JC / Railbird

International Archive

Ascot Closing

“Fancy Royal Ascot next year? Well, don’t go to Ascot — the meeting is at York.” Ascot, Britain’s most illustrious racetrack, is closing for redevelopment. (Reuters)

Posted in International on September 23, 2004

Open House, Loose Horse

“I arrived, slightly late, at Richard’s to be met by a loose horse galloping down the road with its reins between its legs followed, at a respectable interval, by the screeching wheels of two 4x4s full of expectant horse catchers. Goes well on the firm was the overriding impression the horse gave.” (Telegraph)

Posted in International on September 20, 2004

L’Incroyable Pari

French organizers transformed the Stade de France in Paris into the “world’s smallest horse racing track” Saturday. “The idea was to meld sport and spectacle into a giant show designed to attract new fans to more legitimate racing, and in that sense, it is difficult to say whether the bet paid off. The racing Saturday was certainly unlike anything fans would find at a real racecourse.” Indeed. The show included a “techno-music light-and-horse spectacle between races.” (International Herald Tribune)

Posted in International on September 19, 2004

Not in Fallon’s World

British jockey Keiren Fallon’s assertion that it’s not possible to fix races comes in for some mocking from Dan Liebman. “Question for Fallon: What world are you living in? Someone get that man some smelling salts. Shake the pixie dust out of his eyes. Watch him closely because his nose must be growing.” (Blood-Horse)

Posted in International on September 15, 2004