Davy Russell On Kings John Castle

useful · Feb 21, 2008

Yet another abysmal display from Russell on Kings John Castle.

Sat motionless like the prize lemon he is for far too long, letting Sweeney's mount make mistake after mistake, taking no advantage whatsoever of Kerryhead's typically poor round of jumping.

Came with his effort all too late, and got done for toe (he was stepping back from 3miles today), and not before managing to predictably meet interference from one of the loose horses.

The fact he is likely to be crowned champion jockey is a savage indictment on the standard of riding in Ireland today.

sunybay · Feb 21, 2008

once again disagree
the horse is a profesional loser

Guest_ · Feb 21, 2008

What on earth are you talking about....he was riding the horse alot on the turn in, got hampered before the final fence, hit the front after the last and just got nailed on the line.

How did he come to late when he actually hit the front after the last?

Monty Conna · Feb 21, 2008

Indeed. What is he talking about!?! There is hardly a better judge of pace in the game at the moment than Russell. His rides on Footy Facts in The Pertemps and Home Hunter at Naas recently were sublime.

Monty Conna · Feb 21, 2008

I'll add his ride on Forgivememaria as well....

useful · Feb 21, 2008

He failed to exploit the poor jumping by Kerryhead Windfarm. He sat in behind that horse without putting any pressure on Sweeney's mount. Sweeney slipped him again turning for home and he started rowing away too late. I am saying he should have had the horse in the van, bustling up Kerryhead - instead he ended up in a sprint to the line.

Looking back at his form, and considering he was dropping from 3m back to 2m, he should have injected some pace to the race to ensure his stamina was brought into play. He didn't, and a sprint on the very short Clonmel run in ensued.

Coleman Sweeney emerges from the race, as is often the case, with tremendous credit. He kept his mount on 4 hooves, he managed to steer a clear path through persistent interference from loose horses, and he dictated matters up front. And to cap it all his strength in the saddle was superior when it mattered. Not bad for a 3lb claimer.

Guest_ · Feb 21, 2008

Did you not see what happened when the horse hit the front? He pulled himself up.

Horse was ridden from the bend, hampered and hit the front after the last....lost by a head to a horse that out battled it. Absolutely nothing wrong with the ride.

Credit to Coleman Sweeney but it has nothing to do with the weakness of Russell or indeed the weaknesses of Irish jockeys (cannot believe I am having to defend that!).

useful · Feb 21, 2008

And it is becoming increasingly obvious on this site that it is impossible to criticise Irish based jockeys. If they are beat on short priced favourites its the horse's fault (he didn't want it), if they win they take all the plaudits (as per Monty Conna's comments). I noticed somebody had the audacity to blame the hot pace for Justified's fall on the weekend as opposed to the person sitting on his back.

Galileo, my point about the tactics of the ride is being convenviently ignored. He should have had the race put to bed before he got to the last fence, if he had ridden his mount handy and taken advantage of Kerryhead's poor jumping (this horse is a notoriously bad jumper and always has been). Russell seemed intent on sitting 5 lengths plus off the pace as if to say lets give Sweeney some sort of a chance.

I suppose getting the last flight all wrong on Asian Royale yesterday wasn't his fault either. And his ride on Battlefront in early Feb was "sublime" too I presume?

He might be good at settling horses, he might be a good "horseman". He might even be a good work rider. One thing he is not is a good tactician, and he seems incapable of reacting quickly to a given set of circumstances in a race.

Oh, and I never said all Irish jockeys are weak in finishes which you imply. I have criticised a number of high profile ones on here but I am equally praising of the like sof McCoy. Lee, O'Regan, Murphy, Brennan - all of whom I understand to be Irish!

Guest_ · Feb 21, 2008

Galileo, my point about the tactics of the ride is being convenviently ignored. He should have had the race put to bed before he got to the last fence, if he had ridden his mount handy and taken advantage of Kerryhead's poor jumping (this horse is a notoriously bad jumper and always has been). Russell seemed intent on sitting 5 lengths plus off the pace as if to say lets give Sweeney some sort of a chance.

And my point is the horse does NOTHING in front which is the reason Russell and McCoy before him rides this horse like this.

Point out fault or critize as much as you like, but don't expect a positive response if your going to have a go at a jockey for not hitting the front soon enough when he actually got there in plenty of time only for his mount to pull himself up or not find as much as expected as he has so often done in the past.

useful · Feb 21, 2008

16th Nov 2006:
King Johns Castle
always prominent, jumped well, led 4 out, drew clear from next, not extended, very easily

This is the RP commentary of his chasing win in Nov 2006 - doesn't read like a horse who cannot be ridden positively, particularly over a trip possibly short of his optimum.

I think most people, including those who piled into him at 4/5 expected Russell to make use of his stamina, dropping in trip by 7 furlongs, and the suspect jumping of some of his main rivals (Merdeka & Kerryhead Windfarm).

It is a recurrent theme on here that certain jockeys can be beat in a tight finish and it is the horse dogging it rather than the jockey using overly negative tactics - Harchibald ring any bells???

LUKE · Feb 21, 2008

KJC has been runner up 7 times in 11 races over fences.That says it all.

Guest_ · Feb 21, 2008

Originally posted by useful@Feb 21 2008, 06:40 PM
16th Nov 2006:
King Johns Castle
always prominent, jumped well, led 4 out, drew clear from next, not extended, very easily

This is the RP commentary of his chasing win in Nov 2006 - doesn't read like a horse who cannot be ridden positively, particularly over a trip possibly short of his optimum.

