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I rate Michael a far stronger and better jockey overall but that’s only my opinion again.
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Michael; far better and stronger?
Good lord.
If he’s on (much) the best horse in the race, or afforded an easy lead, Richard Hills is perfectly competent. However, he’s so deplorably weak in a finish that everything has to fall his way for him to come out on top.
I certainly wouldn’t pay for his services, although he wasn’t at fault for Elzaam’s Coventry defeat. Strong Suit was, and likely still is, by far the better horse and it would have been a grave injustice had he lost. The runner-up wasn’t doing himself any favours by running green, either.
Michael; far better and stronger?
The runner-up wasn’t doing himself any favours by running green, either.
Are you talking about the jockey or the horse?
several armchair jockeys seem to have a very poor opinion of R. Hills ability in the saddle.
personally, I haven’t noticed that he is that stand out bad,
anybody got a couple of stats to support their opinion.
ie. winners to rides compared to top 10 jockeys
prize money won yearly basis, compared to other top jocks.
not trying to question peoples opinion just curious if stats support it.
Barry
I don’t know why but you would think that handicaps would show Richard Hills in a bad light yet over the last 5 years you would lose on average 5 pence every time he rode in a handicap based on £1 level stakes. Compare that to Richard Hughes, lose 10 pence, Ryan Moore lose 12 pence and Frankie Dettori , lose 15p.
Hills (1988-2010)has had overall 5 LSP seasons, Frankie (1988-2010)3, Hughes (1994-2010) and Moore (2000-2010) 2.
It seems, oddly enough, that his record over the last 5 years with maiden 2 year olds isn’t very good. A 14% strike rate with LSP of -213.81. Moore has a 19% SR LSP -225.62, Hughes 23% SR LSP +36.75 and Dettori 27% SR LSP -47.87.
All figures from the Racing Post website
Sorry, Armchair Jockey, that ride on Elzaam was shocking, weak and lacklustre.
Fallon, Hanagan or Moore would never have got beat in that position.Saw the thread title and thought this might be a push to make the great man Sports Personality of the Year or something in that vein.
Proceeded to read the posts and it seems like the local assylum’s finally got access to the net.
These heretics should be pitied not mocked.
Saw the thread title and thought this might be a push to make the great man Sports Personality of the Year or something in that vein.
Proceeded to read the posts and it seems like the local assylum’s finally got access to the net.
These heretics should be pitied not mocked.
Aren’t people allowed an opinion then?
Dont think i am ready for the mad house yet in fact i said he had ridden well on one horse in particular i am sure there were many more.
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Aren’t people allowed an opinion then?
If you want an opinion on this Forum to be treated with respect it helps to back it up with the kind of solid stats that
aaronizneez
has marshalled.
He has shown that this thread – like every thread dissing prominent jockeys – is compounded of prejudice and ignorance in equal parts.
The negative 2yo stat for R. Hills is significant and interesting. I’d guess that few jockeys have to choose so often between
two
of his owner’s unraced juveniles in the same race, and so it’s not surprising he sometimes chooses the wrong one!
As for this "deplorable weakness" in a finish, these things are relative. He’s no Fallon (dissed often enough here when not flavour of the month!) but Hills is no weaker than Philip Robinson, and displays as much tactical
nous
. Sheikh Hamdan is the canniest of his family, and shows sense as well as commendable loyalty in keeping Richard Hills on, into what must be now the autumn of a fine career.
Pinza, I hear what you say, all I’ll say again, is he’s very weak in a finish as he showed on Elzaam.
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Pinza, I hear what you say, all I’ll say again, is he’s very weak in a finish as he showed on Elzaam.
A jockey is only as weak as his horse’s effort and only as strong as his horses desire.
Not sure that he was neccesarily weak in the finish on Elzaam, rather that he thought he had got the race sewn up and got caught napping with no time to recover.
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Precisely, Librettist. Not his finest hour, as he thought he’s got it won and didn’t want to give the colt a hard race. Nothing to do with any "weakness in a finish".
Well if that was the case why not own up and say I’ve made a mistake? People are betting bundles on these races.
It’s Royal Ascot not Yarmouth on a Tuesday? Sign of a poor jockey in a job he’s out of his depth.
On the other hand, look at William Buick, class act, fitted in immediately at Gosden’s.
Never mind Richard Hills.
I have lost some serious dosh recently thanks to the antics of quite a few idiot jockeys. They all seem to want to look round now thinking they have a double handful but when push comes to shove they can’t get their mount to quicken again and get done on the line. They should get three days for "looking round" Their job is to give the horse every opportunity to win and not to win as easily or as "clever" as they can.
I sincerely hope that one of these plonkers looks round and falls off. That might stop them!
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