The very latest additions....

DON'T PUSH IT.....Aintree hero lost his sparkle (8 wins - £754,616) so retired to JP's Martinstown.

EDGE OF TOWN......McCain's didn't survive his pelvis injury in 2 horse novice chase race at Doncaster.

MEANUS DANDY....after his last run in London National at Sandown when pulled up by Ruby Walsh he was put down.

SAMAIN.....just back in light work but will more than likely be kept as a novice next season - WPM on
atr.

WAAHEB....has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival by trainer Dermot Weld.

DOWNTHESCAD....@CraigEnglish92 on Twitter says he is only injured after a heavy fall with cuts on his head, one deep one close to his eye needed staples.

Just read the article. I would be a useless owner as I would become too emotionally attached. The Liz Taylor of NH - keep them in the stable.

To save anyone the time trying to find Tom Kerr's article in the RP.....(©)



ON SATURDAY I was invited to follow the owners of Montegonian, a four-year-old making his second start over hurdles in the first race at Kempton.

I wanted to discover the joys and disappointments of ownership; to witness the anticipation and nerves first hand. Monty, as he was known to his owners, did not survive the day: he fell at the second hurdle, fractured his shoulder, and had to be put down.
But this is not just a story of death and disappointment: it is a story of modest hope and genuine passion, of bonds formed by shared ownership of a racehorse, and of the impact their life and death can have on a large and disparate group of people.

It is a story that proves once again that racing, with its soaring highs and crushing, painful lows, is a sport with an emotional resonance like no other.

For Monty's owners, and Nick Brown, who runs syndicates under the name Nick Brown Racing, the day began with the usual heady mix of hope, expectation and, inevitably, trepidation.

In one of those poignant twists of fate the meeting had almost been cancelled but by the time Monty's owners began arriving the frost had all but cleared from Kempton's wide expanse, its legacy a slick covering of meltwater on the turf and steady cascade of icy-cold drips from the grandstand's metal canopy, prone to slithering down unwitting racegoers' necks and making them shiver.

Tom McCreadie was the first of Monty's owners to arrive, buzzing with excitement despite his long experience in these matters. "I've been in it all my life and I just get hugely excited," he said. "I haven't drunk for three years - this is my high now."

Then there was the newcomer to racing, John Mottershead, who was given a share in the horse as a Christmas present. His wife tricked him into going to the yard of Renee Robeson, trainer of Monty, on Christmas morning. He was manipulated into Monty's stable, despite a fear of animals, before he even knew what his gift was.

"I thought it was odd on Christmas morning," he said, understatedly. But his fear of animals proved without foundation, at least in Monty's tender care. "He's a complete softie and I didn't understand the athleticism of horses until he put his big neck on my shoulder," Mottershead said.

Betfred shop manager Kevin Copperwheat, whose wife and son joined us at Kempton, and whose daughter Stephanie works in Renee Robeson's yard, was next to arrive.

"The nerves are jangling, but racing is all about the thrill," he said when asked about how he felt with the race nearing. "What would be good? If he comes home fourth or fifth, but the main thing is he comes home safe and sound. You live to fight another day."

It was something I noticed only later when reading my notes, but everyone of Monty's owners whom I interviewed expressed the same sentiment. What did they hope for from Monty, I asked? To come home safe and sound, they said.

Owners will talk of Cheltenham, of Aintree, of landing a big gamble - and so did Monty's - but it usually all boils down to the same simple hope of survival. That'll do.

The race neared. Sam Jones, the jockey, received his instructions and the owners clustered round, eager to hear his thoughts. Bets wereplaced, prayers may well have been uttered, and then there was just waiting. "If Monty wins shall I do a Full Monty?" McCreadie joked to ease the tension.

The starter let them go. Monty took the first, then the second, and he went down there, losing his footing on the slick grass in front of the grandstand. A horrible silence descended on the group as they watched with distress the scenes unfolding less than 100 yards away.