I think most people, including those who piled into him at 4/5 expected Russell to make use of his stamina, dropping in trip by 7 furlongs, and the suspect jumping of some of his main rivals (Merdeka & Kerryhead Windfarm).

It is a recurrent theme on here that certain jockeys can be beat in a tight finish and it is the horse dogging it rather than the jockey using overly negative tactics - Harchibald ring any bells???

Oh dear oh dear....yes lets go back to 2006 to King Johns Castles novice days....

As for Harchibald thats and old over played story. Hits the front early (ala Punchestown, Kempton) and he struggles in just the same way. But thats another topic.

Russell did nothing wrong on this occasion. And as for the whole stamina thing, well Kerryhead Windfarm is a stayer too.

Harbinger · Feb 21, 2008

Originally posted by useful@Feb 21 2008, 05:22 PM
And it is becoming increasingly obvious on this site that it is impossible to criticise Irish based jockeys.

kevk · Feb 21, 2008

Originally posted by useful@Feb 21 2008, 05:40 PM
I think most people, including those who piled into him at 4/5 expected Russell to make use of his stamina,

Including you by the sound of it !!!

Guest_ · Feb 21, 2008

Originally posted by kevk+Feb 21 2008, 06:52 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (kevk @ Feb 21 2008, 06:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-useful@Feb 21 2008, 05:40 PM
I think most people, including those who piled into him at 4/5 expected Russell to make use of his stamina,

Including you by the sound of it !!! [/b][/quote]
I think most people would have expected his horse to be held up, as has been the case in the vast majority of his performances including over 2 miles. Like I said Kerryhead Windfarm has stamina in bundles.

useful · Feb 21, 2008

Hang on Galileo - are you saying the manner of his victory in Nov 2006 is now irrelevant for the purpose of you winning the arguement?

This was his most impressive performance over the minimum trip. Different tactics were adopted when Mansony trounced him, but that was no surprise because he is vastly inferior to Mansony.

Similarly he was done for toe by Schindlers Hunt.

I don't dispute Kerryhead Windfarm stays farther than King Johns Castle. However Kerryhead is a very dodgy jumper, and I repeat that Russell failed to exploit this throughout the race.

Harchibald is old hat, and I have made my views clear on the subject. However it serves as a useful reminder that certain Irish based jockeys have a remakably unlucky record in getting aboard "dogs".

Gareth, I can't be bothered reading all those threads. I will take your word for it. However "my world, my eyes" give me the impression I currently have. Maybe when I am on here a bit longer I may see a post that criticises certain rides by certain jockeys from other people.

useful · Feb 21, 2008

kevK, I don't deny I had a bet, but I didn't pile on. I played up a small profit on Hold Em on Russell's mount.

Galileo, his hold up rides over two miles often came against class animals as I have already mentioned. I don't believe he could take on Mansony for the lead and I dont believe he would have beaten Schindlers Hunt whatever the tactics.

Today he was in against vastly inferior horses, and the horse was sent off an extremely well backed fav.

Russell got it totally wrong, and was exposed as being the most inept jockey ever to have challenged for an Irish jockeys title.

Guest_ · Feb 21, 2008

Hang on Galileo - are you saying the manner of his victory in Nov 2006 is now irrelevant for the purpose of you winning the arguement?

Yes I am, certainly not as relevent as his runs this season and last year. And that one run was in his first novice chase....not uncommon for a first timer over fences to get a clear run and view over fences.

Horse has never been a front runner and won't be.

Russell got it totally wrong, and was exposed as being the most inept jockey ever to have challenged for an Irish jockeys title.

Give me the others in running for that "title"?

useful · Feb 21, 2008

Galileo, no it wasn't, it was his third start in a chase. Previously, as mentioned, he was unable to lie up with Mansony (no shame there). He was arguably schooled in public on debut in Feb 2006 at Naas.

I believe his best performance came in that Nov 2006 race and this was because he was made more use of. He has a high cruising speed but is very one paced. Normally success with such a horse, especially over an inadequate trip, is enjoyed with positive tacticts, not negative ones.

If only all trainers were like Paul Nicholls......

Colin Phillips · Feb 21, 2008

............or Mark Johnston?

useful · Feb 21, 2008

Paul Nicholls made a very obvious point of saying he wanted Kauto Star ridden "postively" not "negatively" at Ascot.

This doesn't necessarily mean you have to lead. Sometimes it can mean this if there is no obvious pace in the race. The point I have made in the past about Johnston is he has no variation - its lead at all costs, even if contested in a furious battle for the lead.

Today's example of a poor tactical ride was more to do with failing to exploit an obvious weakness in a rivals jumping. I suspect if Russel had taken Sweeney on for the lead Kerryheads jumping woul dhave completely gone to pieces (he nearly did in an incontested lead) and he Russell would have been left to come home alone.

Harbinger · Feb 21, 2008

Gareth, I can't be bothered reading all those threads. I will take your word for it. However "my world, my eyes" give me the impression I currently have.

Maybe time for some glasses.

useful · Feb 21, 2008

del boy · Feb 21, 2008

Useful.

Davys a better jockey than you. Hes better than most people.

Its becoming increasingly obvious you have a problem with all things irish, our jockeys, our racing, our hurdlers, and indeed our posters, not the other way around.

Just because you have an opinion that you will argue and argue and argue for page after page, does not mean your correct.

Garney · Feb 21, 2008

i think Kerryhead Windfarm made very few mistakes today. If KJC wanted to win he would have won, he was produced to lead at the last, leading the front runner, only not to go through with his effort.

Davy Russell On Kings John Castle

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