In the last racing content – other than selections – which appeared in this space, mention was made of the fact that Pat Kelly, one of the smallest trainers in Ireland, albeit a very successful one, has had his licence suspended until further notice. Seemingly over something to do with discrepancies in animal medical records. Now read on…
If indeed there were such shortcomings in the Co Galway handler’s administrative responsibilities, then of course there had to be some degree of sanction imposed. As there has been on individuals of significantly higher profile than the former trainer of Presenting Percy.
But here’s the thing, there has been a marked difference in how two of the most high profile people in the sport were dealt with compared to Kelly or – as was also referenced in the previous piece – David Broad, were treated. The latter being fined €3,000 and having a horse suspended for 60 days under the hideous and self serving non triers rule.
All this whilst at the same time, two of the most high profile persons in the sport were proven to have brought the sport into disrepute – one thereof actually caught on video doing so – yet little or no action was taken in either instance. Sure it wouldn’t sit well with some of the big noises don’t you know.
There’s no problem, however, sticking the boot into the small operator or the young lad on the way up. As was again proven most recently when the BHA slapped the rapidly burgeoning Rossa Ryan with a totally ridiculous 28-day suspension under the same God awful ‘lack of effort’ horse dung that the crowd in Ballinrobe used to harangue David Broad.
As a part owner of ten race horses and a broodmare, I can assure you I would much rather a jockey to be easy on and take care of a horse when it’s chance of winning has evaporated rather than flogging the sh**e out of it for the difference between, say, fourth and fifth prizemoney.
Now, David Jennings (Deputy Ireland Editor of the Racing Post) and I were well acquainted long before the Dunderry man assumed that role, but, the landed gentry in that line of business would consider him to be above the likes of yours truly. Be that as it may, however, I would have to stringently disagree with David’s inclusion of the word “Punters” in those whom Rossa Ryan had let down with the ride which landed him in the soup.
The day jockeys start riding with punters in mind, racing is on even more of a slippery slope than is currently the case. Surely a rider’s only obligation should be to the owner and trainer and to operate within the rules of racing.
Then again, and not for the first time in terms of specific owners having their own retained rider, David Egan’s decision to resign from his retainer with AMO Racing proves that, no matter how big certain entities may like to think of themselves as, if they’ve no clue about or understanding of the sport, you’re pi****g against the wind from the off.
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Many years ago, the highly respected Irish sports writer Roy Curtis penned a piece about my namesake, neighbour, friend and legendary former Meath football manager Sean Boylan (no relation) entitled “Why can’t everyone in sport be more like Sean? ” The significance of the piece being that, at the time, Sean’s wonderful team of the era in question were being maliciously and wrongly maligned by all and sundry yet the herbalist maintained his usual stoic, quiet grace and dignity. When he would have been more than entitled to blow a gasket at some of the vile scutter being unashamedly flung at his team.
Though as an interesting aside, it explains perfectly why Vodafone brilliantly selected Sean to front their television ad which at the time was based around Rudyard Kipling’s If.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
In the context of horse racing, the Curtis headline of old could and should really be rolled out again with simply the name of JP McManus swapped for that of Sean. Although in the case of the great man from the South Liberties GAA Club in Limerick, confining adulation in his case to racing doesn’t go within an ass’s roar of properly acknowledging his contribution to Irish life.
However, of greatest relevance to what has been keyboarded in this piece heretofore, is that, since John P. appointed AP McCoy as his first retained rider what’s at least two decades ago now, HE has never defenestrated with the services of an appointee.
Those who ceased to be active in the role – AP, Barry Geraghty, Mark Walsh and Jody McGarvey – albeit the latter were never anointed as such officially – departed therefrom of their own volition.
Whereas in contrast, both Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper had their services dispensed with by Gigginstown House Stud while Cooper, Andrew Lynch and Johnny Burke each sufferred the same fate with the Ann And Alan Potts (RIP) Partnership before the two affable English owners went to their eternal reward.
Speaking of English, the only couple of comparable cases coming to mind in terms of fare across the water were when Frankie Dettori was let go by Godolphin and once prominent jumps owners Graham and Andrea Wylie moved on from their arrangement with J. Howard Johnson and split whatever horses they had at the time between Paul Nicholls over there and Willie Mullins here. The common thread there being a certain Mr Walsh.
Now, the Wylies no longer appear to be involved in the sport and are undoubtedly a loss, but, each of Paddy Brennan, Denis O’Regan and Graham Lee (I think) all managed to rebuild and indeed flesh out their careers after Johnson was warned off.
Obviously, there’s no suggestion that the Icelandic idiot who fronts AMO Racing is up to anything nefarious but methinks David Egan will be just fine without him. And wouldn’t be better still if he came home to Ireland to ride. You might even see him in the green and gold hoops and white cap!
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