Showing posts with label Horse racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horse racing. Show all posts

Saturday, 14 May 2016

Dan is the BBC SPOTY Man

BBC Sport
Dan Carter has been named BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year for 2015.

Carter beat Usain Bolt, Novak Djokovic, Katie Ledecky, Jordan Spieth and Serena Williams to the award that was decided by public vote for the first time.

The Racing 92 fly-half was crowned World Rugby player of the year after helping New Zealand retain the World Cup in October.

"I'm thrilled to have been voted BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year by the UK public," Carter said.

"It's been an incredible year for me on British soil and the support has been phenomenal.

"It was an incredibly competitive shortlist and I'm honoured to have been recognised alongside these great sportsmen and women from around the world."


Friday, 13 November 2015

Payne for AP McCoy


Female jockeys should get a weight allowance to help them compete against men, AP McCoy has suggested.

The retired 20-time champion jockey was responding to Michelle Payne calling racing "chauvinistic" after she was the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup.

"The female jockeys are very, very competent riders but perhaps a woman should receive an allowance like a filly does in a race," said McCoy.

Female horses carry less weight than males when competing in the same races.

But there is no similar allowance for jockeys - racing is one of the few sports where men and women compete on an equal footing at the highest level.

Some female jockeys regard suggestions of a weight concession as patronising, while others believe it would create more opportunities for women.

"I don't think it would be fair," said leading female rider Cathy Gannon.

"We've been trying to say we're as good as the boys for years so it would be a backward step in my eyes."

Payne rode 100-1 shot Prince of Penzance to victory, ahead of the Frankie Dettori-ridden Max Dynamite, in the Melbourne Cup - known as "the race that stops a nation".

"It was brilliant for her to win the race and tactically she gave Prince Of Penzance a brilliant ride, but I'm not sure that was the time to call racing a chauvinistic sport," said Northern Irishman McCoy in a blog for bookmakers William Hill.

"It's a very physically demanding sport and they're not going to be as physically strong as a bloke. They can't be. Tactically they can be as good but if it comes down to strength in a finish, a woman is not going to be as strong as a man.

"There aren't many sports where women compete against men and on a day-to-day basis. Are women as physically strong as men? No they're not. It's just fact."

Jockey Racheal Kneller welcomed McCoy's suggestion, but is unsure whether it would change perceptions.

"It's a good idea but I don't think it will make any difference. I claim 5lbs and I still struggle for opportunity," she said.

Grade One-winning Canadian rider Emma-Jayne Wilson tweeted: "Brilliant idea - if strength were the only attribute jockeys required to be successful."

Payne was only the fourth female to ride in the Melbourne Cup in its 155-year history.

After her victory on 3 November, she said: "It's such a chauvinistic sport, I know some of the owners wanted to kick me off."

She praised Prince of Penzance trainer Darren Weir and owner John Richards for their support but added: "I want to say to everyone else, get stuffed, because women can do anything and we can beat the world."

Weight allowances for jockeys
Weighting game: If a jockey is lighter than the weight the horse is allotted to carry, the difference will be made up by thin lead weights in a special saddle cloth.

Handicaps: About 60% of the races run in Britain are handicaps where horses of varying abilities are allotted different weights in an effort to give them an equal chance of winning.

Males v females: There are no specific weight concessions for jockeys based on gender, although there are for horses, with fillies carrying 3lb less than colts of the same age in Europe's richest flat race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Conditional/apprentice jockeys: To compensate for an initial lack of experience, conditional jockeys (Flat racing) and apprentices (jumps) have weight allowances of between 3lb and 7lb depending on how many winners they have ridden.


Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Racing Legends - Mick Fitzgerald

Mick Fitzgerald


Since racing his first winner, Lover’s Secret, at Ludlow in December 1988 at the age of 18, Mick Fitzgerald has slowly but surely built a reputation as one of the finest jockeys in National Hunt racing.


