October
SeptemberFamous never fell
The decision of the jumps review panel, upheld last week, that Famous Prince fell at Sandown on July 28 was clearly in error — he lost the rider while retaining all four feet on the ground.
The decision took fallers in jumps races this year to 14, just over the three-percent key performance indicator required.
The unfortunate part was that there were two fallers in the steeple at the last jumps meeting at Warrnambool which could be attributed to the heavy 10 track. It could be argued that had the meeting not been run the KPIs would have been met no matter what. However, the Australian Jumping Racing Association went ahead and ran the races, to their credit.
Getting back to Famous Prince, the replay shows he goes to the last three lengths behind the winner, Juan Carlos. In the words of TVN commentator Adam Olszanski: "Famous Prince ejects the rider."
The horse does the splits, tips off Arron Lynch and at all times keeps his feet. He continues and finishes eight lengths behind Plumtastic, who was beaten seven lengths. Therefore he has lost 12 lengths — impossible for him to have "fallen" and gotten that close.
The KPIs were impossible to meet, yet the AJRA have met them.
Congratulations to the jumps jockeys on the way they have ridden. Trainers are also to be congratulated, especially Ciaron Maher, Eric Musgrove and Brian Johnston, along with Brett Scott and Steve Pateman, who had a major input into the newly designed hurdles.
If it weren’t for a lack of consultation with these people in regard to the modular fences used in recent years there would never have been the problems that have besieged the industry.
Williamstown (Vic)