The Galway Races tips/thoughts/drink/gossip/fashion

Jump racing is certainly nowhere near as bad. Wouldnt have much time for the flat racing

Jumps racing is for horses not fast enough for the flat plus a few decent French Breds.

Packemakers make it fairer for everyone. If Aidan didn't use them, then other trainers would. In Sea The Stars' next race, Oxx will run a pacemaker, I gaurantee that. Perhaps, horses should be declared as pacemakers so that we know what they are doing.

To be fair anyone who follows racing has a fair idea what an outsider of OBriens will be doing but yeah a declaration wouldnt be a bad idea. Still dont think a pace setter is fair, if say Rip Van Winkle wanted that pace yesterday then let the jockey and horse go and set its own pace. That pace setter was there to benefit OBriens horse, im sure it did not suit all horses in the field so i fail to see how it makes it fair. Its the way flat racing is, i dont really care just think the sporting side of it is non existant when horses are only there to benefit their stablemates and not to try and win themselves. If Rip Van Winkle is a worthy 6-4 favourite let it go out set its own pace and prove it.

Sea the Stars won the Epsom Derby(as I said he would) thanks largely to Kinanes understanding of Ballydoyles approach to pace-making. Golden Sword and age of Aquarius set no gallop at all and incredibly fame and glory and the other more facied O briens were out the back. Oxxs jockey had seat the stars poised and how Murtagh thought he was ever gonna accelerate past a 2000 guineas winner at the finish after the slow pace I'll never know. Kinane was laughing in his stirrups while the under his top hat and sunglasses O Brien must have been seething.

Ladies Day

mossbags wrote:Sea the Stars won the Epsom Derby(as I said he would) thanks largely to Kinanes understanding of Ballydoyles approach to pace-making. Golden Sword and age of Aquarius set no gallop at all and incredibly fame and glory and the other more facied O briens were out the back. Oxxs jockey had seat the stars poised and how Murtagh thought he was ever gonna accelerate past a 2000 guineas winner at the finish after the slow pace I'll never know. Kinane was laughing in his stirrups while the under his top hat and sunglasses O Brien must have been seething.

Kinane outrode Murtagh that day alright. But they were full sure that Rip Van Winkle was a superstar before the race so I wasn't overly surprised how he was ridden. He was also held up presumably because there were doubts about the trip.

Alot of sick punters in Galway after that. Serious gamble on the favourite all day

The War Office and myself were over in Galway for a few days break from the stress' of life and enjoyed a pleasant few days in the city and it's environs.
Having no interest in racing per se. I dragged myself to Ballybrit on Weds. to escape a day of retail therapy which is a favourite pastime of herself and we both enjoyed ourselves.
Having made no money punting and "purchased" yet more unwanted and indeed useless tat, we adjourned for the bit of grub and visited some of the city's famed hostelries where despite talks of gloom, revellers continued to enjoy themselves.
In fact, the city centre was buzzing on the 3 nights we were there. The gloom of last weekend had melted from the minds of the locals as they enjoyed the carnival atmosphere generated by visiting aliens from remote areas.
The absence of the much beloved Fíanna Fáil tent has diminished this once great event Irish cultural event permanently however.
Nothing like the oul' feeling of welcoming that Bertie and all his buddies could create.