Chicago Socks perhaps the worst racehorse ever!

Reluctant to enter stalls, reluctant to race, pottered around in own time, beaten nearly half a mile

That is the damning race record from the Racing Post racereader for the nine-year-old Chicago Socks who made his first and last appearance at a racetrack when competing (I use the term loosely) in the Visit A L Inspired On Facebook Novice Stakes over 1m3½f  at Windsor last night (Monday 2^nd September).  If you get the chance and haven't seen the race take a look at the replay, he is out the back of the screen after less than a furlong! I think I could have stayed closer to the leaders for longer. 

Owner/Breeder/Trainer William de Best-Turner can only be applauded I suppose having kept the unenthusiastic beast until the age of nine. Even he was hardly flattering about his charge before racing saying “This is his last chance. Every time we’ve nearly got him to the races he’s had an issue.” The trainer continued “He’s a lazy horse and there’s only so much I can do with him at home so I need to race him and race him to help bring him along and get him going. I’ve only got seven horses and I get them as fit as I can, but I don’t have the same options as the biggest yards. This is the closest I’ve ever got to running him so touch wood all goes well. If he gets out of the stalls and past the winning post then I’ll be happy.” 

By Catcher In The Rye the high-class, lightly raced miler and sire of German Oaks winner Rosenreihe out of the mare Sachiko, whose sire was Celtic Swing, if nothing else the gelding reminds us that breeding isn’t everything! Apparently he is off to the Dressage arena – good luck.