Henry Cecil Jockeys

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I notice Ted Durcan rode niether of the Cecil horses today, and in one race rode for Dave Lanigan instead. Is there a problem with Durcan? I notice Jimmy Quinn is coming in for more rides at Warren Place so perhaps Cecil wants to use Quinn's more aggressive and stronger style on certain horses?

Any ideas?
 
Durcan and Queally are sharing the rides more . I suspect the Abdulla team are keener on Queally judging by his retaining the ride on Wingwalker .

Durcan is a good jockey but there have been two big cock ups - his ride on Passage of Time in the Nassau was bizarre and he seemed to get Phoenix Tower unbalanced in the closing stages of the Eclipse.

Quinn I doubt it - Cecil sometimes however does keep a jockey on a horse the jockey has ridden a lot at home
 
Ted is Cecil's number one, but they have an agreement that if there is a better ride elsewhere he will ride that. Also he is retained by Godolphin so if they want him they get first dibs. The Lanigan horses had been working well and Ted rides work for him. Also Jimmy Quinn has been riding Ethereal Flame in its homework and picks up the odd mount here and there.

Ted had been working Wingwalker but as Tom won on him on debut, he kept the ride.
 
Intersting, I assumed Durcan was the retained No 1 but clearly not. I felt Jimmy Quinn was unlucky to ride for Cecil just prior to the resurgence of the stable. I wonder if Cecil feels as if he needs to reward Quinn for being loyal when the yard was at rock bottom maybe?

Didn't realise Godolphin had first refusal on Durcan over Cecil - I think as the Cecil yard continues on the up he will probably need to sort out who is the proper No1 as I guess attracting new owners (and reattracting those that have moved on) can sometimes hinge on having the guaranteed services of a top jockey.

I wonder if the Robert Winston resurgence signalled by the ride on spacious may attract the attnetions of Cecil in the fullness of time?
 
Winston wouldn't be silly enough to go a 2nd jockey to Cecil, Ted will always be Henry's number one, he is exactly what he wants in a jockey. I wouldn't leave number 2 at Godolphin either, both camps seem happy to how it works and Queally enjoys working for a variety of yards.

Cecil won't expand I'm sure of that and he has 120 horses, so hardly see him wanting any more.
 
chrisbeekracing said:
Winston wouldn't be silly enough to go a 2nd jockey to Cecil, Ted will always be Henry's number one, he is exactly what he wants in a jockey. I wouldn't leave number 2 at Godolphin either, both camps seem happy to how it works and Queally enjoys working for a variety of yards.

Cecil won't expand I'm sure of that and he has 120 horses, so hardly see him wanting any more.
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Its not as if Godolphin are demanding his services that much recently anyway.
 
Erm Durcan jocked off Phoenix Tower in the Champion in favour of Dettori I see .

Queally to ride Twice Over .

I must admit I found the suggestion Durcan was " exactly what HRAC wants in a jockey strange " - competent as he is Piggott or Cauthen he sure isn't
 
I have to say I agree with Ardross. I think that Ted Durcan is probably a brilliant team player, good with the horses at home in terms of education, especially the youngsters, And of course having given HRAC his first Classic winner in donkeys years, the master of Warren Place will no doubt always keep a job open for Ted Durcan.

However, I do find him a pretty weak jockey, often indecisive and seemingly ponderous, and is rarely credited with having won on a horse who should not have won.

I do think if Cecil really wants to get back into the big time (and lets face it given his personal problems he may be just happy with his current level of involvment) he really needs to find a really good pilot, who is more than seemly a good team player, but who can make the difference in decent races.

Incidentally I don't think Tom Queally is that jockey either - I think he and Durcan, although disimilar in style visually, are in the main what I would call solid journeymen rather than having any pretiontions of being top class.

I know Dettori has had an indifferent season because of Godolphin's dire year, however when he has the right machine under him he still has few peers.
 
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I don't rate Queally either. Durcan is fantastic not just as a 'team player' but as a pacemaker, settling young horses etc etc.

But at Group 1 level he just doesn't have the killer instinct which is needed. You somehow always know - or at least fear - that in a tight finish at top level he will get beat, which let's face it he usually is. He just doesn't inspire his horses in the way a top jock can, any more than he inspires us!
 
Headstrong said:
I don't rate Queally either. Durcan is fantastic not just as a 'team player' but as a pacemaker, settling young horses etc etc.

But at Group 1 level he just doesn't have the killer instinct which is needed. You somehow always know - or at least fear - that in a tight finish at top level he will get beat, which let's face it he usually is. He just doesn't inspire his horses in the way a top jock can, any more than he inspires us!
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I think you have summed it up perfectly in your 2nd para HS.
 
In recent weeks Tom Queally seems to be picking up the bulk of Cecil rides. RUK made reference to it last night at Kempton I think. Has Durcan fallen out of favour, or is there another reason?

I did note Cecil quoted on C4 Teletext as making a point of saying he has no retainer in place with any of his jockeys. Maybe given Queally is quite young, the move is by Cecil in case Queally gest snapped up next season by another yard?
 
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