Francome on the Morning Line

Dessie won all his races in the winter

Desert Orchid must have thought it was summer every Boxing Day. Francome talks more nonsense than Stanley Unwin.

Exactly what I thought - till I looked into it. Over the last ten years greys have been more consistent in chases than other horse colours have been.

I should say - in Summer chases - July through September.

There are less greys than darker coloured horses, FACT.

Colour must count for something. I remember seeing film of Generous as he went to stud and the bloodstock agent who bought him - maybe Anthony Penfold? - said that Generous went for a fraction of his real value as a yearling, due to his chestnut colour and flashy flaxen mane and tail. His flashy looks put buyers off. Why?

Also, chestnut sons of Nijinsky were rare and tended to be good - like Ferdinand, Shahrastani, etc.

Can't remember too clearly, but sure there was something about The Minstrel as well,
a lot of white on his legs, 4 white legs considered too flashly !

Yeah - hold on and I'll type out the famous saying...

Also, chestnut sons of Nijinsky were rare and tended to be good - like Ferdinand, Shahrastani, etc.


Lammtarra. Temperamental bugger though, and not a successful sire.

Lots of people think Dancing Brave was sired by Northern Dancer, FACT.

One white foot, run him for his life
Two white feet, keep him for your wife
Three white feet, keep him for the man
Four white feet, sell him if you can
Four white feet and a stripe on his nose,
Knock him on the head and feed him to the crows.

Lammtarra was known as a bit of a savage, but he had been ill and nearly died. Didn't he get loose in the desert for a day?? But on the course, running, you couldn't find a more genuine, brave horse.

Grundy had four white socks and a flaxen main and tail , flashiest horse you could ever wish to see , luckily saved from the cowshed.

You don't have to convince me Velaquez, I bought a Volvo for cash the Monday after he won the Derby.

Good on you, Johnn!

If you are going to lie John, you might as well say a decent car !

It does make sense that paler horses will be less likely to overheat than dark ones.

A Volvo was the berries in 1995 infoman !

Like a feckin' storm rattling to the winning post. Is it not the fastest time in the Derby?

Always will be with latter day watering policies imo.

sageform 25 Apr 13:47
It does make sense that paler horses will be less likely to overheat than dark ones.


I cant believe that the thread starter has gone to all that trouble without noting the very point that Sageform makes.

However, amongst humans, the darker the skin the better able it is to endure heat.

Light coloured horses are more vulnerable to sun burn, however, with albino horses particularly at risk.

Grey with 4 white feet and a white flash across the face just won the first at Bath,

I rest my case.

On sample sizes, here are the numbers in the samples I used...

Bay 74,939
Chestnut 24,620
Brown 5,318
Grey 5,198
Bay/Brown 3,782

Other colours (e.g. white, roan, black) had many fewer - hundreds. I think the sample sizes are big enough to be valid.

Obviously it occurred to me that paler horses might reflect the sun better and keep the animal cooler, but I don't really buy it. As you say, darker skinned humans are better adapted to heat. You are right, it was probably a bit silly not to mentioin it. However, I still prefer my Summer Eczema theory, which has some support from scientific papers, but it is only my speculation really. Anyone have any practical experience of the condition in racehorses?