Wednesday July 26th 2023

I don't know whether they have put the blinkers back on Salvino - he didn't seem to take kindly to them in Belfast Banter's race. Gavin Sheehan looked after him once his chance had gone. Of the ex-European horses, Beat Le Bon had the best flat form, a 110-rated miler for Richard Hannon. I should think his best days are behind him. The Frankel horse Modus Operandi hacked up in a Navan maiden for Ballydoyle but then was shipped out to the States where he has not been pulling up many trees. Top Brass was basically a selling plater for Warren Greatrex who bought him out of Gosdens for a fair bit of money.

Jumping at Saratoga looks a bit like a golf course fairway with a few low barriers across it. Let's hope Salvino isn't pining for Kelso.

Don't know what went wrong with Salvino there, but he was in a muck sweat and pulled up early. Not sure that fast ground suits him. Beat Le Bon gave it his best shot but will never get two miles.

As the commentator said an enterprising run from BLB.

I think you are being unfair on the Architect.

I sat on a Committee for a new build and have no knowledge of Architecture. I kept telling the Project Manager (who is ultimately responsible for implementing the proposed design) and he used to take me aside and say if we send it back for revisions it could double or treble the Budget.

I was unpopular with my Colleagues when the White Elephant opened but only the Project Committee can accept responsibility. An Architect merely offers a design and has no reason to understand the practicalities as he does not know how a school functions.

There was bound to be a Teacher and many more front line staff and ultimately they have to accept Collective Responsibility

Again, just to make my point.

I was involved in an Hospital Unit but we had to stay on Budget.

It was tendered out to an Architectural Firm and the poorly resourced Health Service commissioned a stupid design because it was cheap and unchangeable but inefficient in the long run. Not the Architect's Fault.

The Architect of 'Paddy's Wigwam' (The RC Cathedral on the appropriately named Hope Street that sits opposite the COI Cathedral) allegedly killed himself when he was sued by the RC when the roof leaked. I think it is a beautiful design but maybe corners were cut the implementation

That is a profound misconception of an architect's job. An architect has to offer a design that is based on the proposed use and purpose of the building. Teachers do not have to take responsibility for failed school designs and constructions and uses, nor shoudl they. Teachers do not get to consider such designs, they are not consulted in that way.