The non-trier that won

[newtown31]

I’ve backed a few over the years that I’ve had my suspicions about,but the following beast was definitely not off. About twenty years ago I was going through the form of a Ripon meeting I going to the next day. Only one horse took my fancy in a six furlong all aged handicap.I thought it would be about a three to one chance. Then as now BET365 were the first bookmaker to open up their offer being 5-1. I checked the form again and had a decent bet at that price at best odds guarantee.(bookmaker’s gave that concession even on the afternoon of the day before the race in those days.).I monitored the betting on the day of the race it drifted from 7-1 to 20-1.There were no connections in the parade ring.Down at the start my horse planted itself. All the others were loaded,and you could hear on the course TV microphone the starter say “last chance jockey”. I was praying the horse wouldn’t go in but the combined muscle of the starting stall handlers got it loaded. It trapped out last of about twelve and it was not so much as running free as running in temper. It saw a gap and pulled it’s way through and the jockey couldn’t do anything at that stage and the horse won. I ran round the unsaddling enclosure and the trainer glared at the jockey as he dismounted the jockey just shrugged his shoulders and trotted of to the weighing room.

[value31]

That was 20 years ago. With so much technolgy today it is much more difficult to cheat. Besides the vast number of jockeys don’t want to cheat. It must be remembered that horses have a mind of their own and do some funny things. When they lose their money some punters believe erroneously they have been robbed.

A few years ago a chempion jockey was accused of deliberately stopping horses. One case for the prosecution was that a favourite lost six lengths at the start, caused by the jockey, failing to mention it won the race by six lengths in fact, around 30% of the horses being stopped actually won. The whole case was a farce which was swiftly stopped by the judge who in effect said that in his time he had never come across such a ridiculous prosecution.

If you lose, the answer is the horse is not good enough. Jockey error is rare.

[newtown31]

I agree with almost all of that you have said. Things are different nowadays. With the exception of the first time in a handicap,where horses often improve markedly in their form compared with their runs in maiden races and are often well backed to do so.I gave up each way betting long time as once a jockey sees he has no chance of winning they are less interested in being placed.You see the difference in the Shergar Cup event at Ascot each year where placing add to the points each team gets.

[value31]

You make a good point. All jockeys will ride to get the best possible place, but there is no point in flogging a dead horse. So, if beaten, no jockey will risk exceeding the number of whip hits allowed. Common sense has to be applied.

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