3/15 ATR: O'Connell, Olivares, Simon, Luck from Cheltenham, more!
 

Fast moving, eclectic ATR today featured

• Trainers Kathleen O'Connell (Watch Me Go), Luis Olivares (Tackleberry) & Chuck Simon (Live at OBS; Prospect Knight)..
  
  
• Equidaily's Seth Merrow..
  
  
• Horse Health Today w/ Dr. Allday (Life at Ten report; Lasix)..
  
  
• Racing UK's Nick Luck (Live from Cheltenham)..

If you missed on SiriusXM, catch up via Stream, Podcast or Archive: www.stevebyk.com

12:00 Open
12:15 News
12:30 Luis Olivares
12:45 Kathleen O'Connell

1:00 Seth Merrow
1:15 "
1:30 Chuck Simon
1:45 "

2:00 Horse Health Today with Dr. Steve Allday
2:15 "
2:30 Nick Luck
2:55 Close

Steve, that was an interesting interview with Dr. Allday regarding the use of lasix. I found it to be very informative.

Agreed, and also his comments on Life At Ten. To paraphrase: Sometimes you just have to stick your neck out.
:tro:

Steve – Great show!

Concerning Cheltenham – Very thorough rundown of the Festival by Mr. Luck. The Festival itself is “second to none” when discussing racing events, but you brought up an interesting discussion about the Cross Country course and the race itself. Unfortunately, the race is a bit of novelty for the British and Irish, but I doubt that you will see a more exciting and competitive race during the Festival (5 horses fighting out the finish in a jump race, of almost 4 miles, is pretty uncommon). From your comments during the first segment, it sounds like you just became a fan as well. I had the good fortune of being able to walk the cross country course prior to racing this past November during the “Open” meeting. I think the course design is challenging and an excellent test of a horse’s jumping ability. It was a wonderful experience walking Cheltenham’s hallowed ground. In Ireland, they have a similar race scheduled during the Punchestown Festival in April. I’m looking forward to walking that course and attending that race someday.

Despite being a little dismissive in the UK and Ireland, cross country racing (pari-mutual) is extremely popular in the Europe, particularly in France and the Czech Republic. I’m hoping to make track visit #300 this October at Pardubice, Czech Republic to watch the “king” of all cross country races, the Velka Pardubicka. It’s a 4 mile 2½ furlong unsurpassed test of stamina and agility over some of the most demanding obstacles in jump racing.

Here in the US, you can find a similar course at Great Meadow, Virginia; home of the VA Gold Cup and International Gold Cup. While both those races are run over post and timber fences, they card a race called the Steeplethon, run over a course that what I would consider similar to a cross county course.

Concerning Lasix – I think it’s a management tool that should be made available to horses that it will benefit. Obviously Tackleberry is a very good horse who doesn’t need it. We had a nice horse that we found out ran better without it. It really should be down to the horse’s need.

Concerning Equidaily – Excellent segment with Seth Merrow raising the awareness and richness of international racing.

Concerning Chuck – A champion amongst the small stable trainers. God willing, I will be successful enough to send him a horse someday.

Hear hear on Chuck...when I cash my lottery ticket, he will have some serious stock to work with for sure. But he's gotta run some of them in Indiana.

Scan:

Thanks so much! Glad you tuned in and enjoyed. Was great to have Nick Luck of course, and I'm especially pleased you thought it was a thorough and productive chat. The cross country at the Rolex in KY is quite a spectacle, and I can imagine how grand it is over the Cheltenham course. Am enjoying the action this week and am simply a fan of nearly any equine competition. (Even rodeo which I poked fun at the other day.)

SB

I don't Roger.. I'm afraid Chuck's Indiana days are over for a while!