The Sports Betting thread

[METALMAN]

It's a real shame the horses died, but I think it's unfair to lay the blame at the feet of the people involved. There's not much money involved in owning horses and training them - the vast majority do it just for the sheer love of it. Quite a lot of the time horses are treated just like pets or members of the family. I can imagine that nobody will be more upset about these horses getting put down than their owners.

[Liam]

Synchronised should not have been in the race after it threw off it's jockey. It was obvious to see that it was spooked after throwing off the jockey and going into the line up for the start. The way it would not stand still at all. Even if the vet said it was fine. It still did not look okay. Yeah it may have been at 100% with what the vets said. But no matter what if the horse bolts the rider before the start something is clearly wrong. The horse will not be able to tell you what. And vet may not find anything that could be wrong with it. So it's a two sided coin really. And not many people may agree on it. But to me if the horse shows them kind of signs and even if they vet, the owner and jockey are happy with it. How do you know really that it's going to be okay. But sometimes, maybe it's a chance they are willing to take and that's what they did today.

That's rubbish in my eyes. With all the best will in the world, when there are people who have been in that business for years say that the horse starting wasn't an issue, then it wasn't an issue. I've seen horses bolt that fly, clearly put out by something. Synchronised did something that OTHER HORSES ALSO DID, but it happened to throw McCoy, and the horse was then free to go where it wanted to without a jockey on its back. Then, it effectively strolled away. It didn't sprint off, it seemed pretty content throughout the whole issue.

The REAL humane thing is to not race them.

I agree with the second bit. Vets can't always know if a horse is in the right mindset for a race. Sync obviously wasn't, and paid for it with his life.

If there wasn't races like this, these horses wouldn't even exist......as well as many others.

[LexChaney]

The REAL humane thing is to not race them.

I agree with the second bit. Vets can't always know if a horse is in the right mindset for a race. Sync obviously wasn't, and paid for it with his life.

People would also say that about whipping the horses during the race. But it's hard to keep a horse under control sometimes. And it may upset people and offend a vast majority of animal rights groups. But when you are riding a horse and if you do not keep it under control it could end up costing you your life. And while it may be hard on the horse. It's at a greater cost with human life. Unfortunately. Sometimes you have to show the horse who's the boss and in charge. And again not a lot agree with it.

Exactly vets can never determine what is fully wrong with an animal and with a horse it can be several things. More than ever in a big race and on a grand stage such as we have seen today. The horse has been under a lot of pressure with training for it.

It's really not laying the blame on anyone Metalman. Please understand that.

While there might not be a lot of money in owning horses and training them. And people loving and racing their horses for the sheer love of it. In the end it's the horses health that matters the most. Out of any trophy, or place in a race and the amount of money that could come in. And yes. I think everyone involved will be upset. It could have also been a lot worse and the jockey could have also died.

[Quom]

We have minimised the use of the whip in Australia and no jockeys have died.

Jumps make me sad. I have always hated them. I'd rather the horses not be bred.

[LexChaney]

Synchronised should not have been in the race after it threw off it's jockey. It was obvious to see that it was spooked after throwing off the jockey and going into the line up for the start. The way it would not stand still at all. Even if the vet said it was fine. It still did not look okay. Yeah it may have been at 100% with what the vets said. But no matter what if the horse bolts the rider before the start something is clearly wrong. The horse will not be able to tell you what. And vet may not find anything that could be wrong with it. So it's a two sided coin really. And not many people may agree on it. But to me if the horse shows them kind of signs and even if they vet, the owner and jockey are happy with it. How do you know really that it's going to be okay. But sometimes, maybe it's a chance they are willing to take and that's what they did today.

That's rubbish in my eyes. With all the best will in the world, when there are people who have been in that business for years say that the horse starting wasn't an issue, then it wasn't an issue. I've seen horses bolt that fly, clearly put out by something. Synchronised did something that OTHER HORSES ALSO DID, but it happened to throw McCoy, and the horse was then free to go where it wanted to without a jockey on its back. Then, it effectively strolled away. It didn't sprint off, it seemed pretty content throughout the whole issue.

