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When JP has a long range handicap target with a horse it is strange how the jockey gives it a “bad ride” (gives it a lot to do) in preceding races. So even if it wins can’t go up much and if losing doesn’t really matter.
I had no money on the race, but if I’d backed Iroko I’d not be a happy bunny.
Value Is EverythingAgree Ginger. Sorry to say it but O’Neill is a very average jockey. On the best horse but too far back, in a slowly run race, on deep ground and on a track which traditionally favours front runners. Not good.
I didn’t back him, before anyone asks!
Not sure if it was a very good ride but he wouldnt have gone up at all for beating Trelawne off levels given hes already rated 8lbs higher so I wouldnt read anything into that.
I think Jonjo was maybe riding to orders, CAS.
ie If you think you’re going to win easily then let the leader go. That way you’re still “trying to win” the race. But never going to win by far and ruin your handicap mark for future races.
Just seems to happen a lot with JP horses.Value Is EverythingMcCoy called it on the first circuit in commentary for ITV. Said there was no pace and it might be difficult for Iroko to make up the ground.
He’s a terrible jockey and rides like a 40yr old near retirement Geraghty in safety mode. Way too cautious on a horse.
McCoy didn’t “call it”, CAS. He’s employed by the owner and is putting in excuses before he knows the jockey is going to take it easy and leave the horse with more to do than should be the case… So the horse does not go up the handicap for future handicaps.
The only proper excuses for a jockey travelling well that doesn’t go after the horse going clear, is if the jockey believes the pace has been too strong. Or if believing you’re on a doubtful stayer. This was the opposite, a slower run race where Iroko has shown better form over further / sure to stay… And yet Jonjo let the leader go clear at a time when he himself was travelling supremely well.
Value Is EverythingBe that as it may, he kind of did call it, Ginger. He noted the slow pace and said it would be difficult to win coming from off it.
It was a poor ride, anyway. On that we are agreed.
He was only a few lenghts behind throughout; wrong to blame the jockey, just not good enough
A few lengths is too much at times, because it is giving the horse more to do than necessary.
He was close enough turning into the straight.
Close enough jumping 4 out.
Then have a look at the winning jockeys arms immediately after 4 out in contrast to Iroko’s jockey’s arms. He left the winner to go clear, closed up a little going into 3 out. Then, again the winning jockeys arms moving a lot more aggressively immediately after 3 out to again go clear until making a little back going into 2 out. Only from 100 yards before the last was there imo equal effort from the two jockeys. Don’t get me wrong, it is not that the jockey is deliberately losing.I am constantly looking for horses who’ve either won with more in hand than the winning distance suggests. Or in losing, the horse has done better to get as close – done better than the distance beaten suggests… ie Because the jockey has given the horse more to do than was necessary… And it is not particularly Jonjo, but with all JP’s jockeys. Just seems to happen too often to be a coincidence imo. .
Value Is EverythingI’m happy to take him on again this weekend at Ascot. He’s a nice horse but surely one for March and April
Not one for March/April if Junior keeps the ride.
His career record over fences at Cheltenham currently stands at 1/51.
The equivalent figure for Aintree is 2/31.
Which begs the obvious question: why are McManus and Berry persisting with O’Neill when he is clearly a liability around Cheltenham?
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