KINGSLEY KICKBACK
Troubling answers
I have just been reading the Steve Harman question-and-answer
interview in the January edition of the Klarion, but have already
foundered at his answers to the second question, in which he
was asked to detail the achievements of which he was most
proud. This is precisely the self-satisfied thinking by the
managerial class that brought about the Trump situation - and,
thank goodness, Brexit.
I should very much like to have a full and frank discussion
with him of the issues I have raised many times in the past. To
go through his answers to question 2 in order:
a) We have had too much "growth". And the items he puts in
brackets are in reverse order of their importance.
b) To pretend that horsemen are in control of their own
destiny is an abuse of language. Whether other sports are in
awe of our system is debatable, although it appears that
Cycling and Football (to name but two) may be even more
shambolic. Not to mention the Blessed Lord Coe's apparent
ducking and diving!
c) Humble leadership? Methinks he doth protest . . .
d) See my letter in the same January Klarion.
e) I'll believe it if you will.
f) I doubt if most of his team can spell horse, and they
certainly have absolutely no interest in or understanding of
staffing issues -- otherwise they'd be contracting rather than
expanding the programme.
After a lie down in a darkened room I may read on.
BILL O’GORMAN
Newmarket
Good luck, Namibian!
Nothing has given the staff at Hascombe Stud and myself more
pleasure than to see how successful Namibian's retraining at the
Godolphin retraining centre has been and that he has qualified
for the British Dressage Para Winter Championships in March.
We wish Julie Frizzell and former MJR horse Namibian the
best of luck and keep our fingers crossed for them. Please ask
Julie to send us any future news.
Best wishes to all at Mark Johnston Racing,
ANTHONY OPPENHEIMER
Hascombe Stud, Cheveley, Newmarket
No dung deal at Hamilton
Maybe the manufacturers of the PASS system got the colour of
the card wrong (see Straight Talking, January 2017), giving the
impression it is something other than a key to enhance one’s
exclusive race day experience
The gold-coloured brochure which comes with the card
(maybe the card colour was supposed to match the colour of the
brochure?) states that arrangements for “leaving badges for
collection must be made directly with the racecourses and can
be done in advance via the RCA concierge system”.
Whether the Racecourse Association will be able to handle all
the requests involved remains to be seen. No doubt this will
reduce the queue outside the entrance to the fine buffet offered
at Western House, Ayr where there is generally a free-for-all for
meal tickets just because such and such a trainer said they could
get in.
However, top hats off to Ms Vivien Kyles who has
sanctioned, along with a handful of other racecourses, that
holders of a PASS card can go along to any meeting at Hamilton
Park with a guest even although they have no connections with
the racing on that day. Obviously, the management at Hamilton
Park realise that PASS card holders and their guests don’t just
go along for a free ride. As the saying goes, “business is
business”.
ALASDAIR ROSS
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