JP Magnier

The farce at the start of the last at Kempton when he took a turn as the whole of the field actually raced.
 
Should some blame be attached to the starter?
It seemed to me that he pulled the tape as Bellvano was turning away from the line.
Doesn't he have a responsibilty to ensure that all horses are at least facing the right way?

(Good PR by PaddyPower and Boylesn to refund all stakes on Bellvano).
 
Apparently....

Magnier reported that he pulled his horse from behind the horse ahead of him for fear of clipping heels whilst shouting that he wasnt ready. The starter did not hear and in any case had already sent the field at that moment. The styards found no fault with the starting procedure and noted Magniers explanations, so they did.

I can also tell you that M. Bachelor in particular and some of the other jockeys were in danger of being run away with during the opening quarter-mile they were laughing so much!
 
Is there a top jockey that hasn't had one refuse to race.JP is an amateur who has won Grade 1 races over hurdles.I'm sure his future as part of a mega business will console him for yesterdays failure.
 
Magnier now says he lost a stirrup iron as they came under orders and he shouted but they still went. Still gave me a good excuse to say to the starter when I saw him today at Fontwell "Should've gone to Specsavers!" "How many times have I heard that today!" he moaned! (still hes a good friend so I got away with it).
 
A farce indeed... but one that's surely 90% down to the starter rather than the rider. Willoughby made the point about them being lined up in ranks two-by-two, with JPM at the back, in an eight horse race!
 
Henderson has gone on then record saying he's now watched the start several times and can put no bleme on the jockey! - which is pretty telling. If you have the telly on most afternoons with the racing on, you see ragged starts in NH races all the time with jockeys poaching good leads - they really must tighten things up.

You then get the posturing at the really big meetings where the Starters like to throw their weight about making them stand in line, and everyone is just throwing the RP at the telly and yelling "Let them GO ffs!!!"
 
Headstrong said:
- they really must tighten things up.

You then get the posturing at the really big meetings where the Starters like to throw their weight about making them stand in line, and everyone is just throwing the RP at the telly and yelling "Let them GO ffs!!!"
Click to expand...


Yes you certainly do get the sense of them posturing to justify their existence... but they are completely useless on the rare occasion when it actually matters.
 
They should just make them all line up in a straight line - as best as possible and walk into the tape or as they used to use a standing start (in a straight line). In a 9 runner Bumper there's absolutely no excuse for not having the runners in a line at the off.
 
Have spoken to aforementionned starter again today and told him of some of the comments on here. He said:
a) Henderson has not asked to view the video from the BHA viewing all angles.
b) Henderson is bound to scream and yell like a banshee considering who the owners are and is hardly likely to tell off JP publically for same reason.
c) He is not allowed by his employers the BHA to comment publically via the Media so is unable to defend his decision.
 
So far as I'm concerned, if a jock loses a jerk walking in so decides to take a turn, that's his bad. They were pretty much on their way, what does he expect?
 
Shadow Leader said:
They were pretty much on their way,
Click to expand...

They were, (they were walking in ) but the tape had not been pulled.
I remain convinced that the starter saw Bellvano turning away .......... unfortunately at that instant he pulled the tape and sent the field on their way.
It was unfortunate, but it's slightly unfair to overly criticise young Magnier.

Jinny, is the starter adamant that he did not hear Magnier shouting?
 
uncle goober said:
I can also tell you that M. Bachelor in particular and some of the other jockeys were in danger of being run away with during the opening quarter-mile they were laughing so much!
Click to expand...

Would this be the same M Batchelor who got left behind on King Harald at Cheltenham last month? :D
 
Not surprising, as he could be heard yelling "No Sir! No Sir!" before the tapes went up. Must have been spitting mad, as the horse needs to dominate.
 
I dunno lads , yes it was a raggedy start but I've seen worse . Mainly I resent the point of view that the starter was responsible . If the horse was recalcitrant then ok but I think the starter did what he was obliged to do . I can conceive an outside chance that it was pure bad timing and that's if i believe that he thought that he was gonna clip heels . The other explanation is that he had good intentions but limited ability . You decide . What result would it have been with McCoy onboard?
 
Back
Top