fairley, windsor, the curragh & optional claiming races.

​I suppose if I were to be a better hearted, kinder, person, I would forgive and forget, and I do believe people, though not murderers, rapists, paedophiles, animal abusers and dopers, should be given a second chance in life if they have proved themselves worthy of a second chance. I do not know Greg Fairley, had forgotten about him until reading the front page of the Racing Post this morning, with my first reaction being that the B.H.A. should not grant him a licence to return to riding as a professional jockey.
Greg Fairley was a rising star as a youngster, having the backing of Mark Johnston and was champion apprentice in his time. For whatever reason, he allowed himself to fall victim to felons who twisted his arm to stop horses on their behalf. He had his riding licence revoked for 12-years and was warned-off all B.H.A. licenced premises. He has served his time, much like someone coming out of prison, and that, apparently, is good enough for some people to think it appropriate to allow him to return to the sport.
Given he is now 39, might even be 40 when he returns to the weighing-room, I believe it might serve as a probationary period, to gauge if he has changed himself from villain to a man of integrity, if he was only allowed to return as an amateur. For someone who was thrown-out of the sport as a cheat, it is as far as forgiveness is concerned that I personally will extend my charity towards him and others like him.

Windsor is to revert to a figure-of-eight circuit for its National Hunt racing from next season. I dare say they must have received more negative comments after its two-meetings last season than they let on and for Windsor to continue as a jumps course the figure-of-eight was the only way to proceed. Personally, I am pleased by the return to the old set-up as along with Fontwell it gives the course a distinction that takes it out-of-the-ordinary. We need more variation in racecourses, especially over jumps, and would like to have a racecourse in mimicry of Auteuil, with all its different design of obstacle that makes it more akin to a 3-Day event than a run-of-the-mill British steeplechase course. We could learn so much to our benefit from the French and the Irish, and it pains me to say it.

The Curragh is ‘dead as a door-nail’, apparently and no one alive or dead can resurrect it from the stillness of its attendees, at least that is Richard Forristal’s opinion and he would know far better than me or you. 
I do have an idea they might follow for their poorly attended Guineas meeting. Instead of going from 3-days to 2, go from 3-days to 1. Have a 9-race jamboree (The World Pool insists on 9-races) featuring both Guineas races, the Group races and the most valuable handicap. If that does not pack them in perhaps my next idea might lead to bigger crowds in the near future. Construct a National Hunt course. Get in the real fans of the sport and perhaps they will return for a flat fixture. Leopardstown, Fairyhouse, Galway and Punchestown have no problems when it comes to packing out the stadia. It is not as if there is not the room for a National Hunt course at the wide-open spaces of The Curragh.

At Fairyhouse today there is an Optional Claiming race. If you look-up the career history of Golden Miller you will discover that towards the end of his career that he twice ran in the Optional Selling Chase at Birmingham (1937 & 1938) winning both times. Given that the conditions of the race at Fairyhouse allow horses to run in the race without the risk of being claimed, though horses can also run and be claimed for no more than 12,000 Euros, I only assume the race run at Birmingham allowed horses to run without the threat of being put up for auction if they were to win or be claimed if they did not win.
I am not sure I like claimers that can also not be claimers. It is akin to’ is it foul-play or is not foul-play’. It is not neither one thing or the other but both things at the same time. That Golden Miller was eligible for that Birmingham race slants me toward being critical of such races and hope they do not blossom.