Ever notice how pedigree experts can explain a success so as to make it seem inevitable – after the event. It’s a flim-flam in many ways, designed to disguise a more mundane reality which is that talent is mostly a genetic crap-shoot. But listen to enough of these experts over the next couple of weeks and you will wind up wondering what Dawn Approach is doing in the Derby at all. (more…)

Political-Will is a buzz-phrase that can sum up a lot. Mostly it sums up the belief that things happen or don’t happen in direct proportion to the whims of those in authority. And there is no greater whim in Irish racing than prizemoney. (more…)

Hindsight might be 20-20 but even from this cushy angle it’s hard to fathom where fourteen Irish trained winners came from at Cheltenham 2013. It’s not like everything went perfectly – think Pont Alexandre – but a new record tally was still set. Perhaps the only logical conclusion to come to is that the country can’t be as financially banjaxed as everybody thinks. (more…)

National Hunt fans tend to look up their financial noses at the flat when it comes to money, and how the winter sport is resolutely for the ‘small man,’ but it will be hard to argue that at Cheltenham 2013 when the vast majority of big Irish hopes will be in such a tiny minority of hands. (more…)

Overwhelming dominance in any area of competition can get tiresome, especially for those dominated, but those predicting the continual decline in reputation of the Irish Derby due to Coolmore’s hegemony are ignoring some salient realities. (more…)

Now that those 1980’s hair-shirts are back in fashion, it’s no surprise to see racing’s rulers going into slash and burn mode just like everyone else in authority these days. But indiscriminate slashing and burning has a habit of coming back to bite and Horse Racing Ireland’s decision to cut a further €450,000 from the Turf Club’s integrity service budget looks desperately short-sighted. (more…)