Barry Geraghty

[BigG]

Ex RubyLight wrote:

Looked more like Mr. B. Geraghty (7) when you watch his final two rides.

Hi Ruby

I know I’m a Geraghty fan, and it’s fair do’s that you are not so.
I don’t have any problem with that, and I’m trying to be objective
and not see him through rosy specs, but I can’t for the life of me
see what you see in his last two rides today at Ascot.

In the first of those, Crown Theatre, Geraghty kept him out the back
and brought him through smoothly with 3 to go. I thought at that point
he looked a likely winner, but between the last two you could see he was
running out of gas. Geraghty worked him hard, but after the last he
looked leg weary and faded into fourth. There’s not much more he could
have done in my opinion. I had bet him, so I think I might have been
more critical if I felt he had given the horse a bad race, but I was
quite happy with the run.

I didn’t see the last, the NH Flat Race, at the time, but I’ve just
watched a reply. I honestly cannot see him do anything but ride a very
good race. He kept an inexperienced horse out of trouble, gave him
confidence, and was looking as good as anything coming into the final
couple of furlongs. He and the winner, the 15/8 favourite pulled well
away from the pack, leaving them 14 lengths behind at the finish. The
winner looked a good horse, I think it is fair to say that Geraghty
was beaten by a well fancied better horse on the day.

I respect your opinion Ruby having read many of your posts, but I wonder
if you could maybe say a little as to why you thought he rode bad races
in the last 2?

Cheers

[homersimpson]

Very harsh Ruby. Crown Theatre just didn’t find anything when push came to shove. Plenty of times we have seen that. BG one of the best there’s been. Trainers and owners like NH and JPM would not employ him if he made so many mistakes.

[Ex RubyLight]

BigG wrote:

Ex RubyLight wrote:

Looked more like Mr. B. Geraghty (7) when you watch his final two rides.

Hi Ruby

I know I’m a Geraghty fan, and it’s fair do’s that you are not so.
I don’t have any problem with that, and I’m trying to be objective
and not see him through rosy specs, but I can’t for the life of me
see what you see in his last two rides today at Ascot.

In the first of those, Crown Theatre, Geraghty kept him out the back
and brought him through smoothly with 3 to go. I thought at that point
he looked a likely winner, but between the last two you could see he was
running out of gas. Geraghty worked him hard, but after the last he
looked leg weary and faded into fourth. There’s not much more he could
have done in my opinion. I had bet him, so I think I might have been
more critical if I felt he had given the horse a bad race, but I was
quite happy with the run.

I didn’t see the last, the NH Flat Race, at the time, but I’ve just
watched a reply. I honestly cannot see him do anything but ride a very
good race. He kept an inexperienced horse out of trouble, gave him
confidence, and was looking as good as anything coming into the final
couple of furlongs. He and the winner, the 15/8 favourite pulled well
away from the pack, leaving them 14 lengths behind at the finish. The
winner looked a good horse, I think it is fair to say that Geraghty
was beaten by a well fancied better horse on the day.

I respect your opinion Ruby having read many of your posts, but I wonder
if you could maybe say a little as to why you thought he rode bad races
in the last 2?

Cheers

Hello Big G,

I would like to reply to your post. I am not taking anything away from Barry Geraghty and I surely know that he is the only other “complete” NH jockey riding right now besides Ruby Walsh. BUT, sometimes – especially when his horses travel on the bit and then find nothing – he has a tendency to look bad. Traveling on the bit and finding nothing rarely happens to a Ruby Walsh or even a STD. They start pushing a bit earlier in my opinion and even if they lose the race you are not as upset as you are when your horse/jockey combo does a “Harchibald”.
The last ride in particular looked like a winning one all the way to me, but he should have kicked on a bit earlier.
And besides that, Geraghty is a jockey that I never seem to get right. I’m doing better when I’m taking him on rather than backing him.

[BigG]

EX RUBYLIGHT WROTE…..

