Pace or jockeys ruined this race?
What instructions, if any, were given to the Jockeys by Owners and/or Trainers in respect of the likely lack of a pacemaker in the Durban July?
Apart from jockeys Mr. Fourie, Mr. Byleveld and to some extent Mr. Hatt, surely all these deeply experienced jockeys/trainers must have considered a “Plan B” to avoid their year long quest for glory from going down the tubes, in the event of a false run race?
Trainer Mr. S Tarry had 2 runners, both well drawn. Did the slow pace suit you, Sir?
If not, what were your instructions or suggestions to your 2 top jockeys to avoid Half the Deficit and Whiteline Fever from being left behind ?
Trainer Mr. G Woodruff had 3 runners. By all accounts it appears that Mr. Marcus said that both Rakes Chestnut and Louis The King had been badly bunched/knocked/almost brought down etc. Could Mr. Woodruff confirm at what point in the race did this happen ?
If it happened in the first 400 metres or later, we then can ask the jockeys whether it was too far gone to change riding tactics?
We can only ask these questions, can’t we?
Many people who have vested interests in racing do not welcome questions of this nature. They will challenge it and ask:’
‘Are you a jockey? Have you ever trained a horse?”
Trainers and jockeys must remember that they too have a responsibility in educating the racing public about race riding, as ppposed to simply providing their views of a horse’s chances before the race is run.
Much can be learnt from jockeys comments after the race is all said and done, even if it is tough say …”Crickey, I slipped up a bit there with my riding tactics”
Would trainers Mr. Crawford and Mr. Ramsden care to make public their instructions to Jockeys Mr. Cormack & Mr. Fayd’Herbe respectively?
Captain America, a strong traveler in most of his previous races was indeed well equipped to run aggressively, if the opportunity arose ?
King of Pain …was that not an opportunity lost, Mr. Ramsden?
And then a thought about Mr. Elley’s hard knocking Punta Arenas. Sir, was your jockey Mr. Randolph tied down to riding instructions? Surely if Punta Arenas had taken a position ahead of Futura he would have, at worst, run third if not battling on in a scrap to the line, to win?
I couldn’t see him, in such rude health, fading out of the first three in that false run race.
Mr. Editor, is there anything in the Stipes report that might assist us in understanding the general tardiness of the jockeys tactics?
In conclusion, on a different note, I would like to commend Mr. Byleveld and Mr. Fourie for having the guts to separate their mounts from the rest of the dawdling pack !
We all now can appreciate the courage and conviction shown by Mr. Strydom, when he took the red-hot favorite London News to the front for his July victory. That’s what you call —- performing under pressure !
William Milkovitch
The stipes reports are awaited. We will publish the relevant excerpts once available.
It may also be worth noting that Anthony Delpech, who rode Espumanti, conceded n a later post-race interview: “I rode a bad race in the July.”
There is hope!
Ed
