Racing review: Hotpots and Howlers from another week in the sport of kings

IT'S been an eventful old week in the world of horse racing.

Take a look at our latest instalment of Hotpots and Howlers, where we pick out the good, the bad and the downright ugly from the last seven days.

Hotpots

The Ebor Festival at York has come and gone in the blink of an eye, but, as usual, there were some memorable performances out on the track.

Battaash smashed the track record in the Nunthorpe, Mums Tipple produced a jaw-dropping performance in the sales race and Japan came of age in the Juddmonte International.

But the star of the show was undoubtedly Enable, who did what she does best on her final appearance on these shores.

Once more it was left to Magical to try and lower the wonder mare's colours, but she was turned away yet again as the daughter of Nathaniel clocked up a 12th straight win.

She has really captured in the imagination of the public this summer, and she was given a wonderful send off by the adoring York crowd.

Sights are now set on Longchamp in early October as she chases an unprecedented third win in the Arc. She's the best since Frankel and it's been a joy to watch her over the last three seasons.

Credit where credit is due, the BHA have finally taken steps to educate the public about the whip.

Head honcho Nick Rust himself manned a stall at York which allowed racegoers to handle the whip and compare it to an old-fashioned device – one which could actually cause pain to a horse.

We cannot bow to outside 'pressure' from a handful of extreme animal welfare groups. We need to have more confidence as a sport and the whip must be defended.

Howlers

The racing world was dealt a double hammer blow on Friday which the news that both Roaring Lion and Espoir D'Allen had passed away.

Roaring Lion, a wonderful performer who was crowned horse of the year in 2018 following a superb campaign, died after suffering a third bout of colic in a matter of weeks.

The four-year-old covered his first crop of mares at stud at Tweenhills earlier this year and had shuttled to New Zealand for the southern hemisphere breeding season.

But the wretched condition struck shortly after his arrival, and despite a brave fight and several major operations the decision was taken to put him to sleep on welfare grounds. He is a huge loss.

That news came shortly after the terrible revelation that the reigning champion hurdler Espoir D'Allen had been put down.

Gavin Cromwell's stable star reared over and seriously injured his shoulder a fortnight ago and he had been undergoing treatment at Fethard Equine Hospital.

But the veterinary team who had been giving him round the clock care believed that to persist with treatment would , so the heartbreaking decision to put him to sleep was taken.

Two champions taken far too soon, but they leave behind them some spine-tingling memories.

Source: Read Full Article