“Hello Big G,

I would like to reply to your post. I am not taking anything away from Barry Geraghty and I surely know that he is the only other “complete” NH jockey riding right now besides Ruby Walsh. BUT, sometimes – especially when his horses travel on the bit and then find nothing – he has a tendency to look bad. Traveling on the bit and finding nothing rarely happens to a Ruby Walsh or even a STD. They start pushing a bit earlier in my opinion and even if they lose the race you are not as upset as you are when your horse/jockey combo does a “Harchibald”.
The last ride in particular looked like a winning one all the way to me, but he should have kicked on a bit earlier.
And besides that, Geraghty is a jockey that I never seem to get right. I’m doing better when I’m taking him on rather than backing him.”

Thanks for that Ruby. I certainly know what you mean with HARCHIBALD, I lost a few quid on him and he was a frustrating, although talented animal, to put it politely.

I understand more where you are coming from now, and fair play, there might be be a case for making hay whilst the sun
shines, and booting on when you’re sitting with a lot in hand. I suppose it depends on how much confidence you have in the jockey and he has in the horse. I like Geraghty a lot, and maybe that’s because unlike yourself I’ve managed to do quite well with him.

Betting aside, I like watching him and I think, in general, he gets the best out of a horse and takes care of it. It’s all about opinions, and it’s almost sacrilege to say this, but I wasn’t the greatest McCoy fan. He was the most determined sportsman I’ve ever known, not just as a jockey, but I didn’t like his style as much. He could be really
hard on a horse. Don’t get me wrong, in a finish I would not rather have any jockey on a horse than McCoy, but I’d rather see Geraghty or Ruby every time. I’ve probably disturbed a hornet’s nest with my McCoy comments. I’m not
arguing that he was the greatest jockey of his generation, I’d need to be mad to do that, but he still doesn’t make my top 2.

All the best Ruby

[Gingertipster]

Ex RubyLight wrote:

Hello Big G,

I would like to reply to your post. I am not taking anything away from Barry Geraghty and I surely know that he is the only other “complete” NH jockey riding right now besides Ruby Walsh. BUT, sometimes – especially when his horses travel on the bit and then find nothing – he has a tendency to look bad. Traveling on the bit and finding nothing rarely happens to a Ruby Walsh or even a STD. They start pushing a bit earlier in my opinion and even if they lose the race you are not as upset as you are when your horse/jockey combo does a “Harchibald”.
The last ride in particular looked like a winning one all the way to me, but he should have kicked on a bit earlier.
And besides that, Geraghty is a jockey that I never seem to get right. I’m doing better when I’m taking him on rather than backing him.

Case of – punter know your horses and trainers – I think ex-Ruby.
Crown Theatre is a dog. Gets there, finds nowt once with a view of the front.
Take a look at his previous race at Cork (under Lynch) if you don’t believe me.

You say “he (Barry) has a tendency to look bad. Traveling on the bit and finding nothing rarely happens to a Ruby Walsh or even a STD”. Well STD rode Fago in that very race, another who gets there and finds nothing. Take a look at his previous race at Wetherby.

BG is now riding for JP, whose horses are invariably held up for a late run and often idle once in front. Prior to that Henderson – again not as many front runners. STD rides for Nicholls, who does not seem to have a particular preference for way of running, probably equally prominent or held up. Ruby used to ride for Nicholls and now Mullins, who seems to prefer horses ridden prominently these days. BG rides far more hold up horses and therefore rides more that need exaggerated hold up tactics.

ie You’re pobably right ex-Ruby, BG horses find little off the bridle more often than STD or Ruby Walsh; but only because he rides more of that type.

imo Barry is the best chase jockey, and that would’ve included AP hd he still been around.

Value Is Everything

[Steeplechasing]

I can’t see the point of setting a horse alight sooner than you believe you should, just because punters might think better of you (even though the horse still gets stuffed)

These ‘dodgy looking’ rides are invariably on idlers, as Ginger says, or horses who have been so sweetly nursed at the end for the sole reason that they have nil left. In 99% of cases, imo, a jock will know what a horse has in the tank before deciding whether to ask for an effort. There will be unusual cases – like Cue Card yesterday, when Brennan had to check how much CC had left as he couldn’t believe the feel the horse was giving him so deep into a hard contest.

The confidence of a horse can collapse as soon as it comes off the bridle – a good jockey will convince this type that they’re okay and there’s no need to worry. He knows eventually he will have to ask the horse to give everything, but the longer it can be delayed, the better for the horse and for the punter, because the occasional one can be kidded home. Old Harchi was a classic example.

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