The big news for us jockeys this week has been the revision of the whip rules.
I’m relieved to see they’ve scrapped the implementation of only allowing the backhand position. It was a daunting change that could have seen the whip hitting horses in the wrong place, and nobody wants to see that.
When a horse gets hit on the fleshy part of its backside, where the muscle is thick and you’re only using a foam stick, it doesn’t hurt, but when horses start getting hit down the ribs that’s very different.
I think the most important thing is for stewards to clamp down on bad use of the stick, where horses are being hit late on in a race when they’re well out of contention with no more to give, or they’re getting hit in the wrong places. I think we need to eradicate that.
The change now is that we’re going to get one less hit, and I think the biggest impact will be on the punters and owners. We won’t be allowed to give a horse the extra hits required to stop it from idling in-front, and that could easily cost you a race.
I got beat a short-head once in a handicap hurdle because I’d run out of hits, and I knew that if I had one or two left I would have won the race, but I would have incurred a seven-day ban. The bans are strict enough now that they should stop the jockey from going over the limit, no matter what race they are in. It’s not worth the ban. I want to be riding as many horses as possible at as many meetings as possible.
Double doubles to start 2023:
I was a bit disappointed not to have a winner at Musselburgh on Tuesday, but doubles on both New Year’s Day and Monday have got 2023 off to a good start at least. Minella Drama, as I said in the last blog, had the strongest form in the Auld Reekie and he proved he was the best horse in the race. He handled what was fairly testing ground by Musselburgh’s standards and won it well in the end. I’d imagine he’ll be up to a mark of near 150 next, so may be back in Graded company. Despite him opening up at 20/1 and eventually winning at 11/1, it was no surprise to us that Nayati won. We said Sandown wasn’t his cup of tea last time, he’d won well the time before and there was no reason he wouldn’t run well. He cost £8,500 at the sales and has now won almost £100,000, so he’s been a brilliant horse for the yard and his owners.
Up at Ayr, Glen Cannel made it two wins from two starts over hurdles. He’s a lovely horse, a big raw type that’s going to be a nice chaser in time for sure. He jumped left and right, ran around a bit, but then once he was straightened up he stayed on well. Soft ground is no problem for him, he’ll get three miles and he’s one to keep an eye on when he goes over fences. With natural progression from his seasonal reappearance at Wetherby, Escapeandevade won nicely on the day too. It might not have been the strongest of races, but he couldn’t have done much more. Also, the bumper horse I rode up at Musselburgh, Easter Junction, could be worth following. He was third on his first start under rules in what looked a pretty hot race and felt like a nice horse.
Newcastle on Saturday:
I kick off with Since Day One (12:48pm), who was just beaten last time out. If it wasn’t for the idling in front and a mistake at the last I think he would have won, so I’m hoping we can bounce back.He’s fit, he’s well, and now the cheekpieces are going on to help him concentrate. Tommy’s Oscar is a good horse, but he’s got to give us 19lbs. Yes, he ran in behind Constitution Hill in the Fighting Fifth, but he was 28 lengths adrift.Cormier is a former Morebattle Hurdle winner and now goes first time over fences, so he has to be shown a bit of respect too, but I wouldn’t swap my lad and I think he’s about my best chance of a winner on the day.
Castle Rushen (1:23pm) was jumping lovely before unseating me at the eighth last time out. It was too far out to tell how he would have finished, but he was going nicely.
He’s been a horse that’s had a few niggly problems, so I’m glad I came off him rather than he fell and hurt himself, but I went and schooled him a week ago and he feels good.
Guillaume (2:33pm) has his first start under rules and has been doing everything nicely at home. It looks like a race that could take a bit of winning, but he’s done everything we’ve asked of him so far and will hopefully run well.I don’t know too much about Star Flyer (3:08pm) for Warren Greatrex, but the yard is in great form so that’s a plus. The top horse, Henry’s Friend, looks like the one to beat. It’s been a little while since I last ride Gypsy Lee Rose (3:43pm).The last time I was on her was over 2m4f, and she got beat a length off 6lbs higher. She’s got her head in front since and you’ like to think she’ll be there with every chance.
Down at Sandown:
I’m not at Sandown, but will be keeping an eye on the racing down there, particularly Dreams Of Home (1:50pm) and Snow Leopardess (3:00pm). Dreams Of Home very rarely runs a bad race, and even though he needed the run still won first time up at Kelso last month. He’s been working well since, in fact he looks a million dollars, and I think he goes there with a good chance. He’s not just going down there for the Esher air; I can assure you! It’s just a shame I can’t be in two places at once!
Snow Leopardess ran really well in the Becher last time, which was basically like her first start of the season having been pulled up at the first at Warwick the time before.
She got a bit tired towards the end of her race at Aintree last time out, but you’d expect her to be fitter for that and she must have a big chance.