Monty tried and failedto stand - the heart sank at that - and Jones, reacting as quickly as anyone could ask, held the horse down. The last any of Monty's owners saw of their horse was as he lay prone on the turf, Jones stroking his neck, offering what comfort and care he could.

Then the screens went up, the horse ambulance started moving, hope faded. Brown later told the owners, some of whom were moved to tears: "I am terribly sorry and I hate to have to say it again, but that is racing. The jockey is fine. Monty's jumped it well but it's just snapped; a freak accident."

Racing may not long mourn the loss of Montegonian, but others will. Among his owners, his stable staff, even punters in Kevin's Betfred shop,who follow all his horses, there are many who were and will continue to be moved by his death.

Brown provided the final tribute to Monty: "He was not brilliant in terms of talent - he was just a lovely horse." His owners never asked for more, except for him to come home safe.

The classy handicap chaser Beautiful Sound, trained by Gordon Elliott, has been put down.

Elliott tweeted on Thursday evening: "Heartbreaking decision made today to put down one of our top staying chasers, Beautiful Sound, due to a persistent cancerous growth on his leg that was making life uncomfortable for him.

"Very hard decision but along with his owners we had to do what was best for him. Undoubtedly a horse who never got to fulfill his potential. It never seems to happen to the bad ones..."

Formerly trained by Ted Walsh, the 10-year-old won two good prizes for the Elliott yard last season and finished third in the Byrne Plate at the Cheltenham Festival.

On that performance was well fancied for the Irish National but was balloted out of the big race. His final run was a fine second to Shakalakaboomboom at the Punchestown Festival last May.

Owned by Gigginstown House Stud, he was made favourite for a number of staying handicaps this season but never appeared at the races.

quewetwo, couldnt stand training

QUWETWO.......Retired as the huge horse was too big to stand training - PN.

CheltFestNews CheltFestNews
Bad luck on Ian Williams, his Neptune Novice Hurdle fancy Barbatos is out for the season.

A few more fatalities...............


BUSBY BERKLEY.....passed away on Keighleys gallops.

STEADY TIGER.....died the day after his race in Kelso.

SHANE ROCK........broke a leg jumping the 3rd in Clonmel.

Anyone know the latest on Realth Dubh. Is he still on for the festival??

'Fraid so Shockster, Dartnall confirmed it in RP today

No more big names out from now til April 28th!

UNCLE BRYN........didn't survive the last fence fall today.

Broadback Bob out of CHelt

Was only wondering recently what happened to Punchestowns, so thanks for updating CMIYC.

Anyone know if Khyber Kim is still around?

The LONG list so far (thoughts with all connections)



ALBERTAS RUN.........Trainer hopes he will be back for the spring festivals after straining a ligament in a foreleg.
AN SIORRAC...just saw that Dermot's Gold Cup prospect died in a schooling accident back in March.
ARAN CONCERTO.....rip after his last run in Punchestown.
ARCALIS........"has a lovely retirement home" G.Wylie.
ASHAMMER.....Paul Webber's fatally injured in Wolverhampton on Mon.
ASHBURTON LAD......was pulled up on the flat along the first circuit, having broken a leg.
AUSTRALIA DAY.....perhaps "Skippy & The Partners" can confirm if he sustained a fracture ???

BALLYFOY.....George Moore's 10yo retired to the British Racing School in Newmarket.
BEECHEY'S BEAUTY......rip in first race in Southwell.
BENSALEM...............As advised by AK couple of months back.
BIDEFORD LEGEND....Fell 4 out and when he struggled to his feet you could see he had broke his near fore. RIP. Sorry to all the TWISS family (incl. those connections viewing on here).
BIG BURROWS...put down in Sedgefield yesterday. What is it about Sedgefield !
BINGO LADY....broke a leg in Galway.
BOB HALL.....Cheltenham Hunter Chase winner for JP, happily retired to the paddocks.
BONNIE BALOO.......any news after her win ???
BRAVE BEAUTY....broke a hind leg.
BROTHER BOB .....died instantly it appears in race won by Peddlers Cross - Not a good week for C E Longsdon (also had FAR MORE SERIOUS in the yard).
BURTON PORT......Last I heard he will be back after xmas.

