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Somewhat unfair to compare Buick to Cauthen. Cauthen had already won the Triple Crown when he came over to ride for Sangster.In fact to compare Cauthen at his age to any other young jockey means reducing the field to one –Lester.
I dont think it is wrong to make such a comparison. The purpose of the comparison was to draw the readers attention to the different styles of USA versus UK riders. The American ones are trained very early about fractions, and pace. Cauthen came here and proved so successful because he had that clock in his head – he often won races at halfway so that nothing could mug him on the line.
Sadly that style has not been adopted here and we often still see races run at a jock of a pace. It is interesting that the debate about the King George centres around the fast time of Wrokeforce’s Epsom win and whether that proves he is top class in spite of the relatively poor record of horses to have come out and run since the Derby. If Cauthen had indeed started a revolution in this country then maybe now we would be able to take a quick time at face vvalue rather than potentially dismissing it because races often become tactical and therefore times are unreliable guides as to the worth of the form.
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Look at the jockeys riding, the style, the effect that the "average" jockey in the 1970’s and 80’s has on a horse and you’ll see that in terms of riding ability, effect and ability to get a horse to win, strength in a finish etc. that the top 15-20 jockeys riding at the moment are stronger, fitter, better horsemen than those riding 20 or 30 years ago.
Look at how many poor judges of pace there were back then – Cauthen revolutionised that and now it’s standard practice for a jockey to be know what fractions he’s setting in a race, before Cauthen that was the premise of the few (Piggott, Breasley, Richards etc.).
Piggott was the greatest jockey of his generation but comparing him to the modern greats is madness.
Irish my old friend your post is without any foundation whatsoever…….Exactly what do you reckon makes modern day jockeys stronger or fitter than those from the 70’s and 80’s?
A jockey’s day is a jockey’s day and nothing gets him fitter than riding. You might see clips of jockey’s training in the gym but you can bet your backside it for promo purposes……only 24 hours in a day mate.
Perhaps you should look back at who was riding in the 80’s Pat Eddery ring a bell…..Pat was a strong as an ox in and out of the saddle…he’d pick up half the jockeys today and toss them aside like rag dolls.
Willie Carson was what? Man was a genius and I can’t see how you could possibly fault his style or say there are better jockeys around today. Willie was so talented he could fool other jockeys into thinking he was on a spent force when there was loads left in the locker..brilliant brilliant pair of hands and I doubt if we’ll ever see a better judge of pace than him.
Go back further and watch some clips of some oldies…..You wouldn’t get any more stylish than Scobie Breasley nor would you find a fitter man riding…..Scobie started when he was a kid and was still riding when he was 54……The man invented style and rode over 100 winners consistantly for years.
Fit? you bet your backside he was fit.
Hate to tell you Irish but your post is nuts mate.
My own feeling are if Lester were ridng today and Fallon was at his peak and you asked your man O’Brien who he would want to ride for him he’d chose Lester without hesitation
Style, panache, a larger selection of jockeys, more racing (AW racing, an increase in evening racing) and just generally being more professional is what makes them better Fist.
Looking at a lot of the jockeys down the field in the various races i’ve seen from the era and a number of them would struggle to get rides, and then you look at the jump jockeys in the 70’s and they look like some of the top HC riders of the modern era.
Pat Eddery was riding into the 21st Century Fist so of course he’s going to be decent – he’ll have learnt to adapt.
I’m pretty sure nutritional info, the greater access to physio’s etc. will have improved the current batch of jockeys.
I don’t think flat jockeys are any fitter than they used to be. I think it’s remarkable that Lester Piggott maintained his high level of fitness and achievement throughout his racing career, considering his Spartan diet and the amount of wasting he had to do.
Sir Gordon Richards was another: a small man who was probably as fit as any jockey in history and according to many judges, the best of all.
Then there was the legendary Fred Archer; a man who literally wasted himself away until it all became too much for him. He used to walk to race meetings. Can you imagine the likes of Ryan Moore or Johnny Murtagh even getting out of bed without a helicopter to aid them.
