Hopes Dashed

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
Joined
Aug 2, 2005
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I wasn't aware of it until after the dust had settled down but you've got to have some sympathy for connections of the four horses whose stalls opened late in the Dash.

Whom I don't have any sympathy for are the chinless hooray henrys in the stewards' room who decreed that those horses hadn't had their chances materially affected - these same stewards who can say with some certainly that interference during a race can.

Even if the stalls opened only half a second late, at that course and distance you're talking a minimum of three lengths, probably nearer to four. This is compounded by the momentum gained by the ones that got away first. That momentum could account for seven or eight lengths by the time the slow-starters get into their stride.

How many times do we hear TV pundits, jockeys, etc tell us that you can't win a race at the start but you can certainly lose it there?

It was/is a scandalous decision.
 
The Stewards further noted that stalls 16, 18, 19 and 20 had opened fractionally slower than the balance of the field and having reviewed recordings of the start in normal speed, were of the view that none of those runners’ chances were materially impacted, and they therefore took no further action.

Not materially impacted - what a laugh. Just a coincidence, then, that the horses in those 4 stalls finished 15th, 20th, 14th and 17th in the field of 20 runners.
 
I've just read that ALLIGATOR ALLEY was blamed for the stalls not opening.
Runs tomorrow and under the race in the guide on bet365 it says it.but doesnt say why.
 
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The ITV programme showed a finish from another race (Chester?) today and the 1-2-3 were among the four whose stall was late in opening at Epsom.
 
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