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7. Richard Hughes (until tomorrow) I don’t think he’s as good as he was a couple of years ago.
I agree but think Hughes has done ok in the past two years considering he broke a vertebrae and never regained his riding posture after imo. Also he lost a lot of regular rides due to owners in the yard selling to the mega buck owners with retainer jockeys. You always look a better jockey when you are winning and a decent horse can make a good jockey look great at times.
When Mars had a fatal heart attack and died under Hughes in the desert , throwing him over the rails, he did indeed sustain broken vertebrae. he was also consequently troubled by painful sciatica (and may still be for all I know). I’d concur that he wasn’t the same rider afterwards and the death of his father (who he used to speak to daily by phone) seemed to affect him as well. It is also true that his retirement was hastened by the change in dynamics in the Hannon yard since jnr took over. There are now 100 plus horses in the yard that he couldn’t ride due to retained rider arrangements, including many of the best looking and faster juveniles. Pretty much anything half useful within the yard is sold to Arab owners Sheikh Joann and Godolphin at the right price , often at short notice pre Ascot or Goodwood and Hughes lost the ride to retained rider- Olympic Glory, Toormore, Night of Thunder plus juveniles Log out Island and King of Rooks. He did keep the ride on Toronado as he’d ridden it before. At the top level you look forward to the big races and there wasn’t much point in hanging around.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Jonibake wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Gingertipster wrote:</div>
May be I should wait until the 4:20 at Goodwood, but I believe Buick one of the best around.These would be my top 10 of British Based Jockeys:
1. Ryan Moore
2. Frankie Dettori
3. Silvestre De Sousa
4. William Buick
5. James Doyle
6. Daniel Tudhope
7. Richard Hughes (until tomorrow) I don’t think he’s as good as he was a couple of years ago.
8. George Baker
9. Richard Kingscote
10. Philip MakinNot far off Ginge but surely SDS is at least number 2 right now. His riding in the last 6/8 weeks has been superb. He has a clock in his head and is easily the best riding from the front. He is also brilliant from the stalls and seems to always get his horses in the right position in a race. Add to that his power-packed finish and you have pretty much the complete package. He had been picking up too many whip bans but has even seemed to have sorted that problem out recently.
I had the pleasure of a day in his company a few years back and he told me about his apprenticeship growing up in Brazil and how the style of racing there really helps him here. They have a lot of very short sprints there so breaking well is always important as is pace in the race so he grew up knowing his fractions. He hardly ever gets his fractions wrong if you notice.
I tipped him for the top a few years back and am delighted to be on him at 25’s this year (albeit I’ve had a little bit of luck with that bet!!!)
Sorry this post has been off topic – I like William Buick but share the thoughts of Ivanjica that he is riding for a poor old outfit these days. In fact he does better when riding the Johnston horses. I never quite understood why they sacked SDS to be honest as he never rode a bad race for them. Personally I think Doyle and Buick would have been better sticking with Prince Khaled and JG.
It was a very close run thing who I’d put second and third Joni. If I was betting on a run-of-the-mill race think I’d plump for SDS too; for the same reasons you give. I too have been a big fan since first coming on to the scene. May be it is just the fact SDS does not get the opportunities at the highest level; but Frankie just edges it for that reason.
Is there truth in the Prince K is going to lessen his interest in racing? If so that may have been a part of the decision. Also, money is probably a big factor. Buick might be regretting it now (Golden Horn).
About a year ago Prince K said that he was ageing and none of his younger family members were interested in racing. He was therefore mulling over dispensing with his owner and breeding operation. Doyle’s decision to go to Godolphin may have been partly affected by the retirements of Kingman and Noble Mission which left no Abdullah flag bearer for him to ride in the UK.
The course’s explanation is that the bend into the home straight on the turf course becomes slippery as the evening draws in due to dew and damp air , therefore AW must be utilised on safety grounds. Thus only the straight chute up to a mile on turf is used for evening meetings. Make of that explanation what you will.
What did Elusive Kate do to Sky lantern?..Gosden is the worst conveyor of accurate information and the best at misinformation.
Richard Hughes’s wife also tweeted this yesterday! What goes around tends to come around. Neither Dettori nor Kirby covered themselves in glory in the race but it is time Gosden moved on. Kirby isn’t the neatest but jibes about him being “a winter AW jockey” are unbecoming of Gosden.
Ah well it’s not a rumour anymore anyway. Shame but I suppose these things happen…want to guess the next in this list; Cecil Boyd-Rochfort…..Murless….Cecil…….?
Bit of a surprise seeing Queally’s name against Mighty Yar; I heard the greedy so and so wanted more than he was offered to appear in the C4 documentary about Henry and Frankel but was turned down. Would explain why he surprisingly never appeared in the programme.
Just have to follow Johnny G now although I’ve a lot of time for Mr Haggas and Mr Botti.Dunstall Park eh………wasn’t that where Indian Skimmer started her 3-y-o career?
It was a rumour that Queally wanted £6k to appear in the documentary. In fairness to him and to balance things out Mike Cattermole stated in I think the RP weekender that this was absolutely not true and manifestly unfair on Queally. Who knows what the truth is? There are always 2 sides. Perhaps Queally and Jane Cecil just don’t get on?
Cumani similarly not impressed by Dettori’s tactics against his horse. Kirby is not the neatest rider but to me it was just race riding. We saw Dettori do Spencer (The Great Gatsby) no favours and Soumillon trying to keep Moore in. It is Ascot and everything is trying.
Was a good ride by Smullen but he was assisted by Dettori and Kirby on the second and third being determined to make life difficult for each other. Bookies benefit horse Telescope once again blew out.
Royal Ascot has a fantastic record of producing big races winners. Any number of horses can be taken out of this year’s races but I like Time Test in particular
Made up for Doyle’s efforts on Toscanini (Jersey) and Always Smile (Sandringham) neither of which he could keep straight. Toscanini caused interference and Always Smile gifted the race to Dettori on Osaila.
Godolphin indeed buying up all the best juvenile talent, closely followed by Sheikh Joann. Dubai v Qatar.
Can’t see Abdullah being interested in buying Warren Place. He is getting old (b 1937) and none of his younger family members are interested in racing. Rumours a year or so ago that he would dispense with his owner/breeder empire though not much happenmed to date. Can see Godolphin or Joann or Fahad buying it up. They are the young bucks- he is old!
