The Fitzgerald gap...........

BJG was in the right spot at the right time when in Meade's. He got the first jock position because Carberry was out and the Meade horses were flying. Then Moscow came along. My more lasting memory of BJG is the night the fell off Moscow in the Queen Mother, looking slightly the worse for wear in the Irish jockeys club in Cheltenham at 2am. She was quite cute but couldn't believe he was going riding again the next day.......and he won the stayers on Iris' Gift.....giving it a smashing ride:rolleyes:

He's also known as a practical joker which probably annoys a few of the other jocks. But he also gave Big Zeb a good ride in Punchestown and the Punjabi ride wasn't bad either although that probably looked better due to poor rides elsewhere.

I think it's a great move for him but just don't think he is consistently top class and while he will look good every now and again I get the feeling he will get a fair amount of abuse too. But best of luck to him, it's good to see the Irish jocks in demand and the arrangement with Ruby and BJG migth help some other irish jocks who will like to do it. The Irish trainers won't be happy though and he will lose rides in Ireland as a result.
 
Consistency does seem to be the problem with him....I was sure he was going to get KK beat in the Gold cup but he gave him a flawless ride and just let the horse do his thing. He always rides the Aintree National well too.
 
Every now and again he rides one that makes me think twice, he gave Keen Leader an absolute cracker at Cheltenham one year in the NH Chase, but three lengths clear at the last and forcing the horse into a mistake is in my parlance and a few of the friends is now a Geragthy. Kicking King, Essex in the pierse, (both won) Forget the Past in the Powers Gold Cup, even that shot of punjabi at the beginning of this thread. Happens to him more often that you would believe.

I'd have probably tried to poach Brennan. As Sunybay says their arent many established options, unless he was going to take a punt on one of the young Irish lads. Maybe it would be an idea to get Jack Doyle as proper second choice.
 
It sounds as if focus is his problem - NH will certainly help there, and he won't tolerate a lack of it either. He's very charming and endlessly helpful to - and supportive of - his jocks, but famously has a temper and won't tolerate anyone giving less than 100%. Maybe too 'family life' has changed BJG as it so often does with jocks, enabling them to concentrate better on the job
 
The main point is that he is so unpredictable - he is prone to rare very good rides, with many howlers chucked in-between.
 
True enough LOL
But I trust to NH to get that nose truly fixed to the grindstone, if not he won't last long
 
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