Tag Archives: horse

UK

Car boot customer astounded as £10 horse harness sells for thousands 'must be a joke!'

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The item had been stored in a dusty box at the owner’s home before he decided to try his luck at selling it on. He originally purchased the Celtic mount for £10 at a car boot sale in Middlesex as part of a “general box of old coins and bits of metal” two years ago – though the price he sold it on for was 200 times that amount.
Miguel Ángel Fuster Aparicio had not paid much attention to the item since he bought it, though he decided to get it valued when his father-in-law read a newspaper article about a similar find.

The piece was identified by experts as a late Iron Age horse harness mount, featuring an engraved curve-linear design complete with red champleve enamel and blue glass.

He was stunned to learn that the item dates back 2,000 years to the late Iron Age and could make him an estimated £2,000 at auction.

The landscape gardener’s rare possession went under the hammer today and soared past his expectations, raking in a whopping £3,800 at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire.

Mr Aparicio said: “I watched the auction live with my partner and it was so exciting. We were thrilled by the result.

“We will be celebrating – and I must buy my father-in-law something. Without him, I would never have known it was potentially valuable.”

Decorative horse mounts of this kind were popular in the Roman and early-medieval periods, often used as symbols of status.

The unique style can be traced back to South East England, with the British Museum having a similar one from London.

READ MORE: Antiques Roadshow guest refuses to sell clock as expert unveils value

Mr Aparicio added: “I still can’t believe it, I am very lucky. I bought it at a car boot sale in Middlesex about two years ago, maybe longer. I can’t remember exactly. It was in a general box of old coins and bits of metal that I paid around £10 for.

“I never spend much at car boots but like to buy old coins and metal toy cars, that sort of thing. Something else actually took my eye in the box the harness mount was in.

“I had no idea what it was, or that it was so old and valuable. After reading the article, my father-in-law said it might be worth something so we took it to Hansons. When I heard the valuation I thought, this is not possible – it must be a joke.

“But I did my internet research and now know all about its history. It’s by far the most important thing I’ve ever found at a car boot sale.”

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Adam Staples, Hansons’ historical consultant, said: “We’re absolutely delighted for Miguel and his family. What an amazing car boot find.

“It’s an impressive example of a late Iron Age harness mount in very good condition considering its age.

“The Celtic artwork incorporates a subtly concealed animal face and I was expecting fierce competition for it at auction.”

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This post originally appeared on Daily Express :: UK Feed

US

Churchill Downs suspends Bob Baffert after Kentucky Derby-winning horse fails drug test

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By Gary B. Graves, AP Sports Writer — Churchill Downs suspended trainer Bob Baffert from entering horses at the track and suggested that it would invalidate Medina Spirit’s Kentucky Derby victory if the results of a failed postrace drug test are upheld.The track said in a statement Sunday that failure to comply with the rules and medication protocols jeopardizes the safety of horses and jockeys, the sport’s integrity and the Derby’s reputation.

“Churchill Downs will not tolerate it,” the statement said. “Given the seriousness of the alleged offense, Churchill Downs will immediately suspend Bob Baffert, the trainer of Medina Spirit, from entering any horses at Churchill Downs Racetrack.

“To be clear, if the findings are upheld, Medina Spirit’s results in the Kentucky Derby will be invalidated and Mandaloun will be declared the winner.”

The only horse to be disqualified for medication after winning the Derby is Dancer’s Image in 1968.

Churchill Downs’ announcement comes after Baffert announced the failed drug test, which he vowed to fight “tooth and nail.” Medina Spirit is Baffert’s fifth horse to fail a drug test in a year.

Flanked by his attorney Craig Robertson in a morning news conference at Churchill Downs on Sunday, Baffert said his barn was told that Medina Spirit was found to have 21 picograms of the steroid betamethasone, double the legal threshold in Kentucky racing, in a postrace sample in the latest doping scandal for horse racing and arguably the sport’s premier trainer.

“I got the biggest gut-punch in racing, for something I didn’t do,” he said.

Baffert said his camp received the word of the positive test from Kentucky officials on Saturday. Baffert said Medina Spirit has not been officially disqualified from the Derby, though that still could happen after other tests and processes are completed.

“This shouldn’t have happened,” Baffert said. “There’s a problem somewhere. It didn’t come from us.”

Betamethasone is the same drug that was found in the system of Gamine, another Baffert-trained horse who finished third in the Kentucky Oaks last September.

Baffert denied any wrongdoing and said he did not know how Medina Spirit could have tested positive. He said Medina Spirit has never been treated with betamethasone and called it “a complete injustice.”

