Bar the Bull
At the Start
I have always had a soft spot for the Belgian.
The only jockey who regularly wins Group races he shouldn't at the moment is Dettori. His rides on Shamardal and Lawman were a treat to watch. There will never be a better jockey from the front.
A better question. When was the last Group 1 or Group 2 that the jockey has made a difference??
Can anyone remind me of the horse he won on in a handicap at Sandown last season? Many thought it a fantastic Dettori front-running ride.
A better question. When was the last Group 1 or Group 2 that the jockey has made a difference??
Richards was plainly the best
Breasley and Piggott were both top notch in the early 60s
Piggott was peerless from 1964-71 - true he was better than Carson but could not be arsed chasing round the country for more titles in the 70s .
Eddery was best or second best to Piggott in his pomp as was Cauthen and Mercer only won once when HRAC had an awesome year .
These were the best or top two or three jockeys though - something that cannot be said of Spencer, Sanders ,Darley or Hanagan
Murtagh on Misty For Me
Carson wasn't as good as Piggott therefore not the best when he was 'champion'.
Eddery was second best to Piggott.And so was Cauthen. So they weren't the best.
And Mercer only was champion because Cecil had a good year, so he wasn't really the best.
Don't see how 'being arsed chasing round the country' makes someone the 'best' either.
Richards,Breasley, Piggott,Carson,Eddery,Mercer, Cauthen.....
Richards and Breasley were before my time but the others would almost certainley have been better than Saunders, Hannagan and Darley and probably more consistent than Spencer.
I accept that but my point is that over a period of 40 years only 7 jockeys won the championship . All of whom would have been regarded either as the best - Richards and Piggott- or the best around for some of their championships - Eddery and Cauthen - or in the top two or three - Breasley, Mercer and Carson .
Sanders, Hanagan, Darley and Spencer - do not even get that high . They barely squeak in the top five in their year.
Id be in the Curtis camp in this race, think hel struggle to compete though from now until the end of the season. Carroll will have the Halford camp behind him for the run in, and even with Joseph missing them days, i think that he will get a winner a meeting at the remainder courtesy of his father, so it would put him in the 40s, which will be very hard to beat.
I didn't mention any of the riders of today and am not expressing an opinion about any of them, or comparing them to past riders.
The fact that only 7 won championships over that number of years could also be down partly to the fact that most were retained by very prolific stables and as in the top five, were booked by other stables when free so had the choice of rides, and that the rest of the jockeys, who were in total number fewer than riding today, were perhaps not as good.
Piggott was freelance from 1966-1971. The Maestro !
Moreover I am far from sure they were not as good Duffield for example who got Group 1 rides in the 1990s did not get a sniff of one in the 1970s and early 80s . That definitely goes for NH where the jockeys are much improved
I am not arguing about the merits of Piggott as a jockey. In my opinion only, he is the greatest jockey I have ever seen.
They who? Not sure what your point is about Duffield?