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As I’ve said elsewhere on the forum, Kieran’s ride on FOG was a mistake, not an awful ride but a mistake. Some have said his strike rate is pretty good. It may well be in normal races. Trouble is it is not just the Guineas. Shoemark has made several mistakes in the best races… And that matters! I wouldn’t criticise the Gosdens appointing Kieran. For sure he wasn’t a top jockey at the time, but had more potential to improve into one than probably all the others available at the time.
John Gosden has been criticised for his criticism of the ride. Basically saying what we’ve all been saying on these pages. Trainers are criticised for not criticising their own jockeys (not saying what we can all see) and then get criticised when they do say something. John Gosden had also never had a 2000 Guineas winner (that’s going back to the 80’s) and had a mike stuffed in his face soon after a horse that was probably the best horse (at a mile) in the 2000 Guineas… didn’t win it. It surely now makes no sense for the Gosdens to have a stable jockey, when (without one) they’d probably get a better jockey on the day. As the Gosdens say – stable jockeys are now a thing of the past. It’s more “owner jockeys” these days and most of the big owners in the Gosden yard already have their own jockey; Juddmonte an exception. However, I suspect after Saturday they’ve made it clear they want another jockey on their horses on the big days. Hornby was replaced by Keane on Beckett’s Juddmonte horse Westover. If he were mine Colin Keane would take the ride in the Irish Guineas / St James’s Palace.
To have a proper stable jockey when the vast majority of the top horses in the yard are ridden by someone else – for me – makes no sense having a “stable jockey” as such. The Gosdens have probably made the right decision.
Value Is EverythingGM23…
Many thanks for reminding me of the years when Moore was finding a lot of trouble in running and your Order Of St. George a prime example of how even the best jockeys can get it wrong and not just once. Also lets not forget City Of Troy in last years 2000 Guineas.The only horse that comes to mind for me where more was expected and very little delivered was in the 2012 2000 Guineas where Moore rode Power and finished 17th of 18 runners. Power then when on to win the Irish 2000 Guineas but ridden by Joseph.
My criticism is totally my own humble opinion and yes, he is at this moment in time possibly the best jockey in Europe but back at the smaller tracks and not in Group races he’s not so good, at times out the back giving his horses too much to do (mainly when I back him) so I tend to not back his rides….but then I miss a great ride like Persica….
oh well can’t win them all..lolworzelkwaywardlad …
I was struggling myself to name many occasions recently in Group races that Moore has got it wrong and was hoping for a bit of help which GM23 kindly came up with back in the darker days around 2016 which was really interesting. I knew I would get a little bit of stick for saying what I did but it is how I feel, my best racing mate absolutely adores Ryan Moore and backs everything he rides, but like all jockeys he does make mistakes and I suppose we have to forgive and forget. I guess Kieran Shoemark now has to somehow put all this behind him and just go out and ride his best races, he messed up big time but he really doesn’t deserve the Gosden’s rubbing salt in the wounds on RP and ITV Racing. Time to move onwards and hopefully upwards for him.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Shoemark has done the right thing staying silent , get the head straight and let his riding do the talking
“Also lets not forget City Of Troy in last years 2000 Guineas.”
I’m nitpicking that one, don’t think it was Moore’s fault, the horse didn’t go a yard. Jockey didn’t persist, gave up and coasted home but again that’s not his fault- it’s expected of him by Aidan and The Lads to
a) not give the Precioussss a hard time and
b) preserve the mystique- it looks better if you just give up and explain the Precious wasn’t right than if he was hard driven in an undignified, not very regal scrap for 3rd or 4th with the crappy pleb horses.The Gosden’s have handled this extremely poorly , in my opinion.
We all know that where an employee (which a stable jockey is ) is underachieving , then this should be addressed , but in private , not public.
The problem that they now face is that there is not a great wealth of top jockeys available. Once you get past Moore , Murphy , James Doyle , Marquand and Keane , the drop off is spectacular.
I hope that Shoemark will learn from the experience and rebuild his career.Sometimes it is best to walk away from an apparent golden egg especially when it’s provider is not giving you the correct support. Most times in life walking away often turns out to be the most beneficial thing you have ever done.
The more I know the less I understand.
“Once you get past Moore , Murphy , James Doyle , Marquand and Keane , the drop off is spectacular”.
Buick should obviously be added to that list.
imo Moore, Murphy and Buick are the top 3, followed by Keane and Marquand. I would then put Doyle in a bunch with Billy Loughnane (Boughey) and Rossa Ryan (Beckett). All of them are imo quite a bit better than Shoemark.Therefore, how often are ALL of the above claimed to ride for their retainers in the same Group 1? Not often. So what is the point of keeping / paying for Shoemark as “stable jockey” when you can have a better one in the top races? He’s a liability.
Value Is EverythingTotal lack of class by gosden. Be careful what you wish for. Same circus last year on ambiente friendly. That turned out well. Only a few top jocks and most retained for top stables. Ryan at chester superb on the races that mattered. Not so great on lesser one. Gosden forgetting how many cock ups frankie did in his later years.
So is he no longer the Gosden stable jockey as stated in the RP?
The more I know the less I understand.
Think it might very well be a case by case basis now – he was on one for Gosden at Ascot today and next week he is on Gosden’s unbeaten Go Go Boots in the G2 Musidora so it seems like they will still be using him but maybe the ‘best jockey available’ is going to be primarily reserved for G1 races
Something that has been overlooked a little is that he wasn’t technically stable jockey for Gosden’s horses before this all kicked off anyway, as they have a number of owners in the yard that have their own retained jockeys in place (I believe Gosden mentioned 8 in total).
With that all being said, he does now ride both of Charlie Fellowes horses in the French 1000 & 2000 Guineas (horses that he has already ridden in the past) but had the whole Field of Gold issue hadn’t of happened he might have been left without a ride in the French 1000 anyway as he would have been claimed by Gosden for Nell Gwyn winner Zanzoun who was then subsequently withdrawn yesterday.
His best bet is to take advantage of these chances (no matter how slim they might appear to be) and prove that he is up to riding on the big stage at G1 level.
Just won the French 1000g but might lose it in the Stewards (was also 4th in the French 2000g).
The only thing I can see was the horse drifted to the centre of the course and that made Exactly drift left into the favourite who’s jockey dropped his whip (they have now amended the result).
Looking at the head on you can see it clearly, minimal contact with Exactly but she has then taken the favourite wider because of it (and also caused Mickael to drop his whip) and the margin of defeat was so narrow you can see why they have swapped them round because if they had all kept straight I think the favourite would have got her.
He was desperately unlucky there. She did drift off to the left but Exactly didn’t run straight either. Home town stewarding – sorry messieurs but nous can’t let les Brits and les Irlandais win both our classics- especially with the late Aga’s family having the favourite.
Will Juddmonte sack Murphy for losing the Poulains by a head ? No, I thought not – but then the Baldings aren’t whingers
Exactly was avoiding her (more through intimidation than heavy contact) but in doing so has thus taken the favourite even wider, so I do believe it was the right decision.
Murphy was a bit unlucky in that his horse was very green (only his 4th lifetime start) when he hit the front and that was played out by the fact that when Moore came past him (looking like he was going to put a few lengths between them) Jonquil picked up again and most likely would have got back up in a few more strides.
oh well can’t win them all..lol
Jac
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