Counting On New Guidelines!

I think that I might apply for the job of counting the number of times a jockey strikes his horse with the whip.  It's seven times on the flat and eight times over jumps - imagine riding in a staying chase and you have used all of your strikes - I am certain that there would have been plenty of different results over the years.  Just think - Ballabriggs probably wouldn't have won the Grand National if Jason Maguire had not hit him 17 times on the run-in.  He picked up a five day ban for the ride, but under the new rules Maguire would have picked up a 27 day suspension and forfeited over £35,000 in prize money!  Rewilding wouldn't have won the Prince of Wales at Royal Ascot and instead of 9 days, Frankie would have had a 37 day holiday!  All I know is there are going to be plenty of strange and contentious results!

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It isn't a laughing matter, but I was quite amused to read the story about Aidan O'Brien's work riders who were recently found guilty of laying horses.  Over a three year period one of them lost €46.65 - I would say that he was probably not the best person to get information from!  On Attheraces yesterday Zoey Bird interviewed a couple of girls from Richard Hannon's yard and they told her that the outsider of the Hannon pair would win - they were proved correct when Karuga won at 10/3 and beat it's more fancied stablemate into second.  No prizes for guessing the better judges here then!

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Happy birthday to Angie Malde, owner of that great staying chaser Bonanza Boy.  Angie went on the Chinese trip with Martin and Carol recently and also went to Carol's Chinese themed birthday party last week.  She is 21 again today!

I see that it is also Ashley Farrant's birthday - Ashley was a very good amateur jockey and rode for Martin at Pond House for some time and was also champion point-to-point rider when David was training between the flags.  Apparently he is 40 years old, although Ashley is one of those people who was born looking 40 years of age!