Mick Fitzgerald started his racing career on the pony racing circuit in Ireland, graduating to horse racing at the age of 16 when he joined Wexford trainer Richard Lister’s stable. After finishing school Fitzgerald crossed the Irish Sea and worked in the stables of National Hunt trainer Richard Tucker who provided the young jockey with his first winner.

Climbing the peaks of the racing world was a slow process for Mick Fitzgerald, and it was only in the 1991/1992 National Hunt season that he formed the strong partnership with a trainer that is so important for success in horse racing. Fitzgerald paired up with Nick Henderson in 1991, but despite winning numerous wins on the National Hunt racing circuit it would be another five years before he landed his first major title.

In 1996 Mick Fitzgerald, Cheltenham Festival legend, joined forces with trainer Terry Casey and entered the Grand National on race favourite Rough Quest. Rough Quest did his reputation of race favourite proud, winning Mick Fitzgerald one of the most coveted prizes in horse racing.

Once Mick Fitzgerald had a Grand National win under his belt, his career gathered momentum. At the 1999 Cheltenham Festival Fitzgerald picked up four wins, including the ultimate prize – the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

His excellent display of jump riding earned him his first Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey title. Later in the year Mick Fitzgerald won another of the greatest prizes in horse racing, winning the 1999 King George VI Chase on See More Business.

Not content with a single Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey title, Mick Fitzgerald won another four races at the 2000 Cheltenham Festival winning his second consecutive title. Although Fitzgerald did not ride the winner in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, he did pick up a win in the prestigious Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase.

Apart from his steady maturation into one of the most formidable riders in National Hunt racing, Mick Fitzgerald, Cheltenham Festival legend, is also known as one of the personalities of the National Hunt riding circuit and is a regular guest in television studios.
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Friday, 21 October 2011

BHA Adjust Racing Whip Rules


The BHA have announced adjustments to the rules regarding the use of the whip after consultation with the Professional Jockeys Association - including the removal of the five-hit rule inside the final furlong/after the last obstacle.

Jockeys have struggled to come to terms with the guidelines since their introduction last Monday, which allow no more than seven hits in a Flat race and eight over jumps.

While that number remains the same, the BHA have scrapped the rule which state jockeys are allowed to use their whip no more than five times inside the final furlong, or after the final obstacle in National Hunt races.

Riders will now not lose their riding fee if suspended for a whip offence.

They will also only lose their percentage of prize-money if their offence earns a ban of seven days or more, rather than the three days the rules originally stated.
BHA Statement

A BHA statement read: "The board is committed to the highest standards of regulation in the sport, and ensuring that British Horseracing continues to lead the way in matters of equine welfare.

"This is a sport not without its challenges, but they will always be outweighed by the sport's strengths.

"These challenges will best be met - and are being met - by finding a common purpose amongst the sport's participants, and by putting the sport first."

The adjusted guidelines will come into force for all race meetings on Friday afternoon.

The BHA have also considered the impact on those jockeys who have received penalties that would not have been applied if the changes had been in place since the introduction of the new rules.

These penalties will be rescinded and appropriate measures have been taken, including the release of riding fees and prize-money, where applicable, and riding suspensions either annulled or adjusted.

The move means Christophe Soumillon will now receive the substantial percentage of the prize-money for winning the Qipco Champion Stakes on Cirrus Des Aigles at Ascot last Saturday.

He had been stripped of £52,000 and suspended five days.

The alterations have been made after a controversial week under the new guidelines, which saw Richard Hughes and Kieren Fox found guilty of using the whip with excessive frequency on the first afternoon at Salisbury last Monday.

Hughes received a further suspension at Kempton on October 12 and immediately announced he would be handing in his riding licence until changes were made.

Hughes' decision fuelled rumours of a jockeys' strike, after which the BHA agreed to meet with representatives of the Professional Jockeys Association on Monday to discuss their grievances.

The original whip changes were announced by the BHA following a 10-month review.

An outright ban on using the whip during races had come under discussion during the review.

Use of the whip was the subject of much scrutiny when Jason Maguire was found to have struck Ballabriggs 17 times when winning the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree in April. Maguire was suspended five days.

