looking in I am assured that he didn't mean you. It was the other one.)
Last edited by an capall; 21st February 2019 at 10:00 AM.
"And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.
And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."
Cash was king. The most stylish and sympathetic jockey you ever saw, who rode in Ireland for a great stable but at the wrong time, when it was going into decline. I thought he really brightened up the scene while he was around and and when he moved on to France he confirmed what a great jockey he was.
I was at The Park one wet Friday evening when Cash won the first four races, led all the way, came from way off the pace, hugged the near tail, came up mid track, super stuff.
After win number four he says * You can wheel Cathy out now guys, guess I'm ready for her *
Really sad to see that Sue Bradburne has died aged 70.
tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito
Yes, so sad, she is local to me so was one of the first trainers I really followed when getting into racing as a teenager. Thoughts with all her family.
It would be nice to see Lake View Lad do well next week as I think she was involved a bit with the training at Neil Alexander's before her illness.