Steep learning curve...

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
Joined
Aug 2, 2005
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Ten day bans for the four other jockeys and I reckon they got off lightly.


I suppose it highlights the risks in backing horses ridden by inexperienced claimers - may father used to say a seven pound claim is a seven pound penalty - but you also have to wonder what the instructions were.

As an aside, the commentary also highlights a flaw in the commentator's reading of it. I don't think the lead ever got to more than 40 lengths, about 120 yards give or take, or just over half a furlong, but he said more than once "many hundreds of yards". That would suggest to me at least five hundred yards or over half a mile. That's really poor for an experienced reader and commentator.
 
Pick on the kids again. If it had been the top jockeys they wouldn't have banned them.
They would have said that it went off to fast and they expected to come back to them.
Loads of time it happens and nothing gets done.
It must be hard for a jockey.
 
Pick on the kids again. If it had been the top jockeys they wouldn't have banned them.
They would have said that it went off to fast and they expected to come back to them.
Loads of time it happens and nothing gets done.
It must be hard for a jockey.

I don't think it would ever have happened with top jockeys to that extent. We've seen races where the likes of Quickthorn or Not So Sleepy got away with a cute front-running ride and where the other jockeys have got it wrong but the other day looked beyond bad.

Maybe there's a case for stewards not taking action until they've had time to take into account sectional timings or other pace analysis but they didn't seem to be going fast early the other day.
 
I blame the parents (and whoever else taught them raceriding, particularly judging fractions for the distance, ground and quality of race you're in).

The standard of tutelage (was any jockey coach actually any good themselves back in their day?) is probably abysmal, but then this is a sport where I still see senior jockeys seemingly determined to win by as far as possible and ruin their mount's handicap mark on a daily basis.

But then tbf riding horses is pretty dangerous - you wouldn't catch me doing it - and anyone with a brain is likely to have given the career the body swerve.
 
The standard of tutelage (was any jockey coach actually any good themselves back in their day?) is probably abysmal, but then this is a sport where I still see senior jockeys seemingly determined to win by as far as possible and ruin their mount's handicap mark on a daily basis.
Not when I back the buggers they don't!
 
Looked really bad but to be fair the vast majority that go off like that usually stop dead and finish well beaten

That's why I'm saying the sections need to be looked at. I got the impression the runaway leader wasn't going fast.
 
The winning horse’s time was over 20 seconds slower than standard time. Every other winner that day was slower than standard but nowhere near that margin. The 1 mile 5 furlong race was slower by around 5 seconds. The 2 mile race in question was outrageously slow and was won by 22 lengths. I suppose young riders have to learn their craft somewhere but in this case there appeared to be quite extraordinary ineptitude.
 
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