Frankie Dettori was also banned nine days after he hit Rewilding 24 times inside the final two furlongs of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The British Horseracing Authority's revised whip rules:

1. Removal of the numerical limits in place on the use of the whip in the final stages of races (the last furlong of a Flat race and after the last obstacle in a jumps race).

2. Numerical limits relating to the number of times that the whip can be used in total throughout a race will remain in place (up to seven times in a Flat race and eight times in a jumps race).

3. Jockeys' riding fees will no longer be included in the penalties for whip offences.

4. The number of days' suspension for whip rule breaches before the jockey's prize-money percentage will be forfeited is to be increased from three to seven days. The jockey's prize-money percentage will no longer be forfeited, but a suspension will continue to apply.

5. A rider will now be referred to a disciplinary panel having incurred a fourth suspension of five days or more within the previous 12 months. This advice will be changed to a suspension within the range of two months to six months and an entry point of three months.
Jockey reaction

Flat jockey Adrian Nicholls, who was hit with a five-day ban at Pontefract on Monday, welcomed the changes.

"I'm glad that common sense has prevailed," said Nicholls.

"I'm chuffed to bits that I've got my ban overturned. I thought they were very harsh rules as I've got two kids and a family to provide for.

"I think the new rules are better for racing. The amount of times was never an issue with me, it was more the hefty bans and the financial penalties.

"Hopefully now we can put this behind us and concentrate on the good bits about racing.

"It seems for the last week or two racing has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.

"A lot of jockeys came out and spoke very well. We love horses, we're just trying to earn a living and do our best for connections.

"We just need to move on now and put this behind us."

Maguire expressed satisfaction changes have been made, but still believes being restricted to eight hits in jumps races is a problem.

"Obviously it's an improvement, but the rules are still pretty strict," said Maguire, who is currently injured.

"It's good they've made some changes. They had to, as it couldn't go on the way it was, but I still think it's going to be tight.

"I've been watching racing and the lads have been giving them a couple of slaps before the last (obstacle) and then using their five afterwards.

"At least now you're not tied down as much."


Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Nine Jockeys Lose Appeal


The nine jockeys suspended for 10 days for failing to observe a race-stop flag at Wetherby have lost their appeals against the suspensions.

The 12 October race was declared void after Ashburton Lad pulled up injured.

But champion jockey Tony McCoy, Brian Hughes, Graham Lee and Danny Cook all failed to stop and were banned.

Denis O'Regan, Alex Voy, Jonathon Bewley, Paddy Brennan and Brian Toomey also had their British Horseracing Authority suspensions upheld.

They say life is like a box of chocolates. Well if this is the case the ones I'm getting at the moment don't taste very nicePaddy Brennan on Twitter

The bans, which run from 26 October to 4 November, rule the jockeys out of several big races, including the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby (Saturday, 29 October) and the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter (Tuesday, 1 November).

Ashburton Lad suffered an injury on the first circuit, causing head groundsman Ian Ward to wave a yellow flag.

Ward judged from his position on the inside of the course that the runners would not be able to get past the horse, who was being treated between the final two flights in the two-mile handicap hurdle.

Most of the runners in the race, including 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year McCoy, carried on, with Cunning Clarets, ridden by Hughes, first past the post.

The three other jockeys in the race - Dougie Costello, Tom Messenger and Campbell Gillies - were not involved in the incident.


Monday, 17 October 2011

Jockey Delegation Meet BHA


The British Horseracing Authority says it will review the sport's new controversial whip rules.

A review group will report back by the end of the week, but meanwhile the current rules remain in place.

The move comes after discussions with a delegation of riders, including Frankie Dettori, Tony McCoy, Ryan Moore and Richard Hughes and the Professional Jockeys' Association on Monday.

The dispute over tougher regulations and penalties nearly led to a strike.

A statement from the BHA read: "The authority's review of the use of the whip in horse racing was undertaken over 10 months by an expert working group involving widespread consultation and evidence gathering from stakeholders across the sport and more widely including animal welfare organisations and the general public.

"The board has today reiterated its endorsement of the principles behind the review. The new rules, adopted by the authority, received widespread support from across the industry.

