Posted a photo yesterday of Lester Piggott in the silks of Charles St George, owner of many good horses including Ardross and Bruni. I’ve found this which I posted years ago on an online forum about an early (and salutary) betting experience. £8 in 1976 would equal about £55 today. Different times.
November 6, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Posted a photo yesterday of Lester Piggott in the silks of Charles St George, owner of many good horses including Ardross and Bruni. I’ve found this which I posted years ago on an online forum about an early (and salutary) betting experience. £8 in 1976 would equal about £55 today. Different times.
Remembering Lester Piggott on what would have been his 90th birthday. One of the very few sportsmen who can truly be called “great” and “legendary”, he rode thousands of winners from the 1940s to the 1990s and generations of racing fans rightly revere him as the ultimate big-race jockey.
November 5, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Remembering Lester Piggott on what would have been his 90th birthday. One of the very few sportsmen who can truly be called “great” and “legendary”, he rode thousands of winners from the 1940s to the 1990s and generations of racing fans rightly revere him as the ultimate big-race jockey.
It’s not just horses and ponies in the house. This advert for stoves appears in the current edition of Country Life.
November 4, 2025 at 10:13 AM
It’s not just horses and ponies in the house. This advert for stoves appears in the current edition of Country Life.
This is interesting. Well, it is to me. These early-closers all specify penalties for winners “after November 2” - today, a Sunday. It’s always been a Saturday, previously. So, Resplendent Grey, winner today at Carlisle, doesn’t get a penalty but runs at Newbury off what mark? 147? Or a new one?
November 2, 2025 at 10:15 PM
This is interesting. Well, it is to me. These early-closers all specify penalties for winners “after November 2” - today, a Sunday. It’s always been a Saturday, previously. So, Resplendent Grey, winner today at Carlisle, doesn’t get a penalty but runs at Newbury off what mark? 147? Or a new one?
Article is behind a paywall but this is on the Telegraph website this evening.
November 2, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Article is behind a paywall but this is on the Telegraph website this evening.
Promising two-year-old winner for Dylan Cunha at Bath yesterday and very well bought at just 20,000 euros given the excellent pedigree. But it’s to be hoped that punters, commentators and (in particular) on-course bookmakers play the game when pronouncing his name.
October 31, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Promising two-year-old winner for Dylan Cunha at Bath yesterday and very well bought at just 20,000 euros given the excellent pedigree. But it’s to be hoped that punters, commentators and (in particular) on-course bookmakers play the game when pronouncing his name.
Interesting snippet in the Saint-Cloud report from @seenthestars.bsky.social in the Racing Post. Presumably, Wildenstein told O’Brien that he was taking all his horses away even though APOB didn’t train any for him.
October 27, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Interesting snippet in the Saint-Cloud report from @seenthestars.bsky.social in the Racing Post. Presumably, Wildenstein told O’Brien that he was taking all his horses away even though APOB didn’t train any for him.
This is so poor. Bal Kauto won off 109 last time, ridden by Kenneally (claimed 7lbs) and was put up to 117, runs off that today. Same jockey and claim. So, he’s 8lbs higher. “𝐁𝐮𝐭 MK rides again with his 7lb claim” is superfluous, misleading and amounts to double counting. Alistair Jones the culprit.
October 26, 2025 at 12:09 PM
This is so poor. Bal Kauto won off 109 last time, ridden by Kenneally (claimed 7lbs) and was put up to 117, runs off that today. Same jockey and claim. So, he’s 8lbs higher. “𝐁𝐮𝐭 MK rides again with his 7lb claim” is superfluous, misleading and amounts to double counting. Alistair Jones the culprit.
I enjoy NH well enough but struggle a bit with Cheltenham being the principal meeting of the day at this early stage. This used to be a low-key midweek meeting. Prize money’s gone up, fair enough, but it shouldn’t be overshadowing decent fare at Doncaster and Newbury (particularly the G1 tomorrow).
October 24, 2025 at 9:17 AM
I enjoy NH well enough but struggle a bit with Cheltenham being the principal meeting of the day at this early stage. This used to be a low-key midweek meeting. Prize money’s gone up, fair enough, but it shouldn’t be overshadowing decent fare at Doncaster and Newbury (particularly the G1 tomorrow).
Crikey.
October 22, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Crikey.
Jenrick’s ludicrous claims to remember 80s football terraces calls to mind Priti Patel’s Commons speech after Thatcher’s death. “Fully aware” as a young girl in the 1970s of the country’s“disastrous state” in a decade which ended when she was seven. She was six during the “winter of discontent”.
October 18, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Jenrick’s ludicrous claims to remember 80s football terraces calls to mind Priti Patel’s Commons speech after Thatcher’s death. “Fully aware” as a young girl in the 1970s of the country’s“disastrous state” in a decade which ended when she was seven. She was six during the “winter of discontent”.
Great times at the yearling sales at Newmarket this week for vendors, agents, auctioneers and the rest but at least Julian Dollar of Newsells Park is keeping his feet on the ground: “If and when one or two of those players drop out, who’s going to take their place?”
October 11, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Great times at the yearling sales at Newmarket this week for vendors, agents, auctioneers and the rest but at least Julian Dollar of Newsells Park is keeping his feet on the ground: “If and when one or two of those players drop out, who’s going to take their place?”
Excellent letter in today’s Post from Malcolm McEwan who apparently wishes to see single-figure Arc fields in the future.
October 9, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Excellent letter in today’s Post from Malcolm McEwan who apparently wishes to see single-figure Arc fields in the future.