CAROLES LEGACY.......Read somewhere she’s in foal. Kayf Tara I think. ANY UPDATES
CATCH BOB......Ferdy Murphy's lost in Perth.
CHELTENIAN.........tendon strain. Any update please ?
COURT IN MOTION..........out for a year with a tendon injury.
CURLING.....Dessie Hughes inmate, rip after Cork.

DAN BUOY.....R.C.Guest's tailed off when pulled up before 2 out with fatal injury in Southwell.
DEFINITY.........ofts
DENIER.........broke a leg in Killarney
DENMAN.......legend retired due to slight tendon injury.
DEVILS BIT.....fatal injury in Fairyhouse.
DIAMOND HARRY...owner Paul Duffy said: "He got cast in his box overnight we think. It's obviously very disappointing. We hope it is not serious. "He's in the Hennessy, but obviously we will have to see how he is."
DRINKING SONG......V Dartnall's (first run in bumper) 10/1 into SP 6/1, broke down and pulled up over 3f out. RIP in Sandown.
DR WHIZZ.....was running a big race when it met its end....r.i.p.
DUNGUIB.......Heat found in front leg. ANY UPDATE Philip ???

FAR MORE SERIOUS.........An ex Charlie Swan-inmate died recently.
FLOWING CAPE......broke a leg and fell (G.Baker broke his arm).

GO NATIVE....still recovering from his original injury, going very slowly, likely to be out another season - N.Meade.
GREY GRANITE......Bad day for 'The Whole In One Partnership' losing their horse in Chepstow.

HALSION CHANCER.......Jim Best's 7yo retired by (tattooed) owners it seems.
HAMPSHIRE EXPRESS.....rip in Tramore (one of 4 put down).
HIGH OSCAR.....lost action and pulled up soon after 3 out lto.....any update ???
HONORARY TITLE....broke a leg in Perth.
HOWARD JOHNSON....4 year ban.

IMAALHALL.....died after Punchestown, badly injured in running.
IMPERIAL COMMANDER.......ofts with a tendon injury.
I'MONCLOUDNINE........dead in his stable last week.
I'M SO LUCKY......Pipe's 7 time winner retired to the meadows.
I'M STILL STANDING....good Mullins prospect. rip.
IN THE ZONE......Screens went up after his fall in Exeter. Another one of JP's. RIP.
ITS IRONIC.......Spare a thought for W.F.Codd and the Office Boys Syndicate, they lost their horse in the handicap hurdle at Tramore.

JOE SMOOTH.....fatal fall.
JUST VICTOR......P.Webber's 6yo collapsed and died after winning his handicap chase.

KAPPELHOFF......broke a leg at Fontwell.
KEMPES.....shattered his knee in the fall in the John Durkin.
KID CASSIDY.....Etectrocuted earlier this year and had a heavy fall in Lingfield...is he OK ?
KILCREA KIM.....lost action and pulled up quickly lto...any news ???
KINGS FORREST....injured in Newton Abbott.rip.
KORALEVA TECTONA.......dived at 4th and fell heavily. RIP at Market Rasen.

LAFFAN ISLAND.....lost in Tramore.
LENNON........put down due to injury from last run.
LESLINGTAYLOR.......retired (to a riding school) after getting too many wear and tear injuries. Winner of 15 races including Swinton Hurdle.
LORD JAY JAY.....Yet another Charlie Longsdon-inmate (owned by Mrs Jan Johnson) not to survive the racing game. RIP. His 3rd in the last few weeks.
LOUGH DERG....retired. Happy retirement old lad.
LOVETHEHIGHERLAW....RIP.

