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What a stupid place that H sign was in when Geraghty went the wrong way as well. It was in a completely different direction (sharp right) from what the jockeys were riding. It was like having a roadsign after the junction rather than before. Would have made more sense to have a big C denoting the chase course on the inside rail imo.
I like to provide Value For Money, so you’re getting two threads in one with this post . . .
Geraghty remounted Mister Top Notch in Ireland, who is now out for the season, and maybe forever. . .
Rob and AP have highlighted much of what I would have said but in addition:
1 – The H marker is pretty clear if you ask me. Indeed, every other jockey that has ridden there since the track realignment seems to agree in that no one has gone the wrong way before. Since the reconfiguration of the track prior to the start of the 2008/09 season, there have been 72 hurdle races with a total of 821 declared runners and 6 NHF races with 88 declared runners. Only one jockey has taken the wrong course.
2 – The ‘head down’ argument used by some on here suggests the tape would make no difference.
3 – Jockeys are paid professionals. You don’t see loads of tape all over a showjumping arena to denote the right course
4 – Cones are a nightmare – potential danger of being kicked up, horses stepping slightly inside them and therefore taking the wrong course etc.Who should we blame for the Folkestone fiasco Paul?
The Jockey? The Horse? Both? The Course?
Where was the false running rail?Yes, I think so. There should be a false running rail rather than arrows with big gaps around them. You yourself said cones were unacceptable but find arrows acceptable it seems.
Eddie, under usual circumstances they’d have been running between the wings as with all (I think) bumpers, but as the ground where the hurdles were previously was waterlogged they had to bypass it and go round the wing.
The arrows you refer to are the signs used when bypassing procedures are in place.
The Stewards enquired into the matter and were satisfied that the horses jinked the wrong side of the wing.
Rob and AP have highlighted much of what I would have said but in addition:
1 – The H marker is pretty clear if you ask me. Indeed, every other jockey that has ridden there since the track realignment seems to agree in that no one has gone the wrong way before. Since the reconfiguration of the track prior to the start of the 2008/09 season, there have been 72 hurdle races with a total of 821 declared runners and 6 NHF races with 88 declared runners. Only one jockey has taken the wrong course.
2 – The ‘head down’ argument used by some on here suggests the tape would make no difference.
3 – Jockeys are paid professionals. You don’t see loads of tape all over a showjumping arena to denote the right course
4 – Cones are a nightmare – potential danger of being kicked up, horses stepping slightly inside them and therefore taking the wrong course etc.Who do we blame for Cheltenham last weekend? the jockeys again? Danny Cook went the wrong way on Our Vic and Jack Doyle narrowly avoided a similar fate due to a last minute shout from a colleague, both on front runners.
If cones are dangerous which I don’t believe, why are they still being used at some tracks?
If a horse stepped slightly inside one, it would be on the wrong course anyway.
Too many gaps and bits of rails sticking out on tracks for me.Danny Cook is certainly culpable for his own error on Saturday, yes. Since when have the chase and hurdles courses on the "park course" section of Prestbury Park ever crossed?
That was the second time he has transgressed in this manner in the previous 12 months under UK Rules, and AngloGerman reminds me he also took the wrong course in a Fegentri race in Germany during his latter days as an amateur (it may even have been in a Seejagdrennen).
Cook is associated with a lot of front-runners (one thinks immediately of those at Barry Leavy and John Stimpson’s yard(s)), and often with good reason, as his well-judged "waited with from the front" ride on Cathy Hamilton’s Keyenema at Hereford on Sunday once more demonstrated.
On account of that, however, it behoves him possibly more so than many of his weighing-room colleagues to familiarise himself with course configurations beyond even the tiniest fraction of doubt, as he’s often likelier to get to them first (at least in the earlier stages of races).
Either he isn’t doing this to have dropped a clanger thrice in a not overlong career already, or else his powers of concentration aren’t yet as well-honed as his raceriding brain (not the same thing).
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Danny Cook was very frank when interviewed about the incident but his explanation was extremely worrying. He said that he was being bothered by the loose horse (Bible Lord), but didn’t realise that there was no jockey on board. Since the horse was pushing him outwards, he took it for granted that it was another jockey trying to steer him on to the correct course so he automatically bore to the right to "correct" his horse’s path. He deserves credit for his candour, but certainly not his brains.
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