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Christophe Soumillon wins French Champion Hurdle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=423C5E2LaUo
He even has time to give his whip to someone in the crowd after jumping the last.
There have been times this week when I’ve cursed jockeys and thought that someone was conspiring against me – especially on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
However, after seeing that I realise how fortunate punters in the UK are.
We’re often told how passionate, vocal, emotional the French are, but if that had happened at a racecourse in the UK or Ireland I’m fairly sure that the jockeys on the ‘hold-up’ horses would have needed an armed guard to leave work.
The most ridiculous race I think I’ve ever seen. Less a barnstorming ride by Soumillon [he didn’t seem to present his horse well at a number of flights], more an unbelievably laid back approach to race riding by his opponents.
If I’d’ve backed Soumillon’s horse the rest would have caught him [thinks Barazan and weeps…]. What a farce of a race.
Fair play to Soumillon when he realised nobody wanted to lead he used his brains and decided to do it himself.
The other jockeys should be banned or not making any effort i mean even leaving the far turn on the last circuit they were treating it like a gentle hack on a Sunday.
I wonder if Cheltenham now beckons for Mr Soumillon.
I’ve seen a few races in Ireland where jockeys let a horse get a furlong or more clear and not be able to catch him, Kahuna at the Galway October meeting in 2008 springs to mind, but never anything like that.
Did the other jockeys forget he was in the race? They should all be given huge bans.
C’est incroyable!
I think the brave tactic came as a rude shock to the typically laid-back French NH riders and were too stubborn to take it up to the Flat jock.
Fascinating viewing. No doubt Alan Aitken (SCMP) will feast on this during the week.
I wouldn’t be too quick to slaughter the jockeys that finished behind Soumi.
While a few of them
maybe
could have gone with him, his horse has won on the bridle by over full flight of hurdles. Is it
possible
to get it
that
wrong? They weren’t even closing on him at the line. The winner didn’t look to be hanging about to the eye.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse go as far clear as that in my life.
I can remember, from a few years back, one or two similar Summer jumps races on particularly fast going where the jockey stole a massive lead on the rest and managed to maintain the momentum to the line but certainly not to the same extent as Soumillon.
I think the jockey I recall had an ‘X’ in his name and he looked very promising but then disappeared off the scene. Can anyone remember who he was and where he is now please?
CheersXavier Aizpuru by any chance Conundrum?
He’s the only one I can think of with an "X" in his name. Met him at Haydock when I was younger, very surprised to hear his Scottish accent
Last seen riding in the US if it was him.
Spot on Irish Stamp, thanks a lot.
I still have this image of him on the far side of a left-handed N.H. track somewhere in the South, riding a 33 or 66 shot, almost a furlong in front of the field before they turned into the home straight. I can recall urging the other jockeys to get a move on but they left it far too late. I’m sure he employed the same tactics to success for a woman trainer but as I began to take a financial interest in him his win to runs ratio deteriorated.
KI love this expression won by "Daylight " hope one of mine can do that one day.
MANDALI, with Christophe Soumillon on board, realises a magnificent feat to win the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil Gr.1 by daylight, ahead of hot favourite Questarabad.
He was sold for €62,000 by the Aga Khan Studs to Jean-Paul Gallorini
at the 2008 Autumn Sale.As Fred Winter was forever reminding John Francome – you can give a lot of weight away but not distance.
The other jockeys should be ashamed to let a top man like Soumillon to steal such a march on them. Fair play to the him for taking advantage.
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