“I don’t feel embarrassed, I feel like I was wronged,” said Baffert, adding that he was going to be transparent with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

“We’re going to show them everything. One thing about it in California, everything is documented every day what the horse gets. This horse was never treated with that. He’s a great horse, he doesn’t deserve this. He ran a gallant race.”

Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby on May 1 by a half-length over Mandaloun, giving Baffert his record-setting seventh victory in the race that starts the Triple Crown season. Medina Spirit is still expected to race in the Preakness, the Triple Crown’s second jewel, on Saturday.

The colt galloped Sunday at Churchill Downs and is expected to leave the track with stablemate Concert Tour and head to Baltimore on Monday.

Baffert was planning to saddle Medina Spirit and Concert Tour in the Preakness, going for a record eighth victory in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Except for 2020 when the races were run out of order due to the coronavirus pandemic, Baffert is undefeated with a Derby winner in the Preakness, which holds its post position draw Monday.

He heads north under another cloud of scrutiny.

Last month, Baffert won an appeals case before the Arkansas Racing Commission, which had suspended him for 15 days for a pair of positive drug tests involving two of his horses that won at Oaklawn Park on May 2, 2020. The horses tested positive for lidocaine, a painkiller, which Baffert said they were exposed to inadvertently.On Sunday, Baffert was adamant that Medina Spirit was not given betamethasone. He planned to submit hair, blood and DNA samples as part of the process, and stressed that his operation has been careful in following protocols.

But as Baffert insisted that horse racing can do better preventing doping, he also acknowledged the spotlight he’s under from the latest episode.

“I’m not a conspiracy theorist,” he said. “I know everybody is not out to get me, but there’s definitely something wrong. Why is it happening? You know, there’s problems in racing, but it’s not Bob Baffert.”

The New York Times said in November 2020 that Baffert-trained horses have failed at least 29 drug tests in his four-decade career.

“I’m worried about our sport,” Baffert said. “Our sport, we’ve taken a lot of hits as a sport. These are pretty serious accusations here, but we’re going to get to the bottom of it and find out. We know we didn’t do it.”

AP Sports Writers Tim Reynolds and Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

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This post originally appeared on ABC13 RSS Feed

Sports

Rafael van der Vaart launches astonishing attack on “blind horse” Timo Werner

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Tottenham hero Rafael van der Vaart launched into a bizarre attack on Chelsea forward Timo Werner, claiming the £53million man has been playing like a “blind horse” during his first year at the club.

Werner has struggled to settle at Chelsea since joining from RB Leipzig last year.

The German striker signed after the Blues triggered his release clause in order to pip Liverpool to his signature.

Since signing, however, Werner has managed just five goals in 29 Premier League appearances, and has struggled to fit in at Stamford Bridge.

And Van der Vaart tore into the German during a rant over Chelsea’s current playing squad.

Chelsea star Timo Werner has struggled in his debut season at the club
Chelsea star Timo Werner has struggled in his debut season at the club
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Read More

Discussing Chelsea’s attacking options, he expressed that he feels Mason Mount needs to “take a step up”, and that Hakim Ziyech is the best of Chelsea’s playmakers.

Ziyech, like Werner, has struggled to settle and has been used as a bit-part player under Thomas Tuchel.

But Van der Vaart saved the strongest of his criticisms for Werner, who he claimed has been “a blind horse” since his days in the Bundesliga.

Rafael van der Vaart heaped praise on Hakim Ziyech
Rafael van der Vaart heaped praise on Hakim Ziyech

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“I would always play Ziyech because he is the best,” he said, as reported by Sport Witness.

“Ziyech comes inside and also gives the cross, just like Mount. Giroud needs that.

“He [Werner] is super-fast, and that might be nice in an away game when you’re under pressure, but it’s just putting your head down and running around.

“Mount is a great footballer, who I do think needs to make a step up.

“I compare him a bit to Calvin Stengs: you have to become a bloke.

“Werner is really a blind horse. He has already proven that in Germany.”

[email protected] (Daniel Blackham)
This article originally appeared on Mirror – Football

Business

Biden’s $2.2 trillion ‘infrastructure’ plan is a Trojan Horse, market analyst tells Keiser Report

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Max Keiser interviews Rick Ackerman, the editor and publisher of Rick’s Picks, who argues that the quadrillions in credit derivatives collapsing will outpace any amount of money printing.

They also talk about US President Joe Biden’s multi-trillion package plan, which Ackerman calls a “Trojan Horse.”

