Gore

[Doomed]

I was pleased to see the Gore meeting was able to proceed. The most pleasing thing about it when I checked the results was no northern jockeys. It was great that the southern jockeys got a go, got to gain some experience, where needed, and earn some money.

I have noted several meetings on the AWT at Riccarton recently with 5,6,7 horse fields and 5, 6, or even more, northern jockeys. That must be devastating for anyone in the South trying to earn a living as a jockey.

I know someone will probably come on and say the riding was terrible at Gore (I didn't see any races), but the whole point of these low key meetings is to give opportunities to all concerned including jockeys. Some of those fields at Riccarton that I mentioned had one southern jockey in them. We all saw what happened to southern jumps when the jockeys disappeared.

[Freda]

The track looked great too, a good sole of grass and no 'incidents' that I could ascertain.

As always, my beef about 'awful riding' or the perception of the same, is the policing of it.   If standards were strictly adhered to and sloppy or dangerous riding penalised, the riding would improve smartly.  It would have to.

I recall, a few years ago, the whole field of riders [ apart from the winner ] was called into the room at Riccarton to justify their stupidity.  I'm not sure whether any suspensions were handed out, I suspect a dressing-down was given and the lot of them put on notice.

But I don't think those 'policing' the industry now would have the faintest idea.

' ..your own length and another clear length before changing ground ' was the rule, and to my knowledge that hasn't changed.  But we see many riders 'shaving' the horse on the inner as they roll across, or diving under the necks of rivals to get a gap, without penalty and probably not noticed unless there is an obvious check. No wonder accidents happen.  

I'm not implying that riders of yesteryear were squeaky clean, of course they weren't, but if caught, they knew they'd be dealt to.

I've always felt that if the local product is not given a chance, there eventually won't be one.   Same goes for trainers [ and to any who think I'm referring to anyone specific, I'm not, this is just a general observation ].    When local owners jump on the bandwagon and support a northern trainer with a local base, it doesn't help the resident trainers build, or keep, their client base.   When the perception is that neither local trainers nor riders are 'good enough ' the demise mentioned above wrt jumping, has to become self-fulfilling.