The REAL humane thing is to not race them.

I agree with the second bit. Vets can't always know if a horse is in the right mindset for a race. Sync obviously wasn't, and paid for it with his life.

If there wasn't races like this, these horses wouldn't even exist......as well as many others.

It might be rubbish in your eyes. Even with people who have been in the business for years who are saying the starting was not an issue. They may have been riders, trainers and vets. And other horses may have been okay after doing similar things. And the number of horses you've seen bolt in your time. But in the end not EVERY! Horse is the same

[Quom]

I don't get your argument. One second horses are animals for our amusement and we can whip the shit out of them, you know 'for control' then the next second it's a horrible tragedy that a horse died doing something stupidly dangerous for horses, not because it's inherently dangerous, but because somehow the vets/trainers/stewards should have used their psychic powers to know that somehow this horse was different to all the others.

I'm all for minimising the risks, but if the horse would have been scratched if the bolt had caused an adrenaline rush (which would have been picked up on the heart monitor) since it would have lowered any chance of winning.

You are missing the issue, chances are the horse would have died if it never bolted. It bolting wasn't the problem, the jumps are the problem. If it didn't have a jump to break its legs on I'd imagine it would still be alive.

[Matt]

What happened to Synchronised was an accident due to the nature of the course, it bolting before the race had nothing to do with it. What happened to Synchronised could have happened to any horse in the field, coincidentally it happened to the one that bolted pre-race. Horrible coincidental accident and nothing more.

Sunnyhillboy is still a twat, however.

[Thrilla]

There were only two horses that appeared to be agitated before the start of the race, West End Rocker, when it got caught in the tape on the second false start and started headbutting and kicking out at people and Weird Al, who refused to go with the pack and had to be dragged there by officials. Synchronised seemed fine, the only reason it got loose (it didn't bolt, that's something completely different in my eyes) was because its footing got all messed up on the corner, which McCoy didn't seem ready for.

[Summers]

I don't think the breeding argument holds up. If I had bred dogs for fighting, should I be allowed to make them fight.. because otherwise they wouldn't exist?

Quom's pretty much right here. The jumps are the problem. The National is a horrible race, because the jumps are just massive and dangerous.

[Colly]

I don't think the breeding argument holds up. If I had bred dogs for fighting, should I be allowed to make them fight.. because otherwise they wouldn't exist.

Fuck dogs, I'm sticking my children in Mad Max 3-esque gladiatorial fights to the death. Otherwise they wouldn't exist.

Just sort the jumps out.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Acca for tonight of Bayern/Madrid draw, Hull and West Ham.

Everything tells me Bayern will win tonight, but for some reason I just couldn't bet against Madrid, no doubt I'll regret it.

[Gazz]

Put all my profit from the National on Arsenal last night.

Betting is a mug's game. :/

[Thrilla]

Put all my profit from the National on Arsenal last night.

Betting is a mug's game. :/

On my Betdash game, I put 90,000+ credits on Arsenal or a draw on that game to get an achievement and they fucked it up, can't imagine how gutted I'd be if I had actual money on it!

[Matt]

Put all my profit from the National on Arsenal last night.

Betting is a mug's game. :/

This.

[Thrilla]

Found a quid in my trousers on the way home from work, stuck it on Bayern to win 2-1 with Robben scoring first, 45-1.

[Summers]

CHAMPIONSHIP FOLLOWERS.

Win me some money. Good bets for tonight?

[Thrilla]

I've got West Ham to beat Bristol City, Southampton to beat Peterborough and Coventry against Millwall to be a draw on my accy.

[Jimmy]

With our season basically over, I can't see Ipswich beating Brum tonight, but I doubt you'll get very good odds. Or that'd you'd want to bet on Birmingham in the first place

[Summers]

I have no issue betting on Blues, tbh.

[Summers]

Blues/Soufamtan/West Ham treble is nice odds.