"Any change to regulations must be carefully considered and subject to due process. This means that appropriate evidence needs to be reviewed and there will need to be engagement with other relevant parties.

"The board has directed the review group to undertake this process and report back by no later than the end of the week.

"Until any changes are made, the current rules will continue to apply."

Hughes relinquished his licence on Thursday in protest at new rules which had seen him banned twice in the space of four days.

The new guidelines, introduced on 10 October, mean the air-cushioned whip can only be used a maximum of seven times in a flat race and eight times over the jumps - roughly half the previous limit.

Jockeys broadly accepted the introduction of stricter regulations but many are unhappy with the stipulation that the whip can only be used five times in the final furlong or after the last jump, plus severe penalties which include losing prize money.

On Saturday, Christophe Soumillon was banned for five days and forfeited £50,000 after using his whip one more time than the maximum in the last furlong when guiding Cirrus Des Aigles to victory in Britain's richest race, the £1.3m Champion Stakes at Ascot.



Johnson Hopeful about Whip Talks


National Hunt jockey Richard Johnson hopes discussions on Monday will mean changes to the new whip guidelines.

The introduction of more stringent whip rules led to speculation that jockeys would take strike action in protest.

Christophe Soumillon received a ban and and forfeited £50,000 in prize money after guiding Cirrus Des Aigles to Qipco Champion Stakes victory

Johnson told Racing UK: "We realise it had to be changed, but there are one or two issues that need to be resolved."Richard Johnson supports some change

Representatives of the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will discuss the fall-out which also saw top Flat jockey Richard Hughes hand in his licence.

Johnson said: "The rules were brought in quickly and obviously the BHA are under pressure to tighten up the rules.

"We all feel that the people who do abuse the stick do need coming into line, but at the moment, the rules don't really seem to be achieving the objective.

"The people who use the stick well and in the best interests of racing unfortunately seem to be the ones who are getting penalised the most at the moment."

"We realise it had to be changed, but there are one or two issues that need to be resolved."

Referring to Soumillon's fine and suspension, he said: "Whether it was the French horse at Ascot or Richard Hughes, everyone in the weighing room felt both jockeys had given their horses really good rides and realistically, they are getting penalised for doing their job very well.

"I think it's hard for us to adjust to a change overnight and obviously the more we ride the easier it will become.

"The penalties that they have put in place are very harsh. I think it does need looking at again."

NEW WHIP RULES
Maximum seven strokes in Flat races and eight over jumps
Only five times after last obstacle or in final furlong
Riding fees and prize money forfeited when whip ban of three days or more
BHA to review licences of repeat offenders





Friday, 14 October 2011

Hughes Gives Up Riding Licence


Jockey Richard Hughes says riders who conform to the new whip rules are "not trying to the best of their ability".

The 38-year-old has given up his riding licence in protest at the new British Horseracing Authority regulations after receiving a second ban in four days.

Hughes told BBC Radio 5 live: "The way the rules are structured means you will have to change the way you ride."

The BBC understands the BHA are committed to the principles of the whip review but are open to discussions.

The organisation has already announced that officials are set to consider submissions from the Professional Jockeys Association in the wake of the new rules.

Hughes' decision to quit in protest comes as racing prepares for British Champions Day at Ascot, the richest raceday in the country's history with £3m of prize money on offer.

The new guidelines mean the whip can only be used a maximum of seven times in a Flat race and eight times over the jumps - roughly half the previous limit.

The limits are likely to stay, but the punishments - which clearly were not working before the rules were tightened - have probably been set too high, and should be reviewed Cornelius Lysaght's full analysis

In addition, a maximum of five strokes can be administered in the last furlong or from the final obstacle.

Hughes was penalised under this clause, which is at the heart of his complaint.

"I was whole-heartedly behind bringing down the number of times you can hit a horse. I was at the forefront, saying it's not a bad thing and we need to get used to it. I think I had two one-day bans in three years, with about 300 rides. I was the least offender of anyone," said Hughes.

