7/9/2001 edition

Know Your Jockeys

The jockey is often the difference between a horse winning and losing. In a race jockeys have to make split second decisions. When you consider that horses are travelling approximately six lengths per second, you realise that making a decision a fraction of a second too late is all it takes for a horse to miss out on winning.

That means it's important to form your own objective assessments of jockeys to improve your chances at the punt. That also doesn't mean bagging a jockey because your money was on a losing ride unless the jockey deserved it. You have to look at things calmly and logically, not through your pocket.

It means closely observing the way a jockey rides, what options the jockey takes and how the jockey handles wide barriers, close finishes and difficult horses. That is what we do full time at Pro-Punter. It also means we have a very different opinion about many jockeys compared to the repetitive blurb the racing public are fed weekly by the racing media.

Jockey Watch

1. Michael Pelling
Interesting to see Wishart sent out as $2.10 favourite at Doomben last Saturday. While he was meeting a similar standard field to the won he defeated by a length at his previous start he was also rising from 53kg. to 56kg.

Wishart's jockey was former leading Brisbane hoop Michael Pelling, whose winning strike rate this season has been pretty ordinary. Guess punters assumed that as Pelling won on Wishart at his previous start he was again the man for the job. Pelling got nothing out of Wishart in the straight and the "good thing" never looked like winning.

Jockey Watch

2. Glen Boss and Brian York
He is probably one of the most overrated jockeys around. At Randwick last Saturday in a 2400 metres Listed Handicap he butchered the Gai Waterhouse trained Hey Pronto.

The promising four year old gelding was sent out the $3.00 favourite. Little did punters expect Glen Boss, from barrier eight in the 10 horse field, to have the horse three and four wide most of the trip. Despite the ride, Hey Pronto really put in and finished second, beating the next horse home by over six lengths.

Jockeys are meant to "jockey for position". That's why they are called jockeys. Glen Boss has recently had little success in that regard from wide barriers. Put Damien Oliver, Brett Prebble, Justin Sheehan, claiming apprentice Zac Purton without a claim in the race, or plenty of other jockeys on and Hey Pronto would have bolted in.

Interestingly enough the race was won by another Gai Waterhouse trained runner, Dress Circle, who started from barrier nine. Quality jockey Brian York had the ride. He quickly settled Dress Circle on the rails, a length or two behind the leader, Better Still. York took the lead early in the straight and won well on the $6.50 chance.

If punters wanted to take a lead from the stable, then Dress Circle, with Brian York was the way to go. Brian York's undoubted ability in races around 2400 metres is well known. In middle distance and distance races where race tactics are very important, the significance of the jockey increases compared to 1000 metres sprints.

Jockey Watch

3. Cheree Buchiw
Supporters of Buffalo Power have every reason to feel aggrieved at this three kilos claiming apprentice's terrible ride on the five year old gelding last Saturday at Cheltenham.

From barrier eight she had the horse working hard four wide early to get a good position on the pace. Fair enough, the horse didn't have great acceleration.

Buffalo Power was cruising round the home turn, outside the leader Roses And Wine, who he had covered and could pass whenever he wanted. At the 150 Cheree Buchiw had still not moved on Buffalo Power. She took a look over her right shoulder, then kept the horse cruising along.

She then took another look. Her heart must have pounded. She had not seen Deaconess, who was storming down the centre of the track. Cheree Buchiw then went for Buffalo Power. It was all too late. The horse was beaten a long neck by Deaconess who paid $16.20 on SuperTab for the win.

Imagine how punters of Buffalo Power must have felt seeing Cheree Buchiw have a lapful of horse bursting to go but kept in cruise control in the home straight.

The stewards suspended Cheree Buchiw for a period of five weeks, commencing midnight, Wednesday September 5, concluding October 10 for an "incompetent ride".

Small comfort for the punters who lost their money on a certain winner. They won't forget Cheree Buchiw for a long time.

Jockey Watch

4. What was going on?
The sixth at Doomben, a mares restricted event over 1350 metres was an absolute farce. Rose Of Gina ridden by Michael Cahill, led and set a fast pace. At the home turn, along with another four horses, there was this leading bunch of five horses. The other six horses were a good 10 to 20 lengths away and had no chance. What were their jockeys doing? They weren't all such slow conveyances were they?

We have looked very closely at all rides in this race taking into account the horse's ability.

Next pages
Future winners at big odds
Spring horses to follow
We were right - racing media wrong
All up bets on short priced favourites - are they value?
Bookies have the last laugh
John Hawkes again
Save your money with this tip
And more...

Top Odds Are Important

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