Chief Stipe Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 There is news in Australia about a rising 13 yr old galloper having its first start back from a 7 year spell. A bit of a good news story although no doubt the animal rights protesters will get in on the act of saying it is cruel. Anyway the trainer does a lot of work with rehoming and retraining aged gallopers but the old boy is so full of life she thought she'd give him a bit of swan song. Here is the NZ TAB's form line comment: "Hasn't offered much fresh in the past. Badly drawn. Appears tested." Which I guess goes to support those of us who think that these form comments are computer generated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 UPDATED: 12YO galloper now has a jockey after seven-year spell, watch him run Wednesday! Fighting Heart with Ipswich-based trainer Kathy Gruenefeld. Article Author Ben Dorries11:52AM23 June 2020 24 Comments Old warrior Fighting Heart now has a jockey and the 12-year-old gelding - who hasn't raced for seven years - is set to get a shot at an extraordinary farewell victory at Ipswich on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Racenet revealed how trainer Kathy Gruenefeld was struggling to find a jockey "brave" enough to ride Fighting Heart and you can read that and the tale of the horse at the bottom of this updated story. Now, two-kilogram claiming apprentice Adin Thompson has agreed to ride Fighting Heart in the gelding's return and also farewell to racing in Ipswich race four on Wednesday. "We are going to the races," Gruenefeld exclaimed excitedly on Wednesday morning, after both her much-loved horse had a jockey booked and also had to pass another vet tick-off. "He is a tough horse and hates losing. "He's been able to give me very consistent times in training and I've pitched him against other horses and he's been coming out on top against five and seven year-olds." In his return to racing, Fighting Heart has plenty of new gear with brushing boots first time (front and hind) and a Hanoverian nose band first time. Bookies have actually kept him fairly safe - with TAB.com.au only prepared to offer up $23 (price correct 9am Wednesday) on Fighting Heart returning a winner after a seven-year racing absence. Sportsbet reported Fighting Heart had been backed to win plenty. "Since a story appeared on Racenet yesterday the veteran has firmed from $67 into $21," a Sportsbet spokesman said. "Fighting Heart holds 40 percent of money wagered on the race. "He also has received the most bets, including $100 at $67 and several $50 each-way wagers also at that quote and a couple of $100 bets at $21." READ RACENET'S STORY FROM TUESDAY AS FOLLOWS ... Kathy Gruenefeld is convinced old boy Fighting Heart is ready to rumble after seven years off the racing scene – her only problem is she is yet to find a jockey “brave” enough to ride the 12-year-old at Ipswich on Wednesday. Racing throws up some weird and wonderful tales but few more so than the story of ex-Hong Kong galloper Fighting Heart, an Australian-bred son of Show A Heart who hasn’t raced since finishing fourth at Sha Tin in June 2013. Fighting Heart won four of 15 races in Hong Kong but struggled with the big city lifestyle and Gruenefeld bought him from an online agent with the intention he would be a dressage or showjumping horse. The doctrine of Gruenefeld’s Throw Away Thoroughbreds business is to train and rehabilitate horses that “have been thrown away or discarded” and horses that are “deemed too slow, untrainable, aggressive, not good enough, who have reached their supposed ‘use by date’ or suffer injury or neglect and can be given a home which allows them to flourish and reach their full potential.” At one point as Fighting Heart raced through a 300-acre property with such gusto that Gruenefeld concluded his racing days weren’t finished after all – Gruenefeld deciding to take out a training license specifically so she could get him to the races. It was a long and cumbersome process – taking more than three years lost in paperwork and other issues. While Fighting Heart was getting ready to race, Gruenefeld raced three other horses and only one has managed to beat a runner home in their six combined starts dating back to October 2018. In a bid to give Fighting Heart a farewell run (Australian racing rules stipulate he won’t be able to race when he turns 13 on August 1) Gruenefeld gave the old warrior a jumpout and got a vet clearance. Chief steward Peter Chadwick confirmed there were no abnormalities detected and Fighting Heart trialled to the satisfaction of stewards – although he will have to pass a raceday vet check before taking on Wednesday’s Benchmark 70 Handicap where he has been allotted 63kg. For Gruenefeld, it’s now a matter of trying to find a jockey willing to ride the rising 13-year-old. “I do get some of the ugly side of social media which I really don’t like but you can’t avoid it these days,” Gruenefeld says. “I am trying to find a jockey who is brave enough to stand up and say ‘yup I can do this, this is OK.’ “I was hoping to have Alex Patis ride because she has ridden for me once before and she is a lovely young lady. Plus she is an apprentice and she has a three-kilo claim. “But she is not game to face social media issues. “I admit feeling quite down and how can I help people understand I have never been in the business of making a quick buck or exploiting horses – I have been on the other spectrum. “I am still currently trying to chase up the jockey but my vet is happy with him. “The 63kg is not going to worry Fighting Heart in the slightest because he does trackwork with my daughter who is nearly six foot tall. He is quite used to carrying weight. “I just want to show people that these horses are not something you throw away. “They are an amazing animal and if you take good care of them and they are strong and fit and healthy they can do amazing things and there is no need for the kind of throwaway attitude we have in Australia. “I have never, ever been able