YOU have to love social media. It can twist just about anything one says. Yesterday was a classic example.
On the Racing Debate show on Sky Sports Racing I suggested that in an ideal world the champion jumps jockey, in this case Brian Hughes, should be riding in the top races as well as riding as many winners as he does.
Hughes, seen here getting his champion jockey trophy from Richard Hammond, has been far and away the best this season, so why doesn’t he get more rides?
At no stage was there any suggestion that Hughes was not a worthy champion.
At no stage was there any suggestion that Hughes was not an excellent jockey.
Before you knew it, out came the keyboard warriors trying to make out that someone had suggested Hughes was no good.
Of course in the modern world as a broadcaster you just have to laugh this kind of thing off. It’s just life.
But nevertheless it can be a little frustrating particularly in a case like this, when only the previous morning on ITV Racing’s Opening Show I had been praising Hughes.
The question that I posed none of the keyboard warriors seemed keen to answer. Just to stir trouble.
It’s a perfectly reasonable question.
Brian Hughes is the champion jockey. Why, on the odd occasion a stable down south have a mount available in a big race, is he not immediately the go-to man?
Indeed, why does not one of those big stables get rid of their current rider and choose Hughes as their stable representative? After all, he is the champion.
Why would any trainer not want the champion jockey as their stable rider?
So those were the questions. I don’t have the answer, and neither does Brian Hughes, who has talked quite openly about this kind of thing and in a much more honest and level-headed way than many of those on Twitter.
INSPIRAL QUESTIONS
In other news, it obviously emerged on Sunday that Inspiral would miss the 1000 Guineas.
For anyone who has watched me on TV over the last week this will come as no surprise.
I’ve been keen to try and get a serious conversation on Inspiral, because quite simply there has been so little positivity about her in the last few weeks.
Usually before a Classic, you hear of a wonder gallop or the fact that a horse has grown considerably since its two year old days.
But with Inspiral we heard nothing.
So I went to John Gosden at Newmarket and asked him on TV, and the same to Thady Gosden at Lingfield.
Eventually, it was down to the quality Cheveley Park Stud racing manager Chris Richardson to reveal on ITV not all had gone smoothly for Inspiral.
This set many alarm bells ringing, and before she was ruled out on Sunday, we all feared the worst.
The 1000 Guineas will be much less of a race without Inspiral. She was the class juvenile filly, and whoever wins now one will wonder if Inspiral would have been too good if she had been right.
I can’t wait for the 2000 Guineas on Saturday. In my mind I’m so sure Natrive Trail is going to destroy the field, but of course I have been wrong before!
That’s what happens if you have a strong opinion on any horse in any race.
CELEBRATE WINNERS
The simple truth is that in the same way jockeys ride more losers than winners, people who analyse races will get it wrong more than they get it right.
That’s why when things go your way you have to take huge satisfaction.
I love the fact the Native Trail was the champion juvenile, and now he goes to Newmarket on the back of an impressive Craven Stakes success.
So often we miss out on the top youngster in the first colts’ Classic.
What makes it most exciting is if he scores the possibilities of what he might do for the rest of the season are plenty.
That’s the beauty of this game, there’s always the next day to look forward to.
It’s a bit like that on social media!
