BBC - 606 - - A41418317 - BHA Slur Ballydoyle and Aiden!!!!!!!!!!

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BHA Slur Ballydoyle and Aiden!!!!!!!!!!

by wallace-no7 Rupert Walsh, 4 King George's, 24 Festival Winners, Won all 4 Grand Nationals (U13360537) 25 September 2008

I have just been rang by my freind who told me check out this link " www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sp... This proves its a witchhunt. I hope we see a appeal and counter sue for slander of name. Disgraceful. Team ballydoyle are furious. This wont be the end to this!!!!!!

Team Ballydoyle was last night adjudged to have deployed team tactics in the controversial renewal of the Juddmonte International Stakes at Newmarket last month. After a highly charged and occasionally stormy inquiry in London, Johnny Murtagh and Colm O'Donoghue, the two jockeys involved, were banned for seven days and Aidan O'Brien was fined Ł5,000.

More than four hours after they entered the building, the three men left the British Horseracing Authority's (BHA) headquarters without comment. O'Brien was ashen-faced, having stressed repeatedly throughout the inquiry that the concept of team tactics was anathema to all at Ballydoyle. “We would never want to win a race by default or cheating,” he said.

The panel ruled otherwise, although Tim Charlton, who chaired the inquiry, said that O'Brien's breach of the rules arose “from ignorance of his obligations” rather than any deliberate attempt at sharp practice. “We are not satisfied that he gave adequate, clear instructions [to Murtagh and O'Donoghue],” Charlton said.

Despite that, O'Brien will be furious at the slur on his name. As much could be gleaned from the series of heated exchanges he provoked with Graeme McPherson QC, acting for the BHA. Despite an admission from O'Donoghue that he was in breach of the rule, O'Brien's passionate defence of both his jockeys telegraphed his frustration at being summoned to the inquiry.
Related Links

* Ballydoyle's use of pacemakers warrants admiration

* O'Brien faces inquiry over 'team tactics'

* Thursday's results

At one point he said to the barrister: “You are trying to make up a load of nonsense, Mr McPherson. I think the whole thing is a fantasy. I accept it if that's what Colm [O'Donoghue] said he did, but I don't agree with it. I just don't believe any of it...I'm so paranoid about [the question of team tactics] that I've probably told my jockeys about it a hundred times.”

O'Donoghue rode Red Rock Canyon, a pacemaker for the Murtagh-ridden Duke Of Marmalade, in the race in question. At the centre of the team tactics charge was that O'Donoghue deliberately manoeuvred his mount away from the rails, in the process ushering Murtagh through the gap and on to victory.

O'Donoghue was found guilty of “making a manoeuvre in the interests of another horse... from the same stable”, while Murtagh was adjudged to have behaved in a manner “prejudicial to the... proper conduct of horse racing.”

Both jockeys said that they were unaware of recent changes to the rules governing the use of pacemakers. O'Brien was effectively deemed guilty by association. All three can appeal within seven days of receipt of the official BHA notice, which is expected to be dispatched on Monday.

Before the hearing Murtagh agreed that the gist of comments he made after winning the race, and reproduced in The Sunday Times, were accurate. The most damning line comes when Murtagh instructs O'Donoghue: “When you get to the four-furlong marker, just ease off and give me a passage through.” However, Murtagh said yesterday that he had spoken when charged by adrenaline, and that there had been no such collusion.

At the time no action was taken by the Newmarket stewards even though the rule relating to pacemakers suggested that a breach had occurred.

The disciplinary panel is to release comprehensive reasons for reaching its verdict early next week, although Paul Struthers, the BHA's media relations manager, attempted to douse what are bound to be feelings of anger and injustice at Ballydoyle.

“In reaching their conclusions,” Struthers said, “the panel made it clear that there was no attempt to cheat; simply that the breaches occurred due to ignorance of the details of the rules in question.” O'Brien, for one, will not be placated so easily

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comment by brizyboy - Sea the Stars now that was a Whooooooosh!!!! (U9860669)

posted Sep 26, 2008

The fact is, yes, O'Brien is a genius

FUNNIEST QUOTE OF THE CENTURY Jack

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comment by Dan Starkey (U13090235)

posted Sep 26, 2008

Great thread guys.

Serious question though -does anyone think this may cause difficulties for O Brian in Australia and USA later this year?

Now he's been done for this, surely the Aussies and Americans won't miss the opportunity to scrutinise the perfromance beyond belief and pick up on the slightest incident in the race? Cynical I know but the host authorities are surely going to seek to get an advantage in any way they can and this could now be fair game. What do you think?

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comment by Theboypaddy (U13425707)

posted Sep 26, 2008

Seems like a lot of petty jealousy to me. The fact of the matter is this; Aidan O"Brien is a genius. He should be lauded in the same way as other greats like Woods, Federer, Schumacher etc. English trainers have stood still whilst Aidan and his bosses have re written the books.

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comment by Warm Pouch (U9584182)

posted Sep 26, 2008

Sorry Zarkava if you find my comments worthless, you're entitled to your opinion. As long as you realise you're not always right. It's simply really, why run 4+ horses in a race, when only 2 have a realistic chance of winning. Even allowing for a pacemaker, what are the others doing there? More often than not they all owned by the same people too. They aren't running them to get experience, they aren't running to win, they aren't running to set the pace, so what is their objective? O'Brien is a genius, no one doubts that. His training is clearly second to none, the operation is the best around. And he is more of a genius for exploiting this loophole which allows him to ensure races are run in his best horses interests, but that does not make it right.

