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You’ll count my posts criticising jockeys here on the fingers of one hand, but Ruby must have had a rush of blood to the brain there on Augusta Kate. She looked to be building momentum for a sustained challenge coming to the last and was running straight, and he whacked her and she ducked quite violently right, at which point I thought he’d put his stick down and get hold of her head for the jump…then he hits her again and she ducks again then he hits her a third time. The last thing on her mind must have been concentrating on the jump: more like “When’s the next blow coming and how many times is he going to whack me?”
Bang! Barely rose and down she went in a heavy fall.
Dreadful decision.
for someone who rides so quietly and stylishly it was surprising and looked amateurish!! I had no bet on the race
Far more bothered about the American Tom ride.
Yet again he just allowed it drop away without making any visible effort. If it is injured pull it up, but if not, this sort of ride which appears to becoming commonplace for Walsh should be totally unacceptable. Had the Navan Steward’s nailed the Battleford ride it might have been a different story but it appears Walsh has his own set of Rules.
My guess is Augusta Kate would have done well to have run the winner to three lengths. He has powered away from the last.
I thought he did nothing wrong on Augusta Kate, but I thought his ride on American tom was bad. The horse made a couple of mistakes, clearly something wrong and he should have pulled up.
Augusta Kate just didn’t jump, ruby saw a stride but the horse just didn’t jump and ended up putting in an extra stride and coming down.
Far more bothered about the American Tom ride.
Yet again he just allowed it drop away without making any visible effort. If it is injured pull it up, but if not, this sort of ride which appears to becoming commonplace for Walsh should be totally unacceptable. Had the Navan Steward’s nailed the Battleford ride it might have been a different story but it appears Walsh has his own set of Rules.
My guess is Augusta Kate would have done well to have run the winner to three lengths. He has powered away from the last.
got to agree here stilvi, death duty ran to the line like a strong stayer.. no surprise they have felt the albert bartlett may be the correct route
Far more bothered about the American Tom ride.
Yet again he just allowed it drop away without making any visible effort. If it is injured pull it up, but if not, this sort of ride which appears to becoming commonplace for Walsh should be totally unacceptable. Had the Navan Steward’s nailed the Battleford ride it might have been a different story but it appears Walsh has his own set of Rules.
My guess is Augusta Kate would have done well to have run the winner to three lengths. He has powered away from the last.
Said this to the girlfriend at the time. He seemed to struggle at the fence and was going backwards, after being close up in second. Losing ground and thought was going to pull him up. Strange that nothing has been said whatsoever.
Far more bothered about the American Tom ride.
Yet again he just allowed it drop away without making any visible effort. If it is injured pull it up, but if not, this sort of ride which appears to becoming commonplace for Walsh should be totally unacceptable. Had the Navan Steward’s nailed the Battleford ride it might have been a different story but it appears Walsh has his own set of Rules.
My guess is Augusta Kate would have done well to have run the winner to three lengths. He has powered away from the last.
Said this to the girlfriend at the time. He seemed to struggle at the fence and was going backwards, after being close up in second. Losing ground and thought was going to pull him up. Strange that nothing has been said whatsoever.
Came up on twitter during the afternoon that American Tom was coughing after the race and apparently has a lung infection.
Doesn’t explain why a) Ruby didn’t pull him up after it was clear all wasn’t well and b) why he got straight back on the horse and cantered him back – American Tom could easily have sustained an injury in what looked like a pretty nasty fall.
American Tom a tough call, I think. Ruby went from sitting nicely to crouching to being passed by the 2 behind. Not unreasonable to assume the horse had gone wrong somehow and if it was a cough, riding him out a bit for show would have been absolutely the wrong thing to do. But they should have had him in simply to put it on record.
He should have pulled up and on reflection doubtless he’ll agree with that. I’d be amazed if he didn’t also reflect on hitting AK. On another viewing I see she cocks her jaw and goes right two out. Maybe he was trying to get his warning in first before it crossed her mind to do the same again at the last.
I hate to see horses hit approaching a jump at any point in the race. To do it when they’re probably tiring is worse. I don’t even like to see a slap down the shoulder unless the jockey has noticed the horse’s attention wavering (perhaps looking at something in the infield). If they’re running straight and concentrating; leave them alone.
I think to be fair to Ruby the mare seemed to be thinking about ducking to her right a few strides before the second last, so Ruby had that in his mind when he approached the last – she was definitely having a think about it. We can’t be sure that if he hadn’t used his whip she wouldn’t have run through the wing – I strongly suspect that is what Ruby was thinking abojut, and the strikes of the whip were corrective more than anything else.
