Pomodoro (Piere Strydom) battles Smanjemanje to the finish of the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July
SA champion jockey Piere Strydom says that he has only ever had the very best intentions when providing what he honestly believed to be valuable inside information to the punting public. His decision this week to discontinue the transparency had been taken as he felt he was on a hiding to nothing and that people were ‘always chirping.’
“We are not all crooks and I sometimes wonder if the very people that seem to think I have a hidden agenda and evil intentions are not themselves guilty of that behaviour. It truly puzzles me as to why on earth a punter would choose not to be provided with inside information to assist in making his punting decisions,” he said.
The brilliant jockey has always been a straightshooter when it comes to expressing his opinion and thoughts about the prospects of his mounts, but he has taken flak from punters in various quarters at times.
Speaking exclusively to the Sporting Post, the 47 year old multiple champion, considered by many to be one of the finest judges of pace on earth, said that while the decision to curtail the provision of specific inside information about his rides had been the accumulation of a build up of negativity, the Jackodore incident had probably been the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Happy moment after the July
“I just cannot win, so I will rather keep my opinions to myself. I say what I believe in good faith. If I happen to be correct and people don’t take the advice, then they whinge from the pocket. If I happen to be wrong, then I get blamed for being negative. I don’t need this in my life at this point.”
He also added that it was not easy for a jockey to say what he thought as it was not always what a trainer or owner wanted to hear.
Jackodore had started favourite in the Listed Queen Of The Sand at the Vaal on Tuesday, after finishing way back in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes. She was expected by the tipsters and public to run well on her preferred surface, but finished some 17,50 lengths behind outsider Silent Force.
Strydom had reported that she took no interest in running and was found to be not striding out on the right front.
“I know the mare very well and I never said that she could not win. I merely cautioned the public as I had ridden her days earlier and I had detected an element of reluctance. One must remember: soundness can be fixed, but attitude is an entirely different story. Strangely after I had given the cautionary, Jackodore firmed from 12 to 10 to even money anyway. Just shows you!” he said.
Piere also confirmed that while he had been approached, he was not involved in any tipping services currently and that if anybody was paying for any information allegedly provided in his name, they were ‘being handled.’
Asked as an aside on whether he would not rather choose to be attached to any particular stable than ride freelance, Strydom said that a position as stable rider had its advantages and disadvantages:
Striker is tired of the chirps
“I enjoy riding for Sean Tarry and even though he spreads the mounts around, I still get quality. Riding for a particular yard works well as one would have a good flow of quality rides. On the flipside of the coin it has the disadvantages of losing out on the option of possible other better rides at times and also having to ride crazy horses. At my stage of life, one is nursing aches and pains so quality is paramount rather than chasing full cards of rides,” he said with a laugh.
He confirmed that his immediate goal was to clock up another 94 winners which would take him to an historic 5000 winners. That milestone is put into perspective by the fact that legends like Jeff Lloyd (just over 4000), Muis Roberts (3992) and Karl Neisius (recently hit 3000) had not achieved anything close.
What about retirement?
“I wanted to go at 45. But things change. I must admit it is in the back of my mind. But when I am ready I will make the announcement a season ahead,” he said.
