Tony Morris in the RP

think he retired recently

That's a shame if true

Anyone know anything for certain? He has been an exceptional writer over the years. Would be sorry to think we've seen the last of him.

Fairly sure he was side stepped a couple of years ago because of his comments about a certain horse who was always talked about as a champion when in reality he was anything but,you see he had his own views and did not go along with the clap trap hype a former major share holder in the Racing Post wanted him too,do you remember his 'out of court settlement' over a certain issue?Revenge you could say was sweet.....but not for us readers!
Now he has a column in the Owner Breeder always good to read his thoughts,Nancey Sexton is very poor in comparison.Paul Haigh went for a similar reason as Tony Morris just for the record.

There is a section on the RP website where he has written, his last entry though was July 28th this year.
PD I'm thick so give a cryptic clue about the said horse?

redal2,He was a champion who only ever needed to finish 2nd try as he did to win,went on to run at 4 bolted at the start never won again after that false performance,now plying his trade way out EAST![;)]

Gotcha 

[;)]

Who ?

Black Sam, think it was about 8 years ago (horse) his jockey said some of us needed to eat humble pie after his bolting!

KK ?

No Black Sam,the champion was 2nd at HQ same at Epsom.....I think over in the UK you can go fox hunting so long as you have one sat on your shoulder!

I thought you meant he bolted before the start

You get it A-T don't you?

OK got in now !

Yes I got it but I was confused by the bolting reference - thought it meant he'd done what Lochsong used to do when Willie Carson was on board

never won again after that false performance

In what sense?
Prejudice aside, that day at Newbury, and at Newmarket he was monstrous.

Giant Strides,he was monstrous at HQ in defeat you could say he was unlucky there but HE DID NOT improve,the winner did all season long,if you also think the Newbury run was not false then think again,his jockey had been 2nd so much his reputation was wearing thin at the time with connections,the champion needed a win as breeders had him down as a soft horse,so first run gates open kick on he just bolted winning by a wide margin looked impressive except it was against a moderate field who I think only Tillerman won a GR2 later that season,and of course that brilliant champion miler Dome Driver who at best was a poor runner really,that race showed us all he was NOT a champion his connections knew this too as his next start was also his last,he was easily beaten at Ascot,so the official line was a small injury forced his retirement,in doing so they could salvage his reputation with his Newbury run by hyping that performance,the fact is it was a false result you may like to think it was outstanding but people like Tony Morris know otherwise his opinions about this horse and then being misquoted in a brochure relating to this horse ended with a poss' court case which in the end an 'out of court' settlement was reached which in turn ended Tony Morris at the Post,a certain Italian organisation springs to mind you could say.

You could take the view the whole thing was indeed monstrous,but then as plenty say "that's racing"

Well the Tony Morris story is poor. His analysis columns were the most enjoyable read in the post. Very disappointing. I`m not a fan of the new format.
Hawk Wing was simply an enigma. I find it hard to argue that he wouldn`t have done the 2000/Derby double under different circumstances,ie. better draw, better ground respectively, and I won big on both winners.
After that, we know he curled up many times, but I think you`re wrong about that Lockinge.
We all know soft ground wide margin wins represents unsubstantiated form, but nothing could get to him or go with him at any distance that day and Reel Buddy (although average), did win the Sussex 2 runs later.
Anyway, the argument belonged back then and not today.
Cheerio.

I think he was definitely a different horse on soft ground, which perhaps explains the amazing record of his progeny on soft ground shown by this:

http://www.drawbias.com/sirestats.html

I agree with your last statement Giant Strides,fyi his connections take the same view about his win at N'bury as TM (privately of course).Fact is he did not win the double as each time he was beaten by a better horse,results speak louder than any hypotheses.

I may be wrong but I seem to remember the weather was foul that day at Newbury. Same for all of them I know but the colt in question just pricked his ears and charged. Maybe couldn't wait to get back to his stable?

It was indeed horrible weather that day,he didn't beat a great deal really Reel Buddy was no great shakes.The horse in question was a good horse just NOT as good as his rating would suggest a truly FALSE champion,for years after people were in two camps those of us who firmly believe his conqueror at HQ was the better of the two,and those who still maintain he was the bestits a bit like flat v jump racing,it will never be resolved but imo results speak for themselves,one never needed excuses the other had them dished out almost every time he raced.The Rock lost nothing in his US defeat,people who understand the way the game is played know this to be a fact.

The Rock was the best miler of recent times IMO. It pains me when a champion like him goes to the Breeders Cup which I do not regard as any kind of measure of worth of a European horse.

im not really a hw fan but if they had not run thr rock or hc against him he would have been seen as the next comming, a gns winner that wins the derby by 12l

Not sure if you mean Tony M. was for or against the horse who only won one decent race but was hyped for the rest of its career.

Tony Morris did NOT rate him,he once described him as a charlatan the colts owners thought comments like that could damage his future role as a stallion,as time has shown us the said stallion was next to useless at stud hence why he's way out east!