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We are quick to slate the foreign jockeys so where are the threads praising them when it is deserved?
Take dished out a masterclass yesterday imo and proved there are more effective ways of riding than simply pushing, shoving and whipping a horse.
I thought his ride on Nan’s Joy in particular was sublime….
Yes -I think it did Wallace, although that doesn’t alter the fact that it was an excellent ride. The one horse in the race it is hard to assess is Steam Cuisine, who got in all sorts of bother in the race and was dropped out when it was clear the rider had no chance of winning…
Take was and is simply different gear to the home grown jocks on display at Ascot yesterday.
Jockeys like Spencer, who rely on a stream of plumb rides for their winners, are always going to be found out when rides are decided by drawing lots for mounts in competitive handicaps. I felt quite sorry for him actually – he faced pretty much mission impossible against Take with the make up of the competition like that. Maybe next year they can give him a 7lb allowance or grant the same points for those who don’t leave the stalls on top of those that burst out them. Might save his blushes.
Has anyone read anything in the papers about how Take rode ’em to sleep? I won’t be holding my breath. I note the first 1.01 was landed today: Matt Williams makes no mention of Take in his column and picks out the solitary winner by a home-based jock for praise.
Surely next year they must get Richard Hills into the GB team. What a waste it is flying Take all the way from Japan when the only guy that could give him a race is front running them to sleep at Newmarket.
Nothing new about the RP promoting UK jockeys there Glenn, Ascot stewards also saw fit to award Russell Baze a 3 day ban for a riding offence.
Our amateur stewards getting ideas above their station with one of the greatest jockeys of all time – I hope he tells them were to shove it next time they want him in the UK.
Just some points:-
1. Take is a world class jockey with a CV of big wins across the world.
He did well yesterday but to suggest he is infallible is nonsense- punters are still remembering rides on White Muzzle in the Arc (appeared to give his mount too much to do, took trainer a while to forgive) and Zenno Rob Roy in the Juddmonte International (weak in the finish compared to Kinane).He also didn’t win an Arc on Jap wonder horse Deep Impact though I didn’t think he did too much wrong.2. Spencer hardly had opportunities to shine yesterday with one mount refusing to race for the second time in a row and another breaking out of the stalls and being withdrawn. Presumably critics will say he gave the first one too much to do by overdoing the waiting tactics and over compensated on the second!!!!! Don’t read too much into the Shergar Cup- it’s a jockeys challenge supporting a pop concert not the Ryder Cup
3. Mixed feelings over the ban for Baze which was in fact FOUR days. First ride in the UK using a British whip and easy to say jobsworth stewards should have let him off with a caution. However he did hit an unplaced horse 17 times, 12 of which were in the final furlong.All participants had been briefed on UK whip rules by the stewards. The rules were also posted in the weighing room.
If Baze shouldn’t have been banned, presumably Powerscourt should have been allowed to keep the Arlington Million.
Fantastic jockey, shame we can’t understand what he’s saying though without translation.
The stewards need their heads examined for banning Baze.I would imagine any of the top American jocks would think twice about accepting an invitation next year.A quiet word in his ear would have done the job but some of these guys still believe there is an Empire.
Take’s comments (compiled from his blog and the JRA web site):
‘Fortunately I managed to win the first two races. Winning them was more than I expected from what I was told of my horses. It was a pity that I couldn’t win the last one because I aimed at the third win.’
‘Our team ended up in second, but I fully relished the challenges. Competing at such a high level as a team is truly enjoyable–actually to the degree that I even felt guilt at that.’
‘It had been raining all day at Ascot. In such a weather, the British racecourses are nothing other than the ‘soft’ turf, which was lucky to me because the experience might benefit me in the future; next time I’d like to be back here again as a rider in the King George (smiling).’
Take is an intelligent jockey. Also he’s articulate; he can meaningfully answer after-the-race interviews, even with a bit of humour, which I think has contributed immensely to turning a general perception of horse racing towards regarding it as a sport. This is perhaps his greatest achievement, IMO.
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