He explains: “Supposedly about 5% of that money is used for potholes, roads and bridges, and the other 95% is one way or another toward what we call social engineering, and there’s even little bit of weather control in there.”

“So, I’m afraid that this $ 2.2 trillion starter kit is just a downpayment on environmental plan that could cost a lot more,” Ackerman says.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT’s business section

RT
This article originally appeared on RT Business News

Sports

Grand National horse dies: The Long Mile put down in sixth death in last 10 years

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A third said: “Sad for JP he wins the race but sadly the long mile is not coming home.”

A fourth wrote: “So sorry for The Long Mile and all connections at the stable.”

The Jockey Club has made several changes over the years to safety and welfare measures for riders and horses.

In the last decade, more than £2million has been spent on horse welfare measures on fences, landing areas and the ground at Aintree.

Both horses and jockeys are also required to meet stringent standards of fitness.

Every horse before the Grand National Festival also undergoes pre-race checks from a veterinarian to determine whether they are fit to race.

Races on the Grand National Course (three across the three-day Randox Grand National Festival) remain unique but fair challenges for horse and rider, but the evidence suggests, increasingly safer ones. Since 2012 there have only been two equine fatalities in the Randox Grand National from 318 runners.

Sports

Kings Temptation: Cheltenham Festival slammed as horse dies – 'Simply unacceptable'

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The Cheltenham Festival has been hit with heavy criticism after Kings Temptation became the first horse to die at the 2021 event on Wednesday.
The nine-year-old, ridden by Bryan Carver, fell before the 27th fence in the three-mile, six-furlong cross country Glenfarclas Chase on day two of the Festival, which is being held behind closed doors for the first time ever due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trainer Ben Case confirmed on Twitter on Wednesday night: “Very sadly we lost Kings Temptation at Cheltenham races today in the cross country race when suffered an injury on the flat.

“He had been a fantastic horse for us winning six times and will be greatly missed by all the team at home thoughts are with all connections RIP KT.”

The death of Kings Temptation means that a horse has died at the Festival every single year it has been held since 2000. It was not held in 2001 due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Britain.

And Chris Luffingham, the campaigns director at the animal charity League Against Cruel Sports, declared it “simply unacceptable” that so many horses have lost their lives while taking part at Cheltenham over the past 21 years.

He said: “The League is distressed to learn that King’s Temptation has died after suffering an injury during the Cross Country race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

“Around 200 horses are fatally injured on British race tracks every year and historically Cheltenham, along with Aintree, are two of the worst offenders.

“A total of 69 horses have now lost their lives at the Cheltenham Festival since 2000, which is simply unacceptable.

“The League is calling for tighter safety measures, the formation of an independent regulatory body with horse welfare at its heart, and a ban on the whipping of horses.”

Animal Aid’s horse racing consultant Dene Stansall said: “The Cheltenham Festival continues its reputation as a lethal and warped spectacle where horses’ lives come a poor second to money making and gambling.

“For all the hype about race horse welfare, we see these poor horses being made to compete in this atrociously gruelling race over a long distance with too many obstacles.

“The sight of poor Kings Temptation falling to the ground will sicken viewers. Every year horses are killed at this so-called Festival.

“But it continues because making money is clearly more important than the lives of individual animals.”

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse explained: “Sadly the Ben Case-trained Kings Temptation suffered a forelimb fracture in the cross-country race and had to be euthanised.”

Tiger Roll won the race to claim a third Glenfarclas Chase crown with the 11-year-old victorious in his fifth Cheltenham Festival event.

The racing manager for Tiger Roll’s owners Gigginstown House Stud, Eddie O’Leary, said: “That was unbelievable – what a fantastic horse, we’re over the moon here. He’s a legend of a horse.

“There was a rush to retire this horse earlier in the season, but he’s a cross-country horse, that’s what he is, and we always said we’ll wait to see how he gets on over the cross-country fences once more. To win at five Festivals is amazing, what a horse.

“Aintree is off the agenda and we’ve no regrets about that. Both him and Easysland are rated too high. He is rated the equal of our Gold Cup horse, Delta Work, and we know he’s not as good.

“It’s going to be hard to retire him after that, now, and he loves racing in any case.

“He’ll probably have to run at Punchestown in the Grade One, where he will probably prove he is nowhere near a 166-rated horse, and it is a pity we have to do that.

“Cross-country racing got this horse back after he had completely lost his way, but we’ll have to go in a Grade One just to prove he has the wrong rating. He’s a cross-country horse, that’s what he is.

“Whatever we decide to do, and if he never wins another race, we will enjoy today.”