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Brennan, Moloney and O’Regan? I wouldn’t even consider them, let alone pay to utilise their services.
Graham Lee perhaps isn’t so much underrated as completely wasted; I can’t for the life of me work out why a jockey of his ability is satisfied riding for someone like Ferdy Murphy. The same is true of Richie McLernon and his association with Jonjo O’Neill.
Noel Fehily certainly doesn’t get the credit he deserves, but the jockeys I’m most keen on – Ruby Walsh aside – are generally up-and-comers. Aidan Coleman, Rhys Flint, Felix De Giles, Lee Stephens, Peter Toole, Paul Townend and Ryan Mania all continue to impress, with more established names such as Dominic Elsworth, Dougie Costello and Jason Maguire also worthy of mention.
Can I add to your up and comers Ewan Whillans son of Hawick trainer Alistair and look out for Adam Wedge and young amateur Tom Cannon who is getting a good few rides. I was at Northaw in May when he rode a nice four timer and better judges than me noted him that day
Yep, Brennan, Coleman, Costello, Elsworth, Lee etc etc all sound horsemen who tend to get it right most of the time
No surprise to see so many names suggested as I’m surely not alone in believing that the standard of NH jockeyship has been on a healthy upward curve ever since the boy McCoy appeared and became the model to which others aspired
Francome and Winter in days of old would no doubt hold their own today but they were oases in a desert of mediocrity
you’ve never had it so good
Look out for Adam Wedge and young amateur Tom Cannon who is getting a good few rides. I was at Northaw in May when he rode a nice four timer and better judges than me noted him that day
Adam Wedge’s ride on the singularly ungenerous The Camerengo at Kingston Blount last March has already been praised to the hilt on these pages (well, by me and Bbobbalulah, at least) before now, but subsequent gains on the likes of Mutual Respect and Oursininlaw for Evan Williams have hopefully shown to the wider, Rules-fixated audience that he could carve out something of a niche as a soother of unwilling beasts.
Typically, the sole occasion on which I’ve torn into him, when giving Trooper Clarence what I’d taken to be a soft introduction at Ffos Las, proved totally wide of the mark – the French import had burst more violently than a teenager’s zit. My apologies, Adam.
Tom Cannon, too, appears to have a way of getting some arrant jades to pull their finger out once more, if his superb, never-say-dog-it victory on globetrotting curmudgeon Swordsman at Stratford this summer is any guide. Dear old Alph hasn’t gone the wrong way for Cannon’s handling, either.
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.
Paddy Brennan by Nigel Twiston Davis. Why such a talented jockey is made to share rides with the trainers son is beyond me. Fair enough to put him up when he has runners at more than one meeting, but not jocking Brennan off at the same meeting. Never believed in sending a boy to do a mans job myself.
Seems a few more people have made that observation now, especially since this last weekend’s events. It would only take one bad fall to put Sam on the sidelines, same as any other rider; and if Paddy Brennan has been marginalised by the yard to the extent of accepting rides from elsewhere as a first resort by that stage, then the Naunton handler would ultimately be twice as badly off as he might have been.
On the other hand, of course, Brennan is not daft, and must have known for as long as he has been associated with NTD that Sam (maybe also one day Will Twiston-Davies, if he rides?) would get more opportunities as he matured.
The arrangements for an increasing number of outside rides that have been alluded to at least once in the press of late may well have been borne of sensible, pragmatic discussion between all parties rather than any desperation on the part of Brennan. I hope that’s the case, at least.
I’d also like to know from anyone who was at Prestbury Park on Saturday whether Brennan really "trudged away disconsolately" after his ride on Pigeon Island whilst the Twiston-Davieses drank in Little Josh’s victory, as was reported in the
Post
. Let’s not be hinting at disquiet if there isn’t any, just to make for some livelier copy.
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.
I’ll probably get laughed at but I’ve always thought Rodi Greene is a better jockey then he gets credit for, slogging around for 20 years such as he has.
He certainly deserves some credit, and possibly even a medal, for consistently putting himself up on the calibre of animals which nobody else dares to. A fearless, selfless character – hold him close.
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.
…and as if almost to order, Rodi goes and wins on a Bridgewater horse at Leicester! Well played, sir.
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.
I’m surprised that nobody has yet mentioned Aiden Coleman.With normal luck I would be surprised if he is not contending for the title within 5 years.Others who are worthy of similar comment include Ryan Mania,and P O’toole but there are many up and coming youngsters.
One thing I would never do is malign any jockey who has the courage to sit on a horse, and the bad tempered mob who frequent the average betting shop and use expletives to desribe a jockey who has allegedly ridden badly are themselves complete idiots.However, when it comes to winning a race I am mindful of my late father who would say ‘if the horse is good enough so is the jockey’ at least most of the time.Must give Donal Devereux a mention. Although a claimer, he’s a pretty good NH jockey. Usually seen riding for P Bowen, he manages to bring home a few big price horses.
Past fortnight, he got;
Thelobstercatcher – Won 16/1
Call to Arms – 2nd 18/1
Rio Gael – 3rd 6/1Best to keep an eye out on him when he’s riding, especially for Bowen. Could pop in a surprise winner.
I don’t know whether he’s underrated or not, but I’ll not have anything detrimental said about Paul Moloney.
He talked us through a couple of the rides he had one afternoon, strengths and weaknesses of all the horses involved, how he saw each race going, what his options were and how he would ideally see things going.
He was spot on in both instances, implementing Plan A in the first instance, and Plan C in the second. They were completely different rides and I’m pleased to say both were successful. Polite, pleasant and serious about his work, I was well impressed.
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