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I had my heart broken today for a horse! Our race Belmont Stakes the "third jewel of the Triple Crown" (Winner of Kentucky Derby, Preakness, then Belmont) loses I'll Have Another to early retirement due to tendonitis. I was really hoping for this horse to be the first winner since 1978, when Affirmed won all three.

I know this horse will enjoy his "sirehood", but I sure hope his ending won't be the glue factory. These horses are so expensive to insure that they sometimes meet an early gruesome death.

Sorry to go off point oscar, but I was quite shaken up this morning when it was announced! I follow these races not only because I enjoy them but mostly as they recall my dad to me, & on these days I feel quite close to him. I lost him in 1981, & am so glad he saw Affirmed win. He loved that horse. I was hoping for I'll Have Another to win today for dad. Not for me, as the payout would be low, but the excitement high. I'm sure dad would be yours & the Dutchess big fan.

AnneBoleyn;1395952 wrote: I had my heart broken today for a horse! Our race Belmont Stakes the "third jewel of the Triple Crown" (Winner of Kentucky Derby, Preakness, then Belmont) loses I'll Have Another to early retirement due to tendonitis. I was really hoping for this horse to be the first winner since 1978, when Affirmed won all three.

I know this horse will enjoy his "sirehood", but I sure hope his ending won't be the glue factory. These horses are so expensive to insure that they sometimes meet an early gruesome death.

Sorry to go off point oscar, but I was quite shaken up this morning when it was announced! I follow these races not only because I enjoy them but mostly as they recall my dad to me, & on these days I feel quite close to him. I lost him in 1981, & am so glad he saw Affirmed win. He loved that horse. I was hoping for I'll Have Another to win today for dad. Not for me, as the payout would be low, but the excitement high. I'm sure dad would be yours & the Dutchess big fan.


Don't apologise Anne for going off topic....

I can fully understand your attachment for my love of Kauto Star and Denman Is well documented.

Duchess will be loved however well or badly she does and at the end of her career, her owners are given the chance to buy her.

May the Dutchess have a long happy life with plenty of hay & sunshine & I hope she brings in some dough for you too!

AnneBoleyn;1395956 wrote: May the Dutchess have a long happy life with plenty of hay & sunshine & I hope she brings in some dough for you too!


Thanks Anne...

I didn't go In for the money or the hope she'd win thousands. Like most race-horse owners, It's a love of horses and the sport.... the two can go together and we're not all there for exploiting horses until they drop as some people believe.

It's a risky and expensive venture but we all have to start somewhere and I was tipped off by a racing buddy that shares In Duchess were available... I am hoping that next year I may be able to buy shares In a colt... we'll have to see.

Those are great plans. I plan to read all about your plans! I saw a colt being born, btw. Living on a farm/ranch at the time. Lotsa horses, riding stable as well open to the public. I learned to ride then, a skill I haven't used since! I learned to ride well fast. My motto was "I will not fall off this damn horse!" It sure helped!

Best of luck on your adventures! My dad would have loved you.

AnneBoleyn;1395961 wrote: Those are great plans. I plan to read all about your plans! I saw a colt being born, btw. Living on a farm/ranch at the time. Lotsa horses, riding stable as well open to the public. I learned to ride then, a skill I haven't used since! I learned to ride well fast. My motto was "I will not fall off this damn horse!" It sure helped!

Best of luck on your adventures! My dad would have loved you.


Awww thanks... that's a lovely thing to say...

I do ride but to be honest, I'm not great.

I grew up In the Sussex Downs where famous trainer Josh Gifford who had over 1,500 winners and trained the Grand National winner, Aldanti, In 1981 had his stables a mile away as the crow flies. Early mornings and at dusk twas a wonderous sight to look out the window and see a caravan of racehorses on the horizon.

Salisbury Racecourse here you come! Good luck & best wishes for many wins!

cars;1396035 wrote: Salisbury Racecourse here you come! Good luck & best wishes for many wins!


Thanks Cars :-4

After her race at Doncaster, this was what one racing media outlet wrote about her performance:



"Mon Duchess ran at Doncaster on Saturday in the 5 furlong maiden race. This was only her 2nd ever race and she was still carrying some condition; she also had the burden of conceding weight to every other horse in the race. Drawn on the outside Mon Duchess got no cover from the head wind that was blowing into the horses faces. Mon Duchess travelled behind the leaders but as the sprint for home took place Mon Duchess was just caught out. However she kept going right to the line and she will have benefited from this race no end"

Praise worthy words In deed.

The partnership and registration for the Dutch Colt Is now official and we should see Wayne Rooney's new Investment run very soon.

