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According to Joe Clancy (editor of the Steeplechase Times), British amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen will ride in the Maryland Hunt Cup on May 28. Charles Noell, who owns 2011 NSA Timber Champion Bon Caddo, has gotten him for the race, which is the most prestigious and most difficult race on the NSA calendar. It also happens to be open to amateur jockeys only, although amateur has a somewhat different connotation here than in the UK.
Now I know Waley-Cohen is a top amateur rider, despite all the ribbing he gets over his Long Run rides, but presumably he has never raced over uniquely American timber fences before. And the Maryland Hunt Cup is not the place to practice! If I were him I’d ride a couple races in a point-to-point, just to get a taste of how to ride them. The Maryland Hunt Cup course itself was open for schooling up until April 15, although obviously Waley-Cohen was otherwise engaged. Joey Elliott (Gordon’s brother), who has ridden over both kinds, says:
At home with a chase fence, you can go down to it and give them a kick and get away with it if you hit one. You don’t want to be hitting these. You have to set them up more over timber.
Fortunately for Mr. Waley-Cohen, Bon Caddo is as easy a ride as he could possibly get. He’s slow, he’s a picture-perfect jumper (even wins at horse shows), and he never tires. On the other hand, if Bon Caddo loses we’ll all be blaming his rider
http://www.st-publishing.com/cms2/index … -at-timberpresumably he has never raced over uniquely American timber fences before.
Nope, almost certainly not. Although he’s been around for a good few years now, SWC’s riding career in the UK still started after the cessation of the one recognised timber race in the UK of any repute, the Marlborough Cup at Barbury Racecourse.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
presumably he has never raced over uniquely American timber fences before.
Nope, almost certainly not. Although he’s been around for a good few years now, SWC’s riding career in the UK still started after the cessation of the one recognised timber race in the UK of any repute, the Marlborough Cup at Barbury Racecourse.
gc
Unfortunately.
Although to call the Marlborough Cup a proper timber race might be a bit generous.
http://www.thejoyofhorses.com/apr99/marlborough2.jpg
vs.
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS2zfOitoERC21_gunRnKQrUhIRu14Da5Z5-6aFoyH4DFONyth6AY15MlvX
Sam Waley-Cohen, is a tactically very poor jumps jockey, who has allowed his win on Longrun to go his head as he views himself as some sort of racing hero. Best of luck in the US sam.(I only just discovered you have jumps racing, I am astonished)
Sam Waley-Cohen, is a tactically very poor jumps jockey, who has allowed his win on Longrun to go his head as he views himself as some sort of racing hero. Best of luck in the US sam.(I only just discovered you have jumps racing, I am astonished)
Well we are the land of failed English/Irish jockeys! Paddy Young, William Dowling, Xavier Aizpuru, Carl Rafter, Darren Nagle, Ross Geraghty, Brian Crowley, Bernard Dalton, Jeff Murphy, Robbie Walsh, Willie McCarthy…there’s actually only a couple of native jockeys regularly riding on the hurdle.
Timber, however, is still dominated by Americans, probably because not many Brits are crazy enough to try it.
Whats the ground normaly like for chasing in the States compared to the UK. (I assume you monitor both countries)
Whats the ground normaly like for chasing in the States compared to the UK. (I assume you monitor both countries)
We don’t water anywhere near as much. Also our season is from March-November since there’s a larger threat of snow in the winter. You’ll see soft/yielding turf sometimes (especially in the fall), but it’s usually firm and most of the trainers and horses prefer it that way.
A brief article in the Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horser … t-Cup.htmlIt’s a big field this year, and since it actually rained earlier this week the turf will be in good shape. http://www.nationalsteeplechase.com/wp- … cratch.pdf
Article about amateur jockeys
http://www.baltimorefishbowl.com/storie … ing-story/“When you climb up the hill to look out over the Maryland Hunt Cup,” Batoff says, “remember that everyone out there is doing this because they love it. Not because it’s their job, or because they’re making a living. But because it’s fun.”
Can’t wait for tomorrow!
Two more stories from the hard-working Joe Clancy
http://www.st-publishing.com/cms2/index … s-practicehttp://www.st-publishing.com/cms2/index … y-for-task
Baltimore Sun article
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/hors … 9718.storyYes, Tufton Avenue is an actual road. They cover the part of it that crisscrosses the course with mulch/dirt for cushioning.
I am pretty sure timber racing is like the sport of "team chasing" in the Uk except the fences are all upright post and rail rather than various cross country obstacles.
Is it only open to thoroughbred’s Ms Woodford?
Twill Do won in a head bob over Battle Op. Full results to come.
I am pretty sure timber racing is like the sport of "team chasing" in the Uk except the fences are all upright post and rail rather than various cross country obstacles.
Is it only open to thoroughbred’s Ms Woodford?
It is only open to Thoroughbreds.
I’d say timber racing is the equivalent to British steeplechasing, while American "steeplechasing" is equivalent to British hurdling. We have team chasing as well, and we call it that. http://www.centralentryoffice.com/Condi … 8-2012.pdf Most timber horses (and many hurdlers) are foxhunters in the offseason so they often participate in team chases and hunter paces.
You would not be safe taking the average British chaser over a 4 foot post and rail at 30mph though! Having competed in eventing, upright fences of the kind in the Maryland Cup are notorious for causing horses to catch a knee and turn over. It happens to at least one person at the upright gate into the Huntsman’s Close at Badminton Horse Trials every year, and those event horses are taught to jump a damn sight better than a chaser!
Having seen the extravagant way Sanctuaire jumped at Sandown today I’d probably pick him as my timber horse.
As gathered from Twitter:
1st Twill Do
2nd Battle Op
3rd Bon Caddo
4th Professor Maxwell
5th Fort Henry
*Western Fling fell at the 2nd fence
*Haddix fell at 5th
*Private Attack fell at 13thNo injuries.
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