MACKESSY......pulled up injured, screens up in Limerick too, unfortunately RIP.
MALAKAI.....lost his action and pulled up with broken leg.
MASSINI LOTTO....John Quinn’s Athlacca winner has taken a knock and won’t be running until the second half of the season - start off in a bumper.
MILLE CHIEF......put down Saturday morning after breaking hind leg on gallops.
MINELLA CLONMEL.....fell and broke his neck.
MONET'S GARDEN.....set to appear in Aintree on Old Roan Day - 22nd.Oct.
MR BONES.....lost in Tramore.
MR HARMOOSH......tailed off when fell last and fatally injured at Stratford.
MR TRILLER......Pipe's died after Punchestown in May.

NICKNAME.....2m chaser put down after stable accident at Franch stud last August.
NO REFUGE......also retired.

OCEAN OF PEACE....ugly incident at Lingfield as he crashed thro' the rails after a fatal heart.
OLD MCDONALD....rip."best I ever had" N.Glynn.
ONE COOL COOKIE......Swan's first Grade 1 winner as a trainer died on his gallops.

PANDORAMA.....Lexus winner ofts. “suppose if we can get him back for next year, that is probably all we can hope for" - Meade.
POKER DE SIVOLA......ofts. “A few niggling issues and a little heat in a leg. Back next season” - Ferdy Murphy. – HAS NOW MADE A MIRACULOUS RECOVERY in the yard and is on course for the Borders National at Kelso (Sun 4th Dec.)
PRESENTING FOREVER...Wylie's 7yo (Templemore pt-to-pt winner beating Thelobstercatcher) died after his fall in Doncaster.
PUNJABI......out for the season.

RASPBARY....fell in 3 horse race - D.E.Mullins gets 8 days ban for continuing to ride an exhausted horse. RIP.
RAZOR ROYALE.......2010 Racing Post Chase winner has been put down after breaking a leg on the gallops on Tuesday.
REALT DUBH......."We just had a little bit of a setback so it will be after Christmas." - Meade.
RECESSION PROOF...."making progress after small tear in tendon injury in March. May be back in the new year" - Mr T. (Thanks and best of luck for the season)
RED KEY....rip
RIGOUR BACK BOB ........"eddie o gradys has got a leg and is gone for season at least".
RINGAROSES.....Jonjo O'Neill's Aintree Grade 3 Hurdle winner (for AP) also retired.
RIVERSIDE BOY....28yo rip.
RONALDO DES MOTTES......David Pipe's (6th in Aintree Hurdle) ofts.

SADDLERS WELLS.....26th April 2011 R.I.P. (The Great One)
SADDLE MY DREAM.......G.Elliott's, another Sedgefield casualty.
SALDEN LICHT.........out for the season.
SALLY'S IDEA.......McCain Jnr's broke a leg today.
SAM WINNER.......”I am guardedly optimistic that he may be able to race again." PN.
SAN DENG......did he recieve a serious injury lto ???
SELF DEFENSE.......Lavelles' retired 14yo 'lead horse' put down on the gallops.
SEPERATE WAYS...rip in Tramore.
SERVE TIME....died in Galway.
SIGMA LIFESTYLE......died in Roscommon.
SILVER BY NATURE......injured ofts - incurred a set back and he should return to training next summer.
SIZING AFRICA....We lost him in Fairyhouse.
SIZING AUSTRALIA...."Unfortunately he had a setback in September and won't be ready for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase" (at Cheltenham's Open meeting next month) - De Bromhead.
SKIPPERS BRIG......."probably not run again this season" - Nicky Richards.
SLIP ANCHOR.....aged 29. rip.
SOLWHIT......"has met with a setback and we are now looking into January at the earliest."
SONGE.....Charlie Longsdon's 7yo chaser has been retired and will not race again apparently.
SONNY MULLEN.....Kim Bailey's "best horse" died on the gallops.
SUNY BAY.....22yo broke a leg out in the field.

