Jockey News

jinnyj said:
They do already have spot testing with no indication when they are going to turn up on a racecourse to test. Any jockey who turns up, sees the testers there and promptly leaves automatically gets penalised. They are doing it Pointing as well. We have warned jockeys not to be complacent in their recreational use.
Drugs have long been a problem in Lambourn and Newmarket (and probably elsewhere) and don’t think it’s only the jockeys! Although they obviously are not in charge of a racehorse during a race but I could probably name you half a dozen trainers who partake.
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A young friend had 2 stays with me when I lived in Newmarket, and rode work at two top yards; in both a fair few of the work riders were dabbling every night in other drugs than alcohol. No way some of them were 'sober' for first lots the next mornings.
 
For some jockeys yes. But it’s definitely part of the culture in the racing centres. Drug taking is rife there. I’d say an awful lot of stable staff are doing drugs and have been for a long time.
 
So could a jockey fail a drugs test because of touching something that a user had also touched? The tests are rather sensitive aren’t they?
 
I think wherever young people are getting together away from family etc, there will nearly always be misuse of, at best, alcohol and presumably other stuff.

I spent some time away from home as a student at weekends working away from home in hotels with lots of other students. Lots of alcohol during time off was pretty normal but there were one or two who knew how to access other stuff.

I think the other stuff is much more readily available (and cheaper) now than back in the '70s.

(For the record, I never have partaken, don't and never intend to partake of any illegal substance.)
 
Blimey, it all sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Hope the BHA are aware and getting to grips - some hope!!
 
Rab Havlin banned for 21 days for his ride on Stowell at Lingfield,behind his odds on stablemate.
Just watched the replay and I think that is harsh.i see worse than that every day.
 
Paul Townend hopes to passed fit to ride at Punchestown in a special boot to protect his foot.
Shades of Steve Smith Eccles riding See You Then all those years ago.

Drugs are certainly considered social "normality " for the younger generation.
Us older folks just don't get it or cannot understand the culture.
It never ceases to amaze me the % of the population taking medication of some sort to maintain a degree of sanity is almost matched by the % trying to lose theirs, if only temporarily when Barry's Master Blend Tea is all you need !
 
edgt said:
Paul Townend hopes to passed fit to ride at Punchestown in a special boot to protect his foot.
Shades of Steve Smith Eccles riding See You Then all those years ago.

Drugs are certainly considered social "normality " for the younger generation.
Us older folks just don't get it or cannot understand the culture.
It never ceases to amaze me the % of the population taking medication of some sort to maintain a degree of sanity is almost matched by the % trying to lose theirs, if only temporarily when Barry's Master Blend Tea is all you need !
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Mindful of nothing dragging the thread completely off topic but you do know Tea is a drug, or at the very least contains substances classified as drugs!!

You are a drug taker edgt, you just didn't know it :D
 
Speaking of drug use, but this time in horses, trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni's eight year ban for giving anabolic steroids to racehorses ends today.:ninja:[h=1][/h]
 
Looks like Richard Kingscote is stepping up in class, riding plenty of work for Stoute and not too many rides for Tom Dascombe these days whose last three winners were ridden by different jockeys
 
Jason Watson seems to be in the sights of the stewards. In the Chartwell Stakes today he got 2 days for not keeping his winning filly straight. Can't help feeling if Murphy had got through the gap that the boot might have been on the other foot. There was a gap but just. The Stewards seem a touch sensitive at the moment maybe one or more of them had some money on Bounce the Blues.
 
Eleanora Duse said:
Jason Watson seems to be in the sights of the stewards. In the Chartwell Stakes today he got 2 days for not keeping his winning filly straight. Can't help feeling if Murphy had got through the gap that the boot might have been on the other foot. There was a gap but just. The Stewards seem a touch sensitive at the moment maybe one or more of them had some money on Bounce the Blues.
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Nah! They were on the winner. Bit rich to send Watson to the cooler for a couple of days and then come over all coy and say it made no difference.(guess who I was on)
 
PlaceBacker said:
Looks like Richard Kingscote is stepping up in class, riding plenty of work for Stoute and not too many rides for Tom Dascombe these days whose last three winners were ridden by different jockeys
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Yes, I picked up on this a week or two back.

It's gone largely under the radar but he's 10 wins and 9 placed 2-4 in 29 runs (34% win, 56% w&pl) for Stoute this season. Similar percentages for Ian Williams but he's 57%/100% for William Haggas. Clearly making himself very highly rated by these trainers.

Hope he gets duly rewarded.
 
Ah lads. Richard Kingscote is awful. Watch him back on Chairman Power at Thirsk where he was completely incapable of settling one in front and setting the correct pace with a soft lead. Do not confuse him with being a positive on any horse. He's replacement level as they say in the States.
 
Slim said:
Ah lads. Richard Kingscote is awful. Watch him back on Chairman Power at Thirsk where he was completely incapable of settling one in front and setting the correct pace with a soft lead. Do not confuse him with being a positive on any horse. He's replacement level as they say in the States.
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I know you aren't suggesting as much, Slim, but not even I would judge a jockey on one ride.

Stoute is no mug and has had a succession of top class riders work for him down the years. (That said, I never understood why serious racing people liked Kieren Fallon and I've never rated Ryan Moore as highly as his reputation.) Haggas is nobody's fool either. It looks like they're putting him when they fully intend for the horse to win.

It's no secret that I never liked seeing Richard Johnson on anything I backed; this from the man who watched him deliver big-time on Rooster Booster. And it's fair to say I never fully understood why the top trainers who didn't have a retained rider trusted him. I never understood why Philip Hobbs retained him.

But I do accept that these people know a lot more about this kind of stuff than me and deep down I do have an element of trust in them.

It just gives me inner conflicts.
 
The most underrated jockey right now is Rossa Ryan but the pundits are catching on. I've noticed Jason Weaver waxing lyrical about him for one. Kingscote is average, no better. Watch him ride and ask yourself where is the magic?
 
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