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comment by 'And Zarkava cruises past Duke of Marmalade to win the Arc!' (U12680088)

posted Sep 26, 2008

'Serious question though -does anyone think this may cause difficulties for O Brian in Australia and USA later this year?'

No. The pacemaking issue isn't a problem in America, pacemakers hardly exist over them infact. And in Australia, someone's already explained the system they have, where the rail cuts away so the front-runner can go inside and leave the others a fair passage.

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comment by 'And Zarkava cruises past Duke of Marmalade to win the Arc!' (U12680088)

posted Sep 26, 2008

'It's simply really, why run 4+ horses in a race, when only 2 have a realistic chance of winning. Even allowing for a pacemaker, what are the others doing there?'

2006 2000 Guineas

3 Ballydoyle runners - George Washington, Frost Giant, Horatio Nelson

Horatio Nelson used the race as a Derby prep, George Washington was there to win the race, Frost Giant was there to get experience.

In a straight mile race like the 2000 Guineas, what on earth can you do in the way of blocking other horses in?

2006 QE2

3 runners - George Washington, River Tiber, Ivan Denisovic

George Washington was sent to win the race, River Tiber was the pacemaker, Ivan Denisovic was allowed to take his chance. The latter was clearly a talented but quirky horse;

2nd in the Morny, 3rd in the St. James' Palace, 2nd in the Secretariat Stakes, 3rd in the Hollywood Gold Cup.

2007 2000 Guineas

3 runners - Yellowstone, Eagle Mountain, Duke of Marmalade

Duke of Marmalade and Eagle Mountain were sent as high class horses capable of winning and Yellowstone was seen as a quirky horse who had a chance of getting a place

2007 St. James' Palace

3 runners - Excellent Art, Duke of Marmalade and Astronomer Royal

The latter won the French Guineas, the former should have won the French Guineas, DoM was 4th and 3rd in the 2 other Guineas.

If you want to carry on with this pathetic conspiracy theory, by all means go ahead, but I'll be here along the way to destroy your 'argument' time and time ahead.

And no, I'm not always right. When I'm wrong, which is a rare occurrence, I always put my hands up and say so. If you don't believe me, I'm sure others will come along and back me up.

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comment by 'And Zarkava cruises past Duke of Marmalade to win the Arc!' (U12680088)

posted Sep 26, 2008

Sorry, just realised I need to show examples of when Ballydoyle have had 4+ runners.

2008 Derby

5 runners - Alessandro Volta, King of Rome, Frozen Fire, Washington Irving and Bashkirov. Respectively, Lingfield Derby Trial winner and runner-up, Dante Stakes runner-up, Derrinstown runner-up and pacemaker.

2008 National Stakes

4 runners - Mastercraftsman, Indian Ocean, Drumbeat and Set Sail. Respectively, sent out to win the race, an extremely impressive maiden winner sent to get experience and possibly challenge for a place, 5th in the Futurity Stakes and a pacemaker.

2006 Derby

4 runners - Dylan Thomas, Mountain, Horatio Nelson and Septimus. Respectively, Derrinstown winner and runner-up, high class 2yo & ran decent race in the Guineas while unfit and Dante Stakes winner.

COME ON, USE EXAMPLES TO SHOW ME OTHERWISE. YOU'RE GETTING DESTROYED BY ME.

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comment by Shamardal (U12070707)

posted Sep 26, 2008

3 runners - George Washington, River Tiber, Ivan Denisovic

George Washington was sent to win the race, River Tiber was the pacemaker, Ivan Denisovic was allowed to take his chance. The latter was clearly a talented but quirky horse;

2nd in the Morny, 3rd in the St. James' Palace, 2nd in the Secretariat Stakes, 3rd in the Hollywood Gold Cup.
-----------------------------------------------
There is an example of two pacemakers.
Ivan Denisovich was a distant third in the St James' Palace and he was not third in the Hollywood Gold Cup. He was third in the Hollywood Derby, a late season 10f 3yo Grade 1 Turf contest in the US. He struggled to win a listed contest at the Curragh. His best runs as a three year old were in America. As he struggled to win a listed contest at the Curragh; what chances did he really have in the QEII? The Morny form was awful from memory. What did Silca's Sister ever achieve?

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comment by Warm Pouch (U9584182)

posted Sep 26, 2008

Zarkava - I think I'll just allow you to live in your deluded little world. Your stupidity lies in your arrogance. You'll learn someday. The level of naivity you display by not realising what O'Brien is doing. (which by way is genius on his part and Tabor etc) I was under the impression you were just defending them in a devils advocate way but it clear you actually believe your own musings. Out of interest are they the only occasions Ballydoyle have had 4+ runners in group races or are they your handpicked selection? I could have sworn there were more, and in even more damning circumstances. But hey I'm not anal enough to waste that amount of time researching, I'd rather have a bet.

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comment by wallace-no7 Rupert Walsh, 4 King George's, 24 Festival Winners, Won all 4 Grand Nationals (U13360537)

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BHA Slur Ballydoyle and Aiden!!!!!!!!!!

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