Stradivarius wins his second straight Gold Cup. A horse with a lot of GUTS.
on a lighter note; if anyone wants to talk Aiden Obrien into retiring his last place finisher, Cypress Creek, with me; that’d be great. He’s a lovely horse. by Galileo. Owned by Coolmore
The Ascot race card (programme) has the horse’s groom listed as well as owner, trainer and jockey, a new thing in UK racing, and to be welcomed.
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He’s something! How tall is he? They always talk about what a bitty thing he is…
I thought about this when I watched Harry Bentley beat Frankie Dettori out of a fifth win today. He was doing some serious whipping as he drove Biometric to pass Frankie and Turgenev in the Britannia. But it must not have been a problem for the stewards as none of the commentators ever mentioned id. And the bookmakers were all glad Frankie didn’t win that one.
[quote=“snaffle1987,post:22,top
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It depends if they are swinging the whip or actually hitting the horse.
they will fine him. it usually happens in the days afterwards. Grand national jockeys have been repeatedly set down for excessive whipping. Unfortunately, the fines aren’t steep enough for them to care.
15.3, I think someone said.
Yes. Good to hear. Thank you for posting that. 
Yes, I heard this morning that he received a 2-day ban. Slap on the wrist.
Too bad they can’t take him out back and penalize him in kind! Not really, but it is a thought … 
You do know they use specialized whips that crack loud but are soft padded, right? And some riders can earn thousands of dollars each racing day in fees.
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yes but they are not the new style whips being tested in America that look like rods to beat an animal with.
I don’t care how padded or cushioned a whip is. Lets take one and hit you with it full swing and see how much it hurts. Now go use it on a horse that has significant more sensitive nerve endings in the skin than humans. Padded racing whips have been in use for awhile now and Barbara Livingston can testify to the photographic evidence she has of damage done to horses .
The whips used in Britain also have a lot of flex to them, offering a nice crack when used full swing for some extra force. Go look at the slow-mo of dettori coming down to the wire holding his whip forward in his hand on the crest of the neck. the whip flexes so much, its bending over the ears of the horse and touching its forehead.
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The British whips pre-date the new American whips that Ramon developed. Have you ever held a racing whip? I thought so. Did you know you can get them custom made? I still have a few. I’ve swung many a whip and the new whips are much much much more humane. How many horses have you led back to the barn after a race? I can count on one hand the ones that had whip marks, and that’s going back into the 80s. I’ve never had to treat any “damage” done to horses from the use of the whip, and I’ve never heard of anyone having to do so. And funny how after a race the horses jog back to the stretch to be untacked willingly with their ears pricked, not fearful or anxious or upset like they would if they had truly been “beaten” with a whip. You really need to get yourself to a racing barn and get some real life experience before passing judgment on those who live the life. Reading stuff and watching it on TV is not a valid substitute.
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Speaking of racing…got a question. Do they run all their two year olds staightaway only and when would they typically be introduced to racing around a turn? Or do they not worry about it until they run more distance as slightly older horses and have to go around a turn? Realize it’s track specific but what distance typically needs a turn over there?
Just curious. Of course here our tracks are smaller and some discuss the challenge of going around two turns.
And go Hailey, first female jock to win at Ascot in over 32 years ???
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good question. I actually really enjoy their straight-away races. they are fun to watch and the races seem to be much more competitive.
As each racecourse in the UK is unique, whether a 2 yr old runs round a bend depends on where it is entered to race. However, as all British and Irish horses are trained in specialist stables located away from the race track they will be educated to run round curves at home.
Also, the “competitive” straight-away races are short sprints, more the American style of speed out of the gate. Longer races are more tactical and do not require flat out speed all the way. It is a different thing to win over 6 furlongs or over 2 miles.
Congratulations to Hayley! I’m glad to see women doing well as jockeys over there.
Yes, of course, but my question relates more to racing at 6 furlongs WITH a turn compared to racing 6f down a straightaway. Rounding a turn with a field of 2 year olds in race conditions is quite different then schooling it at home, wondering if it was preferable to start them on straightaways adding the strategy and crowding a turn in race conditions involves as they get more seasoned and are ready for more distance.