The Dutch Colt Is now officially .... ' yourartisonfire '

Yeah, classy Wayne, real classy............. not

Mon Duchess home safe and well from Doncaster..... will have some gallops before her next race when we shall then know what handicap she has been awarded...

yourartisonfire will run tomorrow at Nottingham for his debut.... God luck to all concerned.

yourartisonfire 4th at Nottingham..... looks promising.

Duchess runs at Redcar Saturday.

Duchess declared for Redcar Saturday.

John Quinn's horse will take all the beating but the team are going to do their best with the rain making ground conditions against her favour yet again. Connections predict a place If she's luckier with the draw on stalls.

This will be her third run and so Tuesday she will be awarded a Handicap mark.

oscar;1397304 wrote: Duchess declared for Redcar Saturday.

John Quinn's horse will take all the beating but the team are going to do their best with the rain making ground conditions against her favour yet again. Connections predict a place If she's luckier with the draw on stalls.

This will be her third run and so Tuesday she will be awarded a Handicap mark.


How's the weight this time?

Bryn Mawr;1397436 wrote: How's the weight this time?


The 5.05 Redcar Full Race Card - 23 June 2012 | Racing Post

Could be better Bryn but at least there's two heavier than her this time out.

Duchess 4th today at Redcar..... managed to see her via screen at Ascot.

Again, she had everything against her. Drawn stall 3, she had no let up from the wind and the rain. The going was extremely soft which she doesn't favour and she moved to post carrying the most weight. She started at 9/2 and was backed down on the day to 3/1 Favourite.

However, now she has been unplaced In her first 3 non handicap races, she will be awarded her mark Tuesday by the Racing Authority. Three unplaced means a lower handicap awarded and she'll carry less weight next time out. If the going Is good to firm next time, this will be the race for a serious bet on her.

Great news !!!

The Horse Racing Authority awarded Duchess 52 out of a possible 180 handicap. This Is very, very low and excellent stuff.

She will race again In the next 10 days without the burden of conceding weight to the rest of the field. It's likely she'll go to post now carrying anything up to 10 lb less than she has In her first three non handicap races. With better ground and If she gets good or firm going, we will see a different horse her connections tell me.

Of course I was cheeky and asked weather she was deliberately held back for the statutory first three non handicap races. The response was how could you even suggest such a thing !!! :wah::sneaky::sneaky::sneaky:

Great news... can't wait for her next run.

Hearty Congratulations to Duchess's connections on Fast Shot win at Newcastle this afternoon at 8/1. It was lovely to see his entire 10 owners Invited up on the podium to collect his prize In the winners enclosure.

Also congrats to the connections for Miami Gator's win at 25/1 last week.

Got a message this afternoon saying ' Duchess Is next' !!!!!

Fancy a flutter on the gee gee's folks?

Wayne Rooney's new purchase yourartisonfire runs at Haydock Park Thursday.

Richard Fahey's horse Is the danger but he's apparently In great form and worth an each way bet....

The result of the 3.20 Maiden Stakes at Haydock Park yesterday.

1st yourartisonfire 2 and quarter lengths

2nd Mayaasem

3rd Loch Moy

Oh yes Indeedy do.... get In there. :guitarist:guitarist:guitarist

Duchess runs at Beverley Race Course Tuesday over 5 furlongs. Waiting on declaration and weight. Her trainer has high hopes this time out.

Mon Duchess declared for Beverley tomorrow In the 3 pm. Her first sprint handicap since the RA awarded her the mark. The good news Is, she Is carrying a lighter weight of 9.2 but again she's drawn the outside stall and rain has made the ground soft. She's sent off as the 2nd favourite though at 8/1. Interesting that her connections have entered Arch Walker also. He's either the pacemaker for her or she's his pacemaker.... we shall see....



Run Duchess.... run as fast as you can.....

So she came 7th.

Given the first three crossed the line together In a photo finish and given she was only a short distance behind them, and given the large field, she seems to actually get better each time out. She was faster and certainly more professional. Responded well to the whip, was prominent throughout but sadly tired In the last 50 yards.

The stall next to her was noticeably empty !!!! It should have had Arch Walker In It but he decided to bolt without jockey and bolt off down the course. It was decided to listen to the horse and withdraw him from the race.... hmmmm maybe John Jo O'Neil should have done the same with Synchronised prior to the Grand National.

Mon Duchess runs at Newcastle this Saturday.

She's declared for tomorrow for The Newcountry Handicap race.



97 4747 Mon Duchess 11 4 9-0 Lawrence Mullaney Duran Fentiman

Five furlongs, 14 runners and the great news Is, the going Is Good with the ground firming up with the sunshine In the past few days. It's not the lowest weight but there are 9 heavier than her.

One of her stable buddies Sally Friday also runs at Newcastle tomorrow In the 5.45.... she's the rank outsider but I think I'll have an each way loyalty punt.

