CAN Graham Lee compete for the Flat Jockey’s Championship? It’s a question that’s been posed in the Weigh Room after Graham rode four winners in one day between Haydock and Carlisle.
He is now placed third behind Richard Hughes and Ryan Moore without access to the same kind of firepower. What is going in Graham’s favour however is that he takes a lot of rides in tracks up North, but at the same time he needs to be working off a bigger pick to make that factor pay.
It may follow later this year that the Galway man will become ineligible to ride horses he has won on already. In an entirely plausible scenario, Graham returns a couple of wins and the trainer finds himself heavily penalised by the handicapper.
All off a sudden the trainer is looking for a ‘Claimer’ to come in and recalibrate the horse’s standing.
Speaking of Claimers, Ian Brennan rode out his claim at John Quinn’s yard and finished with a win in Beverley at the weekend. I think sometimes this kind of achievement doesn’t get the recognition that it deserves but it’s a test of endurance and dedication that often goes unnoticed.
Similarly, the endurance of AP McCoy who actually stood himself down from two rides last week. It’s an occurrence so rare to see AP stand himself down that I can’t remember hearing it ever happen before.
He took a heavy fall at Worcester and a horse stood on his chest but he actually went on to ride a winner in the very next race, before standing himself down for the day. His mental and physical toughness hit a new level here.
My own week was much less dramatic. I drove 600 miles for two rides at Perth on consecutive days. Both horses ran well, Strobe in particular, who finished second on soft ground that didn’t suit.
By the time I’d paid for my B&B and paid for a bit of dinner I’d say I was up about 20 quid after the spin!
This week’s selections:
£10 win Flexible Flyer, Thursday, 2pm, Doncaster