Howler from Matt Chapman during ATR’s Arc coverage on Sunday. About to interview Princess Zahra Aga Khan, calls her (out of her hearing, fortunately) “Princess Haya”. Princess Haya is, of course, the Jordanian ex-wife of Sheikh Mohammed, divorced from him in hugely acrimonious circumstances.
October 7, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Howler from Matt Chapman during ATR’s Arc coverage on Sunday. About to interview Princess Zahra Aga Khan, calls her (out of her hearing, fortunately) “Princess Haya”. Princess Haya is, of course, the Jordanian ex-wife of Sheikh Mohammed, divorced from him in hugely acrimonious circumstances.
Diamond Necklace impressive in the Boussac. Has obvious Oaks credentials but if I am interpreting these sectionals correctly* she won a relative speed test yesterday, so she’s a likely 1000G prospect as well. Main worry for potential backers is O’Brien’s recent Guineas record.
*𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘥
*𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘥
October 6, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Diamond Necklace impressive in the Boussac. Has obvious Oaks credentials but if I am interpreting these sectionals correctly* she won a relative speed test yesterday, so she’s a likely 1000G prospect as well. Main worry for potential backers is O’Brien’s recent Guineas record.
*𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘥
*𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘥
Excellent content, courtesy of @simonrowlands.bsky.social
October 6, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Excellent content, courtesy of @simonrowlands.bsky.social
I posted this the other day to have a bit of a go at his comments on the Arc draw but Alistair Jones’ weather forecasting skills also leave a bit to be desired: “There might be a drop here or there but nothing like enough to get into the ground”.
October 5, 2025 at 8:58 AM
I posted this the other day to have a bit of a go at his comments on the Arc draw but Alistair Jones’ weather forecasting skills also leave a bit to be desired: “There might be a drop here or there but nothing like enough to get into the ground”.
Arc day dawns and the William Hill website is at it again with the entirely made-up Racing Post Verdicts. Croix Du Nord has won at the course but it was over 10f not 12f and if anyone can find the footage of Minnie Hauk and/or Kalpana winning over C&D I’d be interested to hear from them.
October 5, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Arc day dawns and the William Hill website is at it again with the entirely made-up Racing Post Verdicts. Croix Du Nord has won at the course but it was over 10f not 12f and if anyone can find the footage of Minnie Hauk and/or Kalpana winning over C&D I’d be interested to hear from them.
Bin Suroor interview is behind a paywall but for those able to see it it’s a very good piece by Lee Mottershead who states (accurately): “No explanation has ever been offered for why the support given to [SBS] has dropped markedly in recent years”. They should let him train for outside owners.
October 3, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Bin Suroor interview is behind a paywall but for those able to see it it’s a very good piece by Lee Mottershead who states (accurately): “No explanation has ever been offered for why the support given to [SBS] has dropped markedly in recent years”. They should let him train for outside owners.
There’s much discussion about the effect of the draw in the Arc but no real dispute that there is an effect. However, this extract from the Racehorses of 1976 essay on Arc winner Ivanjica shows that back then Timeform were dismissive of suggestions that it was significant. How times have changed.
October 3, 2025 at 1:55 PM
There’s much discussion about the effect of the draw in the Arc but no real dispute that there is an effect. However, this extract from the Racehorses of 1976 essay on Arc winner Ivanjica shows that back then Timeform were dismissive of suggestions that it was significant. How times have changed.
Maddy Playle in today’s RP tips Crowd Quake at Nottingham. That’s fair enough - he has a decent chance. She rightly points out that he suffered interference last time out but she fails to mention that he ran there off his “old” handicap mark of 81 and runs today off 86, 5lbs higher. Poor journalism.
October 2, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Maddy Playle in today’s RP tips Crowd Quake at Nottingham. That’s fair enough - he has a decent chance. She rightly points out that he suffered interference last time out but she fails to mention that he ran there off his “old” handicap mark of 81 and runs today off 86, 5lbs higher. Poor journalism.
Who needs @simonrowlands.bsky.social with his fancy facts and figures and detailed analysis of the effect of the draw at Longchamp when you can have Alistair Jones and his broad brush approach in the Weekender instead? “A wide stall comes with a 10lb penalty” and that’s all there is to it.
October 2, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Who needs @simonrowlands.bsky.social with his fancy facts and figures and detailed analysis of the effect of the draw at Longchamp when you can have Alistair Jones and his broad brush approach in the Weekender instead? “A wide stall comes with a 10lb penalty” and that’s all there is to it.
It’s all pretty predictable and a bit of a hagiography, really, but to be fair to David Jennings it must be hard to write a really interesting article about Aidan O’Brien. Clearly a hard-working and decent man and a very good trainer but as an interviewee he’s a bit dull.
September 28, 2025 at 10:12 AM
It’s all pretty predictable and a bit of a hagiography, really, but to be fair to David Jennings it must be hard to write a really interesting article about Aidan O’Brien. Clearly a hard-working and decent man and a very good trainer but as an interviewee he’s a bit dull.
Looks a good Listed race. Gethin, on his third career start, ran a blinder given he was returning from injury. It’s worth recalling what his trainer said after his impressive win over Saddadd in April. I’m not a great one for trainer quotes but I’ll make an exception for the excellent Owen Burrows.
September 15, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Looks a good Listed race. Gethin, on his third career start, ran a blinder given he was returning from injury. It’s worth recalling what his trainer said after his impressive win over Saddadd in April. I’m not a great one for trainer quotes but I’ll make an exception for the excellent Owen Burrows.