Flippin eck... It's either one way or the other eh?

We were pleased the sunshine had firmed the ground up for Duchess but I had this message this morning.

" Mon Duchess - Lawrence concerned about how firm Newcastle is for this heavy filly, good/firm, firm places. He'll ring the course at 9am and make a decision on whether she runs or not. He has rung asking my opinion. The real issue is did they roll the course after their bottomless ground last month? If its firm and rutted its more dangerous than if it is just firm. I did have a horse fracture his knee there on firm ground, and he was a big heavy horse. I've left last decision with Lawrence. I told him we were running Sally Friday, but she is light and has a quick action. "

So... she may be withdrawn.... I'm fine with that... Good to see the horse's welfare Is put first.

Both Mon Duchess and Sally Friday withdrawn today from their races.

With Duchess, although she Is a small horse, she has high bone density which makes her an extremely heavy horse.

At the end of the day her connections were just not happy with the condition of the course which was rutted and took both of them out.

I'm happy with that... the horses safety and welfare comes first... there Is another race In approx two weeks time.

Duchess entered for Catterick Friday.

Her trainer will decide on the day after a ground Inspection.

So..... excitement mounts In the Oscar house.

As I wrote some weeks ago, a new young colt has been acquired by Duchess's connections. He will start his career as a sprinter and then progress to jumps.

After Informing Mr O of Initial outlay and running costs, he's gone out for a walk.

Seriously looking at this colt for next season.

Duchess withdrawn from the race at Beverley today. Her trainer unhappy with the ground conditions and the going too firm. Again, the horses safety comes first.

She's entered for a race at Southwell next week.

Decided to go for the young Colt all going well but what a surreal situation to find myself In ? Footballer John O'Shea Is also bidding for shares.

A very enjoyable day today spent at Bath races. Went primarily to watch Duchess's buddy Arch Walker race. A 3rd place for him but I only managed to break even on the day. But then Jump racing Is my Forte not flat.

Duchess still on for Southwell tuesday.

Duchess declared for Southwell Tuesday.

This Is a first for her.... It's an all weather track and the first time she has raced on one... We have no Idea how she'll perform. on Fibersand.

She's sent off at 14/1 carrying 8-13



1

(6)

345552

Invigilator 21

4 9-4 t D Shaw Raul Da Silva (3) 55

2

(7)

585526

Spirit of Coniston 11

9 9-3 P T Midgley M Fenton 54

3

(5)

80-68

Lucky Mark (IRE) 110

3 9-2 G Moss R Winston 55

4

(11)

809855

Silver Linnet (IRE) 14

5 9-1 b J Butler A Kirby 52

5

(4)

555615

Simple Rhythm 18

6 8-13 p J Ryan D J O'Donohoe 50

6

(2)

000859

Itum 11

5 8-13 Mrs C A Dunnett B Doyle 50

7

(8)

06-9088

Clubland (IRE) 43

3 8-13 K A Ryan Amy Ryan 52

8

(9)

4747

Mon Duchess 42

4 8-13 L A Mullaney 50

9

(14)

072099

Little Perisher 7

5 8-13 p P Howling 50

10

(13)

6-34000

Bond Blade 13

4 8-12 Suzzanne France D Swift (3) 49

11

(10)

6-75664

Pinball (IRE) 21

6 8-12 b Mrs L Williamson Shirley Teasdale (7) 49

12

(1)

46-7842

Kara's Vision 13

3 8-11 p R M H Cowell J Fanning 50

13

(12)

969523

Dazzlin Bluebell (IRE) 13

3 8-10 b T D Easterby T E Durcan 49

14

(3)

059/0-06

Fiona's Spirit (IRE) 5

5 8-9 pt D M Loughnane M Coumbe (3) 45

Betting

Forecast

Invigilator (4/1), Kara's Vision (9/2), Dazzlin Bluebell (5/1), Pinball (8/1), Lucky Mark (10/1), Silver Linnet (10/1), Simple Rhythm (10/1), Spirit of Coniston (10/1), Mon Duchess (14/1), Little Perisher (16/1), Clubland (20/1), Itum (25/1), Bond Blade (33/1), Fiona's Spirit (33/1)

Oh dear..... 2nd to last.... way, way behind the field...

She didn't look right to me... looked very uncomfortable and was paddling. It seemed she just couldn't get a grip on the Fibersand.... Oh well... It was her first time on Fibersand and It was a gamble..

Her previous form Is that she's always prominent and up there with the pace until she's tired In the last furlong.... This was the opposite.... trailed from the start.... Just couldn't get a grip on the unfamiliar surface..... Oh well.... we still love her.

This thread now closes.

Mon Duchess 20th February 2008...... August 28th 2012

Dream come true or bad mistake??? You were my dream come true Duchess. RIP