The Pat Smullen Column: Race Is On To Be Champion

[Wandering Eyes]

The jockeys’ championship in Ireland is really hotting up. Donnacha O’Brien and Colin Keane are fighting it out at the top and at this time of the year, when bodies are starting to get a little bit tired, every winner counts.

It’s a very tight race for the title at the moment with only one winner between them at the time of writing. Colin has great support from Ger Lyons whose stable is absolutely flying, and he also gets decent support from many other trainers. I have found myself in this position in the past, when you’d be hopeful of trying to win the championship but whoever is riding for Ballydoyle is always very much feared. Every day you pick up the paper and your heart sinks when you see all those back-end maidens being produced by Aidan O’Brien. I just feel it may swing in Donnacha’s favour between now and the end of the year with the ammunition that comes from that stable at this time of the season.

Colin has had a tremendous year through his association with Ger, and Siskin has been their flagship horse. He obviously has a little bit of an advantage in that he can ride a bit lighter than Donnacha. I think it will give us great entertainment between now and the end of the season, following two exceptionally good riders that have improved beyond recognition in the past couple of seasons.

Donnacha has done remarkably well to have kept his weight in check. I must admit, throughout last winter when I saw him at several different times, I thought that he would struggle even to ride this year, but he has managed to get his weight back in check and has been riding really well. It would be nice to see him be champion again because time is not on his side, whereas Colin has a whole career ahead of him.

Donnacha, the reigning champion, is quite similar in style to his brother Joseph, who won the championship twice in his riding days. They also have similar use of tactics and I’m quite sure that is down to how they have been tutored by their father over the years. Aidan has always been a very strict teacher for how he wants people to ride and you can see that in both Joseph and Donnacha, in their technique and their style. It’s unfair to compare them—they have both done exceptionally well—and I never bought into the argument that they only had success because they are their father’s sons. They are both very talented riders and they have proved that on the track.

Apprentice Race Also Tight
The apprentice championship is going to be equally compelling to the end of the season. Oisin Orr and Andrew Slattery are neck and neck at the moment and are both on 35 winners. They are both being very well supported by Dermot Weld, so he could be very influential in deciding who becomes champion apprentice.

Andrew is having a huge amount of support from a lot of other trainers as well. He has that valuable five-pound claim which I don’t think he will have for that much longer, but even once he gets down to three people will still want to use him as that allowance is so valuable.

Oisin is riding extremely well. The opportunities that Dermot has given him over the last few seasons have really improved him and brought him forward. He’s a beautiful rider but he struggles with his weight and that’s going to be a disadvantage to him, whereas Andrew is a naturally lightweight rider.

Andrew has only improved from week to week and with trainers wanting to avail themselves of his allowance, in my opinion that will swing the championship in his favour. He only finished his leaving cert in the summer and now he’s concentrating fully on riding. Andrew is a rider that I always thought was going to go a long way—he still has a long way to go and he realises that himself. I am in contact with him on a regular basis and I try to help him as much as I can. He knows he has a lot of work to do to become the finished article but the progress he is making is noticeable and he has a really good attitude which will take him a long way.

Saying that, Oisin also rides extremely well and he was the champion apprentice two years ago then he had a quiet season. His association with Dermot has really revived his career and he will continue to do well, I’m sure.

We all know that race-riding is only one aspect of being a jockey. You have to be able to conduct yourself properly, speak to owners and trainers, and go about it in a very professional way with a good attitude, and they both have that.

Whatever happens, it is going to be exciting and there’s still a long way to go between now and the end of the season.

 

 

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