I am not shy in criticising jockeys when I think they have made a mistake, but in this instance I think Ruby deserves the benefit of any doubt.
Ivanjica, I always prefer to give jocks the benefit of the doubt. I watched the race a few times before posting. Yes, she cocks her jaw two out, but, at the last, she’s running straight and looks fully committed beginning her challenge. It might have been precautionary, but when she ducked at the first strike, he should surely have taken hold of her head and not risked hitting her again never mind twice more?
Whatever his intention, AK was affected to such an extent by the blows that she barely lifted one leg to try and jump. She came up maybe a foot off the ground them just slammed into it. At such a crucial stage, when she was showing no obvious signs of going awry, the safe thing was leave her alone.
Anyway, it’s done now. As the yanks say, it is what it is.
Totally agree Miss Cavie – watching the replay, I couldn’t believe the distant sight of RW getting back onto American Tom and then cantering him back. It was obvious watching the race that something was amiss with the horse after the 4th – I thought, looking at it, that it was his back, and was thinking, ‘pull this horse up’. Then, two fences later, he had that absolutely horrible fall, where he was lucky he didn’t break either/both his neck and back. The poor horse just got to his feet and stood still, so the last thing that should have been done with him was for RW to get back on him and canter him back. This was all too reminiscent of what happened with Kauto when he had that horror fall at the 3rd last in the Gold Cup. After that incident, as I recollect, the remounting of horses that have fallen was banned, at least in England. Is this not the case in Ireland?
Like Joe, I’m not a one to engage in jockey bashing, but this display showed little sign of horsemanship nor care for the welfare of the horse. If it had been a young jockey doing this, they’d be being slated – but, if this is the example being set by those at the top …
On AK, I’d be slightly more prepared to give room for doubt as she definitely cocked her jaw before the second last flight. Whether anticipating the same at the last warranted three forceful whacks right before the final flight is another matter. Whatever the wrongs and rights of it (and I’d be erring with the wrongs), she’ll remember this experience.
All in all, not a good day at the office for RW.
Like Joe, I’m not a one to engage in jockey bashing
This line often appears to get thrown in when someone obviously thinks their opinion should have more credence than someone elses. It is almost as annoying as that old chestnut, pocket talking. Could you please define the difference between jockey bashing and highlighting bad rides? Bad rides will happen every day of the week. To highlight at least some of them should not be construed as jockey bashing.
Ivanjica, I always prefer to give jocks the benefit of the doubt. I watched the race a few times before posting. Yes, she cocks her jaw two out, but, at the last, she’s running straight and looks fully committed beginning her challenge. It might have been precautionary, but when she ducked at the first strike, he should surely have taken hold of her head and not risked hitting her again never mind twice more?
Whatever his intention, AK was affected to such an extent by the blows that she barely lifted one leg to try and jump. She came up maybe a foot off the ground them just slammed into it. At such a crucial stage, when she was showing no obvious signs of going awry, the safe thing was leave her alone.
Anyway, it’s done now. As the yanks say, it is what it is.
I’m with you on this one Steeplechasing. If anything, looked to me like she was trying to hang in behind Death Duty. For what it’s worth, I also agree with others that she would likely have been outbattled/outstayed anyway.
I didn’t see the American Tom race but sounds like the sort of thing that gives racing a bad name. I think remounting is still allowed in Ireland but, even if it wasn’t, this wouldn’t count as he didn’t continue in the race (ill-advised as it may be to canter a sick horse back after a nasty fall)
I was surprised to see American Tom being ridden back given what looked a nasty fall. Should horses who fall be allowed to be remounted and ridden back without vet clearance?
Hard to say with AK, it didn’t look great (the slaps occurring just before the fall) but you don’t know what was happening through the reins at the time. She lunges at it and watching it over you see her head come up as she went to it.
Incredible….!!
Chambord Du Lys in the 12.45 Fairyhouse just now.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
it was some bit of horsemanship to stay on board today and nearly get back up but ruby bothers me when he does this
he did it on Kauto star as a novice when he had no business getting back on the horse and riding out a finish….the horse got injured…..he did it on Killultagh Vic last year and the horse was subsequently injured. theres no way he can know if the horse has injured themselves after a bad mistake and he shouldn’t be riding them out in a finish under any circumstances IMO
he did it on Kauto star as a novice when he had no business getting back on the horse and riding out a finish….the horse got injured…..he did it on Killultagh Vic last year and the horse was subsequently injured. theres no way he can know if the horse has injured themselves after a bad mistake and he shouldn’t be riding them out in a finish under any circumstances IMO- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.