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Jockeys often say that their careers took off because they won a big race with a fast horse. Conversely a poor horse can harm a jockey’s career.
Zgharta ran at Aacot on 20th June 2025, was slowly away and was beaten 3 and threequarters of a length. It got worse; on 29 July the this horse ran at Goodwood, finishing 5th at odds of 5/1 beaten 2 lengths and one quarter of a length. The form book revealed ‘Dwelt start, held up in rear, switched right when not clear run inside final furlong, headway in final 100 yards, eyecatcher.’
Obviously the connections of this horse blamed Hollie Doyle for this failure and she lost her retainer with Imad Alsagar, replaced by Oisin Murphy in time for the next engagement at York on 22 August. Got away time but despite being 15/8 favourite was well beaten into 4th, beaten 4 lengths Then onto Saint-Cloud finishing 11th, beaten 7 lengths.
Then onto this year, on 8th May at Ascot Zgharta went off 100/30 favourite, yet finished 6th, beaten 7 lengths.
The moral of this story is that if you have a losing bet and it appears to be the jockey’s fault, then don’t believe it! The majority of the jockeys in the top 20 will win a race if the horse is good enough. Of course, any jockey can have a bad day, but it is relatively rare.
Yeah, that’s one horse out of over 4,000 rides she’s had in the past. So what? Oisin is at least a class above her and Imad Alsagar is just a small owner with just 38 different runners in the past five years. By the way, those things happen to other jockeys, too.
All I was pointing out is that it is too easy to blame jockeys. I agree Oisin Murphy is a class above Hollie Doyle, but behind Ryan Moore. In one race abroad I remember Hollie Doyle beat Ryan Moore into second. Does that make her a better jockey than the master? Of course NOT; she was on the better horse.
I know being jocked off happens to many riders, but that does not make it right
Doyle did all right out of the arrangement. She rode a few winners (including a filly which gave her a few wins at Group 1 level) and no doubt earned some decent money.
The owner decided to have a change, which is entirely his prerogative. This situation has happened to plenty of other jockeys before Doyle and will happen again for as long as racing continues.
As an only occasional punter nowadays, I cannot get upset about a jockey losing their retainer. They only want to please trainers and owners, not punters.
Ryan Moore, for me, is many lengths clear of the current crop; the rest are playing for places. Murphy and Buick are probably in 2nd and 3rd, and a bit clear of the rest.
Betting on the horses, I have only had two winning seasons (defined as winning a decent amount). In one of those seasons I kept backing a 7lb claiming apprentice who kept on winning, often at high odds. At the end of the season I was convinced I had found a winning system. Alas not! By the end of the season everybody had latched on. The apprentice’s name was Ryan Moore.
I have been following racing for 60 years and in my view Ryan Moore is a GOAT. Without doubt the ‘greatest of all time’
You have to give Moore a lot of credit for his numerous wins abroad. He’s won G1 races in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, the US. He’s also won everything in FRA, GB and IRE. But, in terms of being the GOAT I find it tough to compare what Lester rode in the 60s and 70s to what Ryan gets nowadays at Ballydoyle.
Greatest ever, no chance , Piggott is def up there but the man below achieved so much in such a little time , he also dominated in the US then came over here and did similar , his ride here is a monster , the other jockeys thought it they could head Reference Point then they’d beat him , Cauthan started that first furlong like a sprint , and absolute master of his trade and Moore couldn’t shine his boots
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
Agree HDLG. I was aware of Piggott but I was a little too young to appreciate him by the time he retired for the first time in 1985. Of all the jockeys in my racing lifetime, Steve Cauthen is the best.
I would put Eddery, Carson, Kinane and possibly Swinburn ahead of Moore as well.
The only time I saw someone outride Cauthen was when Lester outwitted him on Commanche Run in the 1985 Benson & Hedges Gold Cup (now Juddmonte International)
Ryan Moore is a supreme professional in and out of the saddle
I wouldn’t rate him a better talent/jockey than Richard Hughes but drink, weight and family issues were a burden to him.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
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