Right noises made - but the inevitable must still have been hard to accept
Sheikh Mohammed enjoyed a fine last weekend with both Casamaneto and Dubai Prince. Casamanto was quite superb in winning Saturday’s Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and, with a smashing attitude, is obviously a horse with a massive future.
Then on Monday at Leopardstown, Dubai Prince put the icing on the cake with a smooth demolition job on seven rivals in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes.
For trainers, Michael Halford (Casamaneto) and Dermot Weld (Dubai Prince), it was very much a job done to perfection.
But then, of course, it was a case of reality dawning and the inevitability of losing the horses to the sands of Dubai and Godolphin.
Of course Weld and Halford made the diplomatic mutterings about how it was an honour and a privilege – or some such words – to be given the horses in the first place, as they prepared to wave farewell to a pair of thoroughbreds who could literally be anything.
The world and its mother is aware that Sheikh Mohammed horses, once they indicate are Group class, are always likely to return to the mother ship.
But it still has to be difficult coming to terms with the fact that a horse you as a trainer has made is now to be moved elsewhere.
Halford has invested a lot in the game and proved with Casamento that, given the raw material, he will deliver.
Weld has nothing to prove to anyone and when he says this is the best young horse he has had since Grey Swallow then you have to more than listen.
Chances are Halford and Weld will now be the recipients of more ‘presents’ from Sheikh Mohammed for next season. But, oh to toss the toys out of the pram!
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IN this paper last weekend Ruby Walsh highlighted what he saw as glaring inadequacies in Turf Club rostering.
Walsh finished his comments by calling on the Turf Club to act “before the horse has bolted.”
On Sunday – what timing- Wexford had to abandon its card after only three races, disappointing the thousands who attended the meeting and ensuring they were not entitled to a refund.
The facts appear to be that drainage work was carried out on the track some six weeks earlier and, astonishingly, clerk of the course, Paddy Graffin, knew nothing about it.
A clerk of a course in Ireland is that in name only. The system, or rather non-system, affords them such a title for the day of a race meeting.
I, and many of my colleagues, often arrive at a meeting quite early, sometimes before the so-called clerk is on site.
It is a completely and utterly ridiculous situation and, essentially, totally unsatisfactory.
Let me tell you a little story, which is one hundred per cent true. A number of years ago two press lads were heading to the races by train.
It was pouring rain and every field was full of water. They began to think there would be no racing, so decided to ring the relevant clerk of the course.
He assured them, however, there was nothing to worry about and the weather was much better where he was, at the particular racecourse, and to stay on the old iron horse.
Satisfied everything was now in order, the boys decided they would treat themselves to a cup of coffee.
So off one of them went to get the said coffee. He made his way through a handful of carriages, before a vision took the eyes out of his head.
Guess who was sitting in one of the seats? Yes, you got it first shot, the bould clerk of the course.
That incident must have taken place all of 20 years ago. Has anything changed in the meantime?
By the way, the Turf Club is going to hold an investigation into what happened at Wexford. Great. Yes and perhaps Horse Racing Ireland might organise Christmas cards for the punters still out of pocket following that Listowel debacle. You just couldn’t make it all up.
