Press Coverage

Easy (or whatever your real name is), FYI:

1. My comments re the racing press in South Africa are not personal attacks, but made in hopes that something might be done to improve coverage in South Africa. You may be interested to learn that my comments of a like regard about racing journalism have been infinitely more pointed and severe and began in 1978 when I took on racing's press in a national magazine.

In that story, I was the first sports writer in the Untied States to inform the reading public that jockeys swapped tips for drugs. The horsemen wanted to take my racing license and rule me off until the rider of Spectacular Bid was arrested in the parking lot of Disneyland with a bag ful of cocaine.

I also accused the national's leading and legendary trainer and rider of pulling horses. Neither one of them ever complained or said a world. Yet, in the ensuing months changed their practices.

These are but two of the examples I used to illustrate why racing journalism sucked, because if the press had done their job, crap like this could not have proliferated.

I have been the punters' advocate for decades.

I think it is important for South Africans to realize that what they take for the press is in many instances merely publicity handouts from racing associations. Also, that certain writers, who are given travel and other perks, are bought and paid for by powerful interests to promote themselves.

I think Charl, for example, is a very talented writer. But no many can serve as many masters as him. He has more conflicts of interest than any writer I have ever known. I have told him this on more than one occasion, so this is not news to him.

For him to take me on and hint that I cost David Thistleton an award opened up this can of worms.

How far out in left field did Charl have to go in order to nail me! Pretty funny if you ask me.

One cannot write for himself, for the racing association, for a trainer and God knows who else and be true to himself. It is IMPOSSIBLE.

And Charl is not alone by any stretch of the imagination.

2. As for my bloodstock activities in South Africa, you may be interested to know that I own a) 14 broodmares that are in production in South Africa, b) that I have consigned and sold yearlings in the National Yearling Sale, c) that I have bought shares in stallions in South Africa, d) that I plan to syndicate and stand Russian Sage and breed at least 12 mares to him next year (he has no Northern Dancer blood, which is unusual) and e) my activities have undoubtedly spurred considerable interest in the South African product in many corners of the world.

In closing, I truly enjoy South African racing, have great respect for the horsemen, breeders and riders, and express this all over the world every chance I get.

And, if the so-called racing press in your country (I am not talking about the true journalists) respected the sport and industry, they would treat it differently.

That's my point pal.

P. S. FYI, I have written for publications all over the world since the late 1960s, have hosted call-in radio shows for punters, produced and hosted televisions programs on racing, edited and managed racing magazines, etc. So I do have some experience from which to draw.

Goodluck tomorrow night Barry were all rooting for her...

I guess as this is a forum everyone is entitled to their opinions, no matter how stupid they might be.

To even suggest that someone like Barry doesn't put anything into our racing is quite laughable. I suggest Easy ask the many SA trainers, jockeys, and breeders who BI pays for their services whether he doesn't put anything into our game. Lets not forget about quite a few owners who have happily sold some stock to Team Valour.

Surely MDK's Dubai owners fall into the same bracket as BI, investing in our bloodstock to race them internationally, if they show potential. Why would that be a bad thing?

Wouldn't it be great if we had more knowledgeable and prominent industry players having a say on this forum, giving us poor punters insight into a game that seems more cloak and dagger than anything else.

Sometimes Easy you speak sense, and sometimes you don't but in this case you are so far offsides it seems your head is the one up an arse, unfortunately its your own!

I have my doubts whether you're man enough to jump off your anti-american band wagon but I suggest a solid piece of humble pie is in order, never "Easy" isn't it?

RobP,you will probably understand now why we let the thread ride? The overwelming support for Barry on the thread way counter balances the negativity and personal attack from one member.

Members are reminded that if you make personal attacks against other members or non members you may run the risk of Legal Consequences

easy Wrote:

---

> This is not related to CP. This is not my 1st
> opinion posted about this box Mr Irwin. So what if
> some owner sold a horse for 800k, that might seem
> like a great deal but in this day and age, that
> NOTHING stops that owner from campaigning the
> horse himself/herself overseas which should it be
> succesful makes the 800k seem like cents.
>
> I dont like this box for many reasons and the 2
> posted i stick to.


I would if I had a horse good enough and if I could afford the travel costs. Lol.

For Shayne Wellman - if you're interested in how Ipi Tombe is getting on, she has her own website !

www.ipitombe.com/

Enjoy

Sorry - for some reason my post came through twice, so I thought I'd amend this to something more interesting!

I just wanted to say to Mr Irwin - fabulous news that SA will be getting another stally free of ND blood - there are far too few of those around IMHO. I wish you every success with Russian Sage.

what i do know is that mr barry irwin has more horses here and abroad than what "easy" has (if he owns any).. is "easy" known worldwide??????

Sasky
there are literally millions of punters in soweto/guguleto/alexandra that pump millions into SA horseracing and get an even worse deal out than myself or Barry Irwin

humble pie is a dish i have often had to eat, however on this occasion its NOT american bashing (i know it apears so) and its not foreign investment bashing it is however self righteous bashing and pompous bashing. If the bloodstock and the costs were not as attractive as they are then Team Valiant would be hunting in another country. There is NO (imvho) burning desire to be in SA apart from the fact that it makes commercial sense, so peal me a grape and dont bleed on and on about how good he is for SA. In a flash he will be off.

Now Mike De Kock is different, i am SURE that Mike has often been offered stables/jobs overseas. Infact in the UK alone i am confident that the stables he has/rents from the Sheik would be full if he made a press statement that he would be training from there in future. BUT Mike is loyal to SA, Mike has stated many times that he does not want to train anywhere else.

Garrick

I am sure you would find the travel expenses.

Hibernia

nice cartoon

its TEAM VALOUR not team valiant!!!!... easy ur points are uhm useless in direction... south africa offers GREAT VALUE in their bloodstock so why wouldnt anybody NOT want to purchase SA horses and then race them abroad (excellent advert for SA breeding)???... you boggle my mind!!!!

shorthead

so the ammount of horses one owns =the louder one can shout?

Are you sure its not Valiant?


lol

its team valour!!!!