Sam Waley-Cohen

betsmate

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Dec 7, 2004
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Not sure what people make of him, but I'm always impressed when he's interviewed. Fantastic composure whatever the circumstances.
 
I think that is what it is Euro. It is easy enough to say something that sounds modest, whether you mean it or not. It is much, much harder to do it in the heat of the moment.
 
Cantoris said:
I'd hate to think his expensive education was wasted :lol:

He's improved a lot since Long Run appeared.
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Cantoris tells it like it is :lol:

He is getting the respect he deserves now but like all jockeys he had to earn it. Fair play to him.
 
He rides Kempton and Cheltenham beautifully, too!

They're a rather fascinating family: Dad Robert will succeed Lord Vestey as Chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse, where he'd stewarded since 1980 and been on the board for 25 years; eldest son Marcus is now in charge of the breeding operation in Warwickshire that took the Waley-Cohens to Paris in May 2009, to buy LONG RUN (two previous purchases being LIBERTHINE and BICA).

The motivation to move into breeding came as Thomas, the youngest of the Waley-Cohens' four children, fell ill aged 10 with bone cancer of the lower leg, which was amputated. The years that remained were precious but borrowed. Robert said "Thomas always had this outlook that if you want to do something, just get on with it. At the time, if I had money to spare, I always thought that I would rather buy a nice picture than an expensive horse. But I had this thought about breeding and I reflected on Thomas's attitude and thought 'What are you waiting for?' I decided to go and buy the best filly I could find and that turned out to be MAKOUNJI, now the dam of ROULEZ COOL."

Thomas died 10 years after falling ill.

(Bio bits from TB Owner & Breeder mag, March issue)
 
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I agree, he interviews well, he keeps his cool and he rides well. Hopefully the criticism of his jockeyship can now be put to bed.
 
Cantoris said:
Jockeyship as an amateur rider I take it.
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No, jockeyship full stop. I'm fed up of reading the "Long Run can't win the King George/Gold Cup...with Waley Cohen in the saddle" crap. Well, he can, and he did! Not only that, he nearly won the Grand National as well.
 
Definitely jockeyship full stop. He rides huge fences with great balance and if you didn't know who was the amateur out there, I'd defy you to pick him out of the field. He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone. Been there, done the biggies, thank you.
 
I'm stirring because I was about to mention the word agricultural but thought the comparison to Thornton might be more subtle and achieve the same thing!! I better not be looking for a job from Daddy anytime soon!!
 
Doesn't get many points for style in my book - there are few on here who could have won the GC on Long Run. I remain to be convinced by him myself....
 
On The Bridle said:
Doesn't get many points for style in my book - there are few on here who could have won the GC on Long Run. I remain to be convinced by him myself....
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I'd agree with you there, although the way he butchered Carberry in the Gold Cup was classic. 10 out of 10 for me.
 
He is plainly a knob though as he praised the coalition when becoming a poster boy for the No to AV campaign
 
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