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12.00 Wincanton.
I expect long odds on punters will not be best pleased with Mr Maxwell. He managed to fall off 1-6 favourite Shantou Flyer half way up the run in, after a minor mistake at the last. I cannot believe a professional jockey or competent amateur would have done the same.
I did cross my mind to lay the horse at 1.04 and three lengths clear with two to jump. Only wish I had now!
It looked pathetic, Cork. Just didn’t bother with the race, otherwise I would have done what I usually do in a 3-runner race with a long odds-on shot: the other two horses in a reverse forecast.
Anyway, Mr Maxwell doesn’t look really competitive after his 5 month break.Matt Chapman was on SSR last Sunday and suggested amateur races should be abolished, arguing they are an anachronism in the 21st century.
When you see something as embarrassing as that, you have to concede he has a point!
These things happen with amateurs.
He obviously just got unbalanced after jumping the last, maybe even the saddle slipped slightly just tipping the balance in favour of the ground.
Part of the magic of NH is the ability for people like Maxwell to live the dream.
Finished 3rd on the National course last week. Today was only his second race back after injury.
That’s the risk you take when backing amateurs but I definitely wouldn’t go as far as trying to ban them.
The question is the amateur status. The likes of Maxwell genuinely is an amateur, unlike Mullins, O’Connor and Codd.
Cricket used to have a distinction between amateurs (gentlemen) and professionals (players). This was abolished in the early 1960s. Doesn’t it look a bit anachronistic for racing to still have amateurs, especially when some of them stretch the definition?
I can just about understand NH racing having some amateur races due to its links to point to points. What I really struggle to understand is amateur races on the Flat. What is the point of them?
I have to say having now watched it, it actually beggars belief and whilst it is good as others have said that amateurs can live the dream, surely thye welfare of Maxwell himself must come into question. If he cannot stay on a horse that made virtually no mistake, the authroities should question his suitability to ride for his sake/welfare as well as others.
In the last 5 seasons David Maxwell has had 181 rides, 46 winners – 25% strike rate, and has been placed a further 48 times. Over half of his rides have placed.
He is clearly able to ride a horse adequately. He made a very rare unbalancing mistake today on his second ride back from a long absence through injury. The rush to be overly critical is unfair, racing TV in particular seem to be determined to try embrass him as much as possible.
He has proven during his career that he is more than capable of performing to an acceptable level for an amateur jockey. I’m sure he will admit his own limitations but he is far from a welfare danger.
They are his horses
He buys them so he can ride them as a hobby
Fair play to him as far as I’m concerned
Just dont back his horses expecting him to look like Barry Geraghty
Racing would be better off if there were more people involved with his level of enthusiasm
There are far worse jockeys out there than Maxwell but they never get noticed because they ride no hopers while DM gets some good rides because he has put the money in.
If you are lumping on one of his horses at 1/6 then, quite frankly, you deserve everything you get.
It’s all wacky fun until he does himself, or likely someone else, a serious injury.
He should have handed his licence in after the Bob and Co race last year. He’s 44 years old now – time to call it a day before he takes one ride too many..
I’ve sat on a few horses, so I know how difficult it is, but even by hunter chase standards David Maxwell looks clumsy.
A few short memories around – it’s not even a fortnight since the fella completed the Grand National course on Cat Tiger in the Aintree Foxhunters, making a pretty decent recovery en route.
There are far better amateurs than him, but there’s far worse too.
Having found Bob And Co unrideable at Warwick last season, been unseated by Captain Cattistock at Doncaster and now this on Shantou Flyer, he’s not one to lump the mortgage on at long odds on, but he’s entitled to do what he does.
That said, I reckon Bob And Co is a 150 horse at his peak – what is the point of taking a horse like that up to Hexham to win a three grand race by 41 lengths?
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Mr Maxwell is an adult and if he wants to race then that is up to him. Obviously if he or any other jockey were regularly causing dangerous incidents on racecourses then that would be different, but he isn’t. Quite why people are trying to deter someone who is passionate about the sport and puts a lot into it is beyond me.
Obviously whether you want to put your life savings on one of his mounts is another matter…
What Matt Chapman actually said was that David Maxwell, along with Sam Waley-Cohen and Patrick Mullins was too good to be classed as “amateur” and should be classed as “professional”.
I have to agree with Sean Boyce who said Matt should get over his aversion to the word “amateur”.“Amateur” does mean unpaid in his/her work which Maxwell clearly isn’t. I believe he works in the City earning “a good wad” and certainly more than he could earn as a professional jockey.
I haven’t seen the fall so cannot comment. But there has been plenty of professional jockeys who have taken the wrong course/”finished” a circuit early and this to me is much more unforgiveable. Granted jockeys usually get a ban for this. I’m guessing Maxwell has not received a ban for his
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