It would be wagered that it would be universally accepted that John Gosden is one of the nicest gentlemen in horse racing.
Yes, I will admit that when Kieran Shoemark lost the role as ‘first jockey’ in Gosden’s yard I was highly critical of the trainer and his son and joint licencee, Thady, but, the bigger picture which has emerged since would seem to suggest that it wasn’t entirely of their doing.
Especially when placed against what has now clearly become an orchestrated campaign against the reigning champion flat jockey in Britain, Oisin Murphy.
Folks over there trying to claim anything or anybody Irish does well as their own is nothing new. They were at it long before President hot air baloon became a one man, self-appointed land commission.
Indeed sure it could be said they’re still at it with a six county enclave still at least partially governed by forces who invaded. It would be fascinating to see if Tainaiste Simon Harris could extend the Occupied Territories Bill to incorporate a possibility – hopefully probability – of a United Ireland sooner rather than later.
Now, probably just as well to park that subject matter there before any high horses or Shetland Ponies or rocking horses are mounted. There are plenty of other, less divisive instances of our near neighbours trying to hijack our successes as their own. From Rory McIlroy to Katie Taylor to Kieren Fallon to AP McCoy and a barrowful in between until we arrive at this week when the British red tops were full of the usual negative, wrong, hurtful bile about “British” jockey Oisin Murphy.
It’s unusual, normally if they’re in some kind of bother or things are going wrong for them, the media and pundits over the water love to pass them off as Irish. Though having said that, the drones that write for the likes of the S&n would make a balls of making up fairytales and then claim they were working off a script somebody else gave them!
However, as I wrote in another piece earlier this week regarding a different subject matter, you know things are bad when folks from outside your own “camp” take up the baton in the battle for fair play on your behalf. Although it’s not a case that John Gosden and Oisin would’ve been diametrically opposed in any way but cognisance of the number of potentially lethal gauntlets the Clarehaven handler had to run in order to show his support for the once again embattled rider.
To dissect the grubby affair a little deeper, it has now become apparent that at least some high profile owners – possibly even those who are patrons of Clarehaven – have been giving the beleaguered Kerryman a wide berth. Which has in itself led to some highly significant developments within the racing world in the recent past.
Gosden, though, was not letting his being occupationally aligned to anybody who have been putting the knife into the multiply accredited Champion Jockey hold him back from delivering the following intense, eviscerating yet profoundly heartfelt defence of the nephew of four time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner – three as a jockey and one as a trainer – Jim Culloty. The 74-year-old Newmarket trainer said:
“What is happening to Murphy is a crime in horse racing. How can you be so cruel as to abandon a 29-year-old man who is carrying the weight of a nation on his shoulders“? Before going on to outline his worries for the enigmatic genius to those with notions above their station before concluding his astonishing rebuke as follows – “Destroy him now, and you destroy British racing’s future with him.”
We can fairly safely assume that Johnny G is aware that Kerry is not in Britain (If there’s any doubt we can send Michael Healy-Rae over to provide references) and that his reference to Murphy pertaining to British racing was more an acknowledgement of how indispensable the Irish influence to the very viability of horse racing across the water. Whether it manifests itself in the guise of owners, trainers, riders, sponsors, media people or the throngs who flock over there for the festival meetings.
There’s another side to this story, mind you. A human side. About a young man dealing with health struggles, for which he needs, understanding, patience, treatment and support. Not punishment. Make no mistake about it, addiction is an illness, not a crime. It has many faces and wields many axes.
Yes, though this might shock you, I am speaking from experience, though not in the direction most of you would assume. Believe me, “Ah you’re grand”, or “Snap out of it” or “Just don’t think about it” is the last thing anybody dealing with such issues wants or needs to hear.
John Gosden deserves the utmost commendation for saying what needed to be said and highlighting what’s really important here. But how many will take heed and change the narrative?
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