If anything the old jocks were a much tougher and hardier breed.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
You can only beat what you are up against.Horses or jockeys.Both Lester and Vincent lived in the golden age of jockeys and trainers.And it would seem horses also.
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Sadly that style has not been adopted here and we often still see races run at a jock of a pace. It is interesting that the debate about the King George centres around the fast time of Wrokeforce’s Epsom win and whether that proves he is top class in spite of the relatively poor record of horses to have come out and run since the Derby. If Cauthen had indeed started a revolution in this country then maybe now we would be able to take a quick time at face vvalue rather than potentially dismissing it because races often become tactical and therefore times are unreliable guides as to the worth of the form.Care to expand on what ‘tactical’ means here?
As far as I can see, the implication is that jockeys are unaware at a professional level (as Cauthen would have been) of the pace, capabilities of their mount & sectional timing; that lack of keen awareness (by all of them), when a race isn’t helter-skelter, leaves us with no pace until the final 2f and it’s then termed a ‘tactical’ race.Sounds an indictment, reading it over but is that completely off the mark?
Please comment.
I believe French races are run that way. Ballydoyle uses a pacemaker to ensure a decent gallop. Bet it will be one on Saturday.Even Stouty is using a pacemaker or so they say.When they were on top Godolfin always used a pacemaker.Takes some of the strain off the jockeys.Hard to judge the pace on a round hilly course with an uphill finish and two bends.Steve could do it but few others.Better use a pacemaker.
Care to expand on what ‘tactical’ means here?
As far as I can see, the implication is that jockeys are unaware at a professional level (as Cauthen would have been) of the pace, capabilities of their mount & sectional timing; that lack of keen awareness (by all of them), when a race isn’t helter-skelter, leaves us with no pace until the final 2f and it’s then termed a ‘tactical’ race.Sounds an indictment, reading it over but is that completely off the mark?
Please comment.
It wasn’t my intention to diss modern jockeys, simply draw a comparison with the manner races are run in the UK, compared with stateside. As far as I am aware in the States jumping from the gates is given immense importance in training a young horse (using the bell to teach the horse) – ergo the jockeys are also taught the importance of a quick exit from the gates. Over here often horses fall out of the stalls and its a case of "after you, no after you, etc". You dont get that stateside and this is what Cauthen imported to the UK. I think Cecil mentinoed this in his recent RP series of articles – along the lines of with Cauthen instructions were not an issue as he got the front running tactics so right so often.
All I am saying is that given the fact Cauthen’s very American style of winning races on the front end was so hugely successful, it feels like an opportunity was missed over here not to train our jockeys to be like Cauthen and win races with front end fractions.
I was not meaning to slag Buick, but if you compare his lack of urgency aboard Dar Re Mi compared with Cauthen on Reference Point (both animals in identical situations, i.e. 12f animals with their most serious rivals being proven Gp1 10f animals) then it is not hard to conclude that the Cauthen American style has not been broadly adopted here.
I suppose there is an arguement to say all races should be truly run and that the American style is superior – which then takes all the way back to the Washington International when the US press slated Piggot for his waiting tactics board Sir Ivor even though he won the bloomin’ race.
The ideal world would see jockeys with the ability to set the right fractions, but then when necessary be able to deliver hold up performers correctly – I suppose here I am thinking of a Youmzain who would down tools if you kicked him in the belly from the get go.
I guess Cauthen’s perfect example of combining both styles in one race, and having the brain to react in the right way when Plan A failed was his superb ride aboard Tryptych in the 1988 Coronation Cup – the mare downed tools, almost pulling herself up, yet "The Kid" somehow managed to cajole her by the 2 pole into consenting to take the race by the scruff of the neck – a race nobody there that day will ever forget (I include myself in that) nor folks watching C4 and listening thereafter to the Oaksey and Francome analysis which left both ex jockeys nearly speechless and laughing with disbelief.
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