to walk past a horse I saw injured or neglected or abused.” While there may be debate over the merits of racing Fighting Heart as a 12-year-old, there can be little doubt that Gruenefeld has given him a good life since he came into her care. She maintains he is happy and healthy and been ticked off by vets to return to racing – and she sees no reason not to give him a farewell race at Ipswich on Wednesday. “When I found Fighting Heart he was looking pretty bedraggled and muddy and I thought there is just something about him and I will buy him and figure it out,” she says. “My plan was he would do dressage or showjumping – I like to see what they like to do and I go from there. “We were living on a 300-acre property as I always like to give horses plenty of space, they had stalls but during the day they were out running. “I have stock horses that I run them with – Fighting Heart was going through that phase and we watched him one day and he just took off it, it was like watching a horse fly. “My husband said to me ‘Is there any reason he is not racing?’ “I then looked into becoming a racehorse trainer – I got my license but I didn’t have the right paperwork so it all took about three years.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 16 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Which I guess goes to support those of us who think that these form comments are computer generated! I would think along the lines of " clueless generated " . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Yeah well I had to chuckle when it referred to the horse's Fresh Form. SEVEN years fresh in this case. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Well i take absolutely no notice of the comments line , they are clearly done by someone on a day's work experience . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeynz Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 If he goes well fresh then after 7 years he should win by the length of the straight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Unfortunately we won't see his second up form as he will be a rising 20 yr old in seven years time. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeynz Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 17 minutes ago, nomates said: Well i take absolutely no notice of the comments line , they are clearly done by someone on a day's work experience . In reality you should do what you think is right,comments are only comments 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 25 minutes ago, mikeynz said: In reality you should do what you think is right,comments are only comments That is absolutely correct however what is the point of them? I would say to draw attention to the punter of some factor of interest. Most of the comments are "false advertising" and completely misleading. They also seem to be obviously computer generated. I remember when we used to have a weekly print copy of the form. There was one comment writer who turned the comments into an art form - many were humorous and most were providing useful information. I'll just stick to my favourite numbers, draws and colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Watched the race - obviously needed the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 38 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: I'll just stick to my favourite numbers, draws and colours. Your showing your age , are you sure your carer is putting the bets on for you . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 1 minute ago, nomates said: Your showing your age , are you sure your carer is putting the bets on for you . Well I did try Thomass's "Blueprint" for a short period but it was too complicated, not as successful as my numbers/draws/colours approach and seemed to rely on retrospective betting after the race. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: Watched the race - obviously needed the run. Can he back up before the end of the season? Travelled nicely early. Couldn't quicken. Needed run? And maybe blinkers? Looked like the old bugger enjoyed the outing though. Love to win a race with a 10 or 12 yo. That would be killer. https://mediarqs.skyracing.com.au/Race_Replay/2020/06/20200624IPSR04_V.mp4?hdnts=exp=1592982510~acl=/*~hmac=4f94999ac8e6790fd9890fbac510d8bee356e67bfd0837735bcd6fef0671149b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 3 hours ago, curious said: Can he back up before the end of the season? Travelled nicely early. Couldn't quicken. Needed run? And maybe blinkers? Looked like the old bugger enjoyed the outing though. Love to win a race with a 10 or 12 yo. That would be killer. https://mediarqs.skyracing.com.au/Race_Replay/2020/06/20200624IPSR04_V.mp4?hdnts=exp=1592982510~acl=/*~hmac=4f94999ac8e6790fd9890fbac510d8bee356e67bfd0837735bcd6fef0671149b What's happened with your one? Didn't you challenge Pitty that you would beat him to train a winner in July? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All The Aces Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Looking at Whanganui comments R8 2 Hooter Wide draw may be a plus 6 Tamahine But wide draw is a big negative 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 3 hours ago, All The Aces said: What's happened with your one? Didn't you challenge Pitty that you would beat him to train a winner in July? Decided to wait till he turns 10. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodlum Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 8 hours ago, All The Aces said: Looking at Whanganui comments R8 2 Hooter Wide draw may be a plus 6 Tamahine But wide draw is a big negative So not only computer generated comments but randomly generated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLB2.0 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Can't beat "Back to country level" despite the fact that it raced in the same grade and course last start. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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