WHIPS, PERSUADERS, FRENCH TICKLERS AND WHIRLYBIRDS…
Does Hong Kong racing actually have, well, hard and fast whip rules? One hears that these indeed exist, but anything in writing for everyone to understand that doesn’t read like a math exam and not only for Officialdom?
Not to stir a hornet’s nest, but if the majority of these “rules” are, let’s say, up to the discretion of the race day Stewards, how does any of this work to the satisfaction of what’s known as “the punter”?
I ask this, because especially over the past couple of months, two serial offenders- let’s call them “Whirlybird” and “Lash Larue”- have been seen whacking their mounts like bandidos jumping on their horses and running away with the loot after robbing a bank.
It’s not a pretty sight when the “Whirlybird” wobbles around in his saddle and his horse looks dazed and confused and rattled.
Of course, no one’s expecting these riders to produce what Ryan Moore conjured up on Mission Central and how Bow Echo combined with the extremely exciting young talent Billy Loughlane, below, and showed the world at Royal Ascot an amazing standard of excellence, but here’s hoping they were watching and learning.
As for this aforementioned gung ho race riding, it’s somewhat reminiscent of the days when the interestingly named Rambo Tse, seen below when probably sedated, rode in Hong Kong.
Rambo was often mentioned for his “punishing rides”, which meant a certain helter skelter style where the whip was raised mighty high in the air and came down hard on the rump of his steed.
There were actually so many of these “punishing rides” from jockeys and with many of them just for the cameras to show the screaming dim sum gallery that a jockey was “trying”.
Another thing: Horses being “eased out” of races because their riders believe there to be something wrong with the action or hearing a “roaring” sound.
Que?
As is often the case, the Stewards note the explanation, the horse is sent for a veterinary examination and with the result almost always showing that there was nothing wrong. There’s nothing to see here, so just move on.
Okay, but where does any of this help those who parted with their money backing a horse who was pulled up or “eased down”, because he didn’t feel right to the rider?
It will never happen, but imagine if there’s a race where every jockey is looking down and “easing down” their horses?
Moving along…
Maybe they are, but if not, shouldn’t the trainer and their team have any say at one of these hearings? And what does or can an owner do other than, and knowing Hong Kong only too well, switch stables?
Something doesn’t quite make sense here, n’est pas?
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