"But they've set a trap for us. We asked for a simple number from the Jockey's Association and they couldn't do that.

"I know you should be able to count to seven, but it's multi-tasking. If anyone out there doesn't know what I mean, how many of them have been done by the same speed camera? You know it's there and by the time you go past it you think, 'oh no, I've done it again'. And you don't lose your license for a year, you get three points.

"We [jockeys] were all up in arms about it in the week. We told them [the British Horseracing Association] we were struggling.

"Jamie Stier [the head of the BHA's raceday regulation] said he consulted us, but he did no such thing. I haven't spoken to the BHA myself. We told them we were finding it difficult but they said they weren't changing so get used to it."

When it was suggested to him that other jockeys were managing to conform to the new rules, Hughes replied: "Yes, but they're not trying to the best of their ability, I'm afraid."

Hughes did concede that should the regulations be reviewed he would weigh up returning to the sport.

"If they consider changing the rules I'll ride again but at the moment they're taking the will to win away from us," he added.


Friday, 12 August 2011

Johnson Retires After Four Year ban


Trainer Howard Johnson plans to retire after being given a four-year ban by the British Horseracing Authority.

A panel found he showed "a reckless disregard" for rules on horse welfare.

The County Durham trainer admitted running Striking Article eight times after the horse had undergone a palmar neurectomy.

The operation involves severing or removal of leg nerves running to the foot and can leave the horse unaware of any possible pain.

Johnson, 58, claimed he was unaware of the rule stating he should not have run the horse.

He was disqualified for three years with regard to the neurectomy charges, and one year for using anabolic steroids on three other horses.

The trainer was informed last week of the panel's findings following the conclusion of a two-day hearing, but a decision on any penalty was delayed until all the paperwork had been completed.

Johnson indicated when contacted that he had no plans to appeal against the suspension and that he intended to retire from training. He plans to issue a full statement early next week.

He told BBC Sport last week he had done nothing wrong and would stand by that "until his dying day".

Johnson added: "I am not the best man at reading the rules of racing.

"I admitted that the vet de-nerved the horse but I didn't know it was called a neurectomy. The horse was in pain with the state of his feet, and the corns. We relieved the pain of that horse to run eight times, and the horse won three races."

Johnson said the horse would not have pulled up on his final start [at Musselburgh in February 2010] if he had no feeling in his foot.

Striking Article was put down after that race. It was discovered in the post-mortem that the neurectomy had taken place.

Johnson said he was not aware of the rules and did not know that a horse that had been de-nerved was banned from racing on welfare grounds, and because it could affect the safety of the jockey.

When asked during the inquiry for his understanding of the de-nerving operation, Johnson said he believed it would help the horse become sound.

"I just wanted the horse to run...you have to try every corner to get a horse to win a race," he said.

The case has also raised key questions about what constitutes 'cruelty'BBC Sport's Joe Wilson.

Johnson's most notable wins have come in connection with owner Graham Wylie, most notably with Inglis Drever, winner of three World Hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival.

In April 2010, Johnson told how he and his wife Sue were robbed of £100,000 at gunpoint during a raid at their farm.

BHA spokesman Paul Struthers said the ban showed it was determined to take decisive action on welfare and integrity issues.

"The panel stated in its reasons that his behaviour 'fell seriously short of the standard to be expected of a licensed trainer' and that 'any lesser penalty would undermine the confidence stakeholders in racing are entitled to hold that, reckless disregard of equine welfare, will not be tolerated,'" he said.

"This decision, and the action of the authority in investigating this case and bringing charges, demonstrates once more that British racing will take decisive and firm action when confronted with issues relating to welfare or integrity."

JOHNSON'S BIG WINS
1994 - Whitbread Gold Cup:Ushers Island
1998 - Tingle Creek Trophy:Direct Route
2004 - Scottish National: Grey Abbey
2005 - Supreme Novices' Hurdle:Arcalis
2005 - Norfolk Stakes: Masta Plasta
2005, 2007, 2008 - World Hurdle:Inglis Drever
2008 Arkle Trophy: Tidal Bay