31st August 2017

David’s Phoebe and Amadoue have come out of their races in fine fettle.

Quiet canters for most this morning, the 3 year olds all jumped a hurdle under a saddle for the first time having got started over the tyres earlier in the week. They all jumping willingly and accurately, there is no substitute for loose schooling, it teaches the babies to be quick on their feet and adjust accordingly. Those that will be running in p2p’s will be jumping a baby fence on Saturday morning. We do not want them getting bad habits jumping hurdles too often and the sooner they respect a fence the better.

Flashing Glance runs at Bangor tomorrow afternoon, it is a competitive enough race on paper, albeit, a small field. I long for the day when I no longer write that Flashing Glance is work in progress. He settled nicely at Ayr yet his behavior at home wouldn’t have suggested he was going to. Tomorrow is no different and we can only hope he respects the hurdles and settles. His schooling on Wednesday can only be described as rapid!

Much has been written about Davy Russell and his actions when looking at a practice hurdle, the case is now going to be revisited by the Irish Turf Club. What Davy did is inexcusable, there is simply no room for that type of carry on. I have worked for some very highly respected horsemen and believe as good as definition of any horseman is one who knows when to give a horse a slap and when to give it a pat. Davy saw red at the horses’ antics and his actions are rightly going to land him in hot water. I am not defending Davy as his actions are undefinable. However, I saw a jockey celebrating a victory in such a manner is caused a lot more stress to the horse who had just ran his heart out than anything Davy Russell did. I have not seen this man on trial through social media or in fact by the racing authorities. You do not have to strike a horse to cause it unnecessary distress. This I am afraid sums up the lack of knowledge of keyboard warriors and in fact, those who police our sport. Both cases looked and were appalling and both should be addressed.

I feel a lot more sympathy towards the winning horse who had a man jumping up and down on his back waving his whip frantically and roaring like a lion than a horse getting a thump on the fat of its neck. There is no place for either in front or behind cameras.