[dtcdtcdtc]

Silvestre De Sousa has joined Godolphin as Frankie's number 2

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/n...2.html&BID=464

I thought he may replace Hills in working for Hamdam

[swingaleg]

Paul Hanagan has signed up for Sheik Hamdam as Hill's replacement

I wonder if this means that Hanagan and de Sousa are effectively out of the running for the jockey's title this year ?

[swingaleg]

Nice to see that Fontwell have named a race after Lough Derg today...........his win in their feature race a few years ago was a highlight of his career...............

[dtcdtcdtc]

William Buick sufferred a broken jaw after a 'random attack' in a night club in Dubai

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/hor...-incident.html

[tso]

Kauto Star 50-50 to line up after Schooling Fall.

[BillyBatty]

Bloody A P Mccoy. Why does he lose whenever I back him riding the favourite.
He only does well on 4/1 odds+ horses

[dtcdtcdtc]

The new whip rules come into effect today. Jockeys can still use it the same number of times but the steward will have more scope to apply leniancy

[dtcdtcdtc]

The BBC have lost coverage of it's horse racing to Channel 4 in'a bidding war'

Radio rights for racing remain the subject of continuing negotiations.


Part of the beebs' policy of reducing it's spend on live sport

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/17423844


EDIT Just saw that darren had already mentined this on the NH tipping thread

[jake1981]

Originally Posted by dtcdtcdtc

The BBC have lost coverage of it's horse racing to Channel 4 in'a bidding war'

Radio rights for racing remain the subject of continuing negotiations.
Part of the beebs' policy of reducing it's spend on live sport

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/17423844


EDIT Just saw that darren had already mentined this on the NH tipping thread

It's the radio bit that worres me. Really enjoyed this weeks coverage on 5-live
There's lots of good TV coverage on ATR and Racing UK already but not much available on 'normal' radio apart from radio 5.
Don't know how far away car-radios are from picking up internet streams
Only a personal view but I hope Talksport don't get these rights

[Darren Lethem]

Originally Posted by jake1981

It's the radio bit that worres me. Really enjoyed this weeks coverage on 5-live
There's lots of good TV coverage on ATR and Racing UK already but not much available on 'normal' radio apart from radio 5.
Don't know how far away car-radios are from picking up internet streams
Only a personal view but I hope Talksport don't get these rights

With most smartphones these days you can get so many channels. I have an iPhone and through Tune In Radio app i can get any station through that.

But also I listen to the racing ( as I dont have RUK ) through either William Hill Radio or Racing Post website online. They have comprehensive coverage on there,

[dtcdtcdtc]

Montjeu has died (aged 16)
Won 6 Group Ones and sired 3 Epsom Derby winners
.


http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/n...7.html&BID=464

[swingaleg]

RIP Montjeu..........I think he'd just started to get his first Cheltenham Festival winners as well

I don't remember him racing as his career was entirely during a period I was 'having a break' from the sport

Something I did notice when I came back is how they've messed up the Donny Meeting which is the traditional start of the Flat - making it 2 days instead of 3 and shunting it to Sat/Sun

The Brocklesby used to kick off the meeting on the Thursday and was a source of great excitement - first race of the season, first look at the two year olds

Now it's not even the first 2yo race of the season as Kempton have taken advantage of it's being moved to mid way through the card to get a maiden race in earlier on the same day

Sacrilege !.............

[Big Dipper]

Originally Posted by swingaleg

The Brocklesby used to kick off the meeting on the Thursday and was a source of great excitement - first race of the season, first look at the two year olds.

One of my memory cells agrees with that but the other one doesn't.

Cell #2 holds a distant recall of a large field of apprentice ridden horses opening the meeting, after which someone would always point out that a hitherto anonymous boy was now the country's leading rider.

For half an hour, that is.

[swingaleg]

Originally Posted by Big Dipper

One of my memory cells agrees with that but the other one doesn't.

Cell #2 holds a distant recall of a large field of apprentice ridden horses opening the meeting, after which someone would always point out that a hitherto anonymous boy was now the country's leading rider.

For half an hour, that is.

Now that you mention it............that rings a bell with me ....



Maybe the 'Brock' wasn't the first race.........

Any other old codgers here who can remember ?

[dtcdtcdtc]

Relying on(an old) memory but I think the apprentice race was the first on the card maybe about1.30. Channel 4's coverage would have started about 1.55 and the first televised race would have been the Brockelsby.
I seem to remember that there was a mile handicap on the card as well that seemed to be often won by a horse fit from hurdling.
Can't remember from before . Not sure if the Beeb covered it

[swingaleg]

Done a bit of digging and found the RP results from when it was a Thursday start - 1996

First race was an apprentice handicap
Second race was a Ladies handicap !
Third race was the Brocklesby..........

[swingaleg]

Whilst we're reminiscing about the start of the Flat in the olden days...........anyone remember all the newspapers having 'They're Off' headlines.........

Nowadays with the all weather flat racing, Meydan, and the early starts in France and Ireland the start of the turf flat season just slips in as another meeting, bit sad really

[dtcdtcdtc]

The all-weather jockeys tiltle was clinched yesterday by Jo Fanning with 89 wins with Luke Morris second on 86
The Turf season jockey 's title race begins today and the betting is wide open
Ryan Moore is the 3/1 jolly with Richard Hughes out to 6/1 from 5/2 after his ban which lasts until May.

[swingaleg]

Originally Posted by swingaleg

RIP Montjeu..........I think he'd just started to get his first Cheltenham Festival winners as well

I don't remember him racing as his career was entirely during a period I was 'having a break' from the sport

Been catching up with Montjeu as RUK have been showing tributes to him .............blimey,. he was good !

He was winning those G1 races on the bit !

[dtcdtcdtc]

Kirsty Milczarek has been successful in having her 2 year ban for corruption cancelled

Full Story

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Wed
.
Be interesting to see how many stables give her rides

[Big Dipper]

Sorry to bang on about Hunt Ball but as a reminder the horse has gone up to 154 following his Cheltenham win last month from a starting point of 68 last November (up 86lb in 4 months).

Using Riverside Theatre (170) as a guide Hunt Ball will have to improve another 16lb or thereabouts to win the Betfred Bowl today. If he does win, or runs well, thus going up yet again I would be seriously surprised if his feat is not an all-time record for scale of improvement. Maybe it is already.

The only horse I'm aware of that comes near Hunt Ball was Venn Ottery who improved from 64 in July 2003 to a mark of 149 in March 2004 (up 85lb in 8 months).

On the flat I can recall Halling rising from 64+ to 134 (up 70lb) from 3 to 4 but there's probably a bigger rise than this somewhere in the record books.

I really hope Hunt Ball wins but it's asking a lot.

[swingaleg]

Yes, I was trying to think of an analogy this morning..........it's like going from the League below the Conference to being near the top of the Premier League in one season.........

Must be the horse of the year !

[tso]

Are the later races behind the red button ?

[swingaleg]

Originally Posted by tso

Are the later races behind the red button ?

it doesn't say it in Radio Times

The Wm Hill Rep just been on RUK.......apparently they've just taken the biggest single bet in the company's history.........

someone has put half a million quid on Big Bucks........

[tso]

[quote=swingaleg;57617500The Wm Hill Rep just been on RUK.......apparently they've just taken the biggest single bet in the company's history.........

someone has put half a million quid on Big Bucks........[/QUOTE]

...