Ruby's Ride

Maybe running the NH Jockeys Championship from its old dates, or maybe instigating 2 championships, 1 for summer jumping and the other for NH racing proper might persuade more jockeys to take a decent break.

The one running from the first Saturday in August would obviously have the most prestige, so presumably the senior riders would prefer to chase that one, giving the up-and-coming riders more opportunities during the summer and therefore more experience before the NH season proper starts.

Summer jumping is here to stay and is of advantage to those horses who prefer/need good or faster ground. So why not just split the 2 seasons and give riders the option to take a break without missing out on winning rides for the championship?

Just a thought.
 
Originally posted by Shadow Leader@May 25 2008, 02:34 PM
I see that there has been the usual kneejerk reaction from certain quarters, led in this case by John Francome, for jockeys to have the summer off. Well hang on just a second, what is there to stop any jockey from taking a holiday wen they want to, particularly at this time of the year when it is quiet? No-one is making them ride all summer. I can't really buy the argument that the journeyman jockeys can't afford to take time off - if there was no racing for the two months Francome advocates they wouldn't be getting paid then, either! Good to see a voice of reason at the bottom of the article; well said Brownie, you tell 'em!!!
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Spot on.

The few jockeys for whom fatigue may justifiably become an issue are the same few jockeys who are actually riding enough to make a decent living from the sport - the select few who are attached to the good yards, ride the best horses, can take several hundred mounts a year and regularly pick up the winning rider's fee.

Messrs Walsh and Thomas are certainly among those best placed to be able to take a few weeks off without suffering from it either financially or professionally. If they are so mentally fatigued as to make mistakes of the kind of last week, the onus is on them to act accordingly.

Paul Nicholls' impotent rage over the matter would be easier to accept were he anything approaching a major player in the summer jumping arena. As it is, he has just a dozen horses in for this year's warm-weather campaign, and apart from the Summer National neither of his stood-down riders are going to be absent for any of its highlights as things stand (we're still two months away from the Summer Plate and Summer Hurdle, for example).

Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)
 
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