TARABLAZE....may have been a broken neck. RIP.
TATANIANO........stil hope of bein fit for Chelt acc to PN a week or 2 ago.
TAZBAR...is facing another 12 months on the sidelines following the recurrence of a leg injury.
THE COCKNEY SQUIRE......unseated, ran loose and suffered a heart attack at Kelso.
TICO......fell at the second last in the beginners chase when looking a winner for the Office Boys Syndicate. ANY NEWS Boys ?
TIGHE CASTER.....broke his shoulder at Southwell.
TRICKY TRICKSTER...."healing well...try and win the Foxhunters 2013" P.N.
TROY TEMPEST....Lavelle's 6yo rip.
TWIST PISTOL.....broke a hind leg at Ludlow.

USE OF THE WHIP....coming to an end soon.

WAR OF THE WORLD......fatally injured in a fall at Doncaster.
WEAPON'S AMNESTY.....8yo will not run this season after suffering a recurrence of a ligament injury.

ZORRO DE LA VEGA........fractured pelvis, so put down.


Plus the following more recent additions to be added to the above
BESHABAR.......likely to be out for season - reported in today's RP.
CATCH THE MOMENT......pulled up injured after 4 out in Cork. RIP.
CELTIC FOLKLORE.....a bad few days for the WP Mullins yard with another fatal injury.
DAYS HOTEL......OFTS acc to trainer.
DOME RUN......G A Swinbank's fatality in Sedgefield.
DUNGUIB...."He'll be coming back into training maybe the first of July. He'll jump fences, that's the plan." - PF.
GAMEDE........blundered 4 out at Leopardstown, fatally injured.
GOLDEN SILVER......WPM's Grade 1 and multi Grade 2 winning chaser died in Leopardstown.
HIDDEN KEEL - broke a leg at Cheltenham today
HIGHLAND VALLEY.....Lavelle's 6yo put down after a dislocated joint injury in the paddocks.
JONCOL.....has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a tendon injury
KERENSA....Henderson's lost his action with broken leg in the bumper (McCoy rode for the Racegoers Club Owners Group).
MADISON DU BERLAIS....David Pipe's (9 time winning) 10yo retired after beating notables such as Exotic Dancer, Denman & Air Force One in his day.
MASTER MINDED......"progressing well following surgery on a tendon injury" - PN.
MELODIE D’AMOUR........mare went wrong in the final strides, (fractured shoulder) - fatal injury passing the line at Dundalk.
MIKTALINA.....not sure if she survived in Leopardstown.
MINELLA HUMOUR......Million In Mind Partnership's fatal casualty (broke a leg) at Towcester.
MISTER McGOLDRICK.......14yo Cheltenham Festival 66/1 winner (and Queen Mother 3rd & 6th) retired.
RITH BOB....didn't survive his fall at Ffos Las yesterday.
SALBERTO......6yo died when falling on the bend at Bangor.
SAMAIN......."He has met with a setback and will not reappear until the second half of the season" - WM.
SAM BASS.......RIP
STOWAY....didn't survive his fall in Exeter.
SEE YOU THEN.....the superstar hurdler passed away at 31yo in Italy.
SPARKY MAY.....mare retired due to leg injury in the Long Walk Hurdle.
THE GREAT ALFIE.......broke a leg on the flat too (same as Sam Bass today).
THE TATLING....wins his last race as 14yo and happily retires - 10 of his 37 jockeys won on him.
THIS MASQUERADE....didn't survive his fall in Exeter.
TOBELUCKYENOUGH......a fatility at Warwick.
UNDANTA.....broke a hind leg in Selection Box's race in Downpatrick.
WHOOPS A DAISY......Henderson's broke her pelvis and is retired.

The Minack - suffered a career threatening injury at Ascot.

recession proof ofts