Why Hughes is right to take a stand

And don't forget that Hughes himself says it's not fair on punters.....

- it's unrealistic to expect riders to count how many times they hit a horse in what is effectively the final 12 seconds or so of a race, when they're travelling at around 35mph and negotiating traffic.


He wasn't negotiating traffic inside the final furlong tonight.

Rules might be wrong but hard to defend tonight's ban.

Most of the jocks are able to see the 2 furl. pole so why not the 1 furl?

They're moaning like hell but they will get used to the new rules if they
give it some time.

They say that the wrong horses win the races. I disagree, it seems that the more
willing horses win the races.  What can be wrong with that?

If it is not cruel to whip the horse per se, then the rules needed only to stay as they were before Monday, with only harsher penalties on the flagrant abusers of the whip to be the only amendment

it's not hard to defend if he knew what he was doing and was taking a stand. or equally, if it was a genuine mistake, does he deserve a ban for not noticing the furlong pole?

so far hughes has been for...

5 days: slapping the horse once down the shoulder because it was hanging into a rival.

10 days: for hitting a horse 6 times instead of 5.


this isn't just 15 days that will cost him, say £5,000 in lost prize money and riding fees, but potentially £100,000 is strong suit wins the breeders' cup mile.


he, and others, have to take a stand because the rules are unrealistic and much too harsh.

The BHA have implied the whip is cruel by fixing a limit but didn't have the courage to get rid of it.

- it's unrealistic to expect riders to always notice the furlong pole when they are also expected to being doing their utmost to win the race.


Sure some of them even struggle with winning post, let alone the furlong pole.....

You might not bother looking for the 1f if you already decided to make your move earlier tho. I think it would be easy to lose count when it's the last thing you need to be concentrating on at that point

I think the rule is total madness.
why couldnt they introduce it during the All weather over the winter?

I don't see much majorly wrong with the rule. It hasn't affected as many jockeys as I had expected so far and its only the dim Mr Hughes who seems to be kicking up a fuss. Let him throw the toys out of the pram.

I think its astounding some people defend him. Hitting a horse more than 7 times in the final furlong basically says you are giving the horse no time to respond

The problem I have with tonight's ban is the winner kept going at the same rate without needing the same number of smacks. Had Jim Crowley used the whip the same amount of times as Hughes, he'd have still won. If Hughes had got up and won the race using an extra smack, how would that have been fair to Crowley and those who backed him?

Your comment shows just how much you know about Richard Hughes. 'Joe'.
He uses the whip less than any other jockey in the weiging room and only transgressed the rules because a) in first first ban they counted a slap down the neck for corrective measures and b) only used 6 of the 7 strikes he is allowed to use. Plus both times he was trying to win the race. Whereas both Ahern and Buick have already stated they would rather finish 2nd by using less hits than allowed than risk a ban.

That attitude of 'I'm alright Jack and screw the punters' cannot be good for racing?

i take your point celtic, agree it's not fair, but that's another example of the rules being flawed and at least hughes is taking a stand to highlight the situation.

Bring back the Fraudboy abuse, because some of you tools are talking out of your arses.

they've clearly made a massive howler and need to be man enough to admit it, these new rules are a joke. I can see racing leading up to big meetings being a farce with nobody bothering at all apart from the lesser jocks who won't be racing in the big meets. The limits are too low and the punishments way too severe

he's a retard

^^^Even lunatics get a vote. Can't be fairer than that.

Hughes is a fcking MUPPET

Darren Lamb a quite brilliant opening post,you should send it to the jockeys association as its a perfect summary of the situation.I agree with every word also.

ffs are they trying to say they cant count to five,
the majority could give you the returns on a 20 quid yankee with 4 winners without taking a breath.

I agree with everything you say, Darren... BUT... Highes knows the rules, thinks he's above them... BLLCKS - he's over-rated and wld not last a day in the north without a retainer

and hughsey is a really nice guy but he needs to give it a chance.

Hughes is the Rooney of racing.

Somerset Moan for a man with the cleverest name on the forum you are way off the mark here.

How come they let P+E out at the same time as Somerset Moan? They must be short of staff.

Counting to 5 is hard admittedly, but two days of practice ought to be enough if you are older than thirty.

Celtic Son

Celtic Son
13 Oct 11 22:46
Joined:
20 Jan 05
| Topic/replies: 1,051 | Blogger: Celtic Son's blog
The problem I have with tonight's ban is the winner kept going at the same rate without needing the same number of smacks. Had Jim Crowley used the whip the same amount of times as Hughes, he'd have still won. If Hughes had got up and won the race using an extra smack, how would that have been fair to Crowley and those who backed him?


Well said

Oh sorry, winning the jockeys championship means anything is accepatble. **** the horses, a few extra quid is at stake here.

Hughes has made a career out of riding a retainer for PKA and his father in law... he's not actually in the real world and 90% of jocks wld jump at the chance to have those jobs and 50% wld do at LEAST as good a job... he's nothing special but thinks he is...


Rules is rules!

I HAPPEN to think they're bllcks... BUT I am p[ig sick of hearing Hughes's thoughts on things and his sh1te in the papers and he knew the rules and is simply playing the martyr now his big rides are in danger... more to the point he has given up rides he need not have and puts his father in law in an impossible situation

WHO THE FCK does he thinkj he is???   spoiled brat and whinger... and he is NOT irreplaceable, believe me...

Everyone that says rules are rules answer me this 1 question.

When passing through a speed camera do you take your eyes off the road, lose concentration, to check the speed your car is travelling at? If so then shut the feck up about they should be aware of this and that.

He's the best jockey in the country for me, but he doesn't have enough respect for the game - constantly easing down on a horse and jeopardising the place prospects, being over-cocky on hold up horses in low grade hcps.

It's a real shame for the sport that he's broken the new rules twice within the first four days, as he'd be one of the jockeys you'd expect to be at an advantage now, and one of the more intelligent.

He's got no excuse. You make this stand as soon as the rules come out, not after you've just recieved your second ban. He knew what the rules were - it's surely just a lack of respect for them to get banned twice.

I know both bans were borderline - but he hasn't come out feeling sorry for himself - his attitude is more like "ah **** it, whatever - it's not what i was brought up doing - i can't be arsed trying to change".

I'm not saying i agree with the new rules, but they were clear and it's his own fault he's got banned tonight. It's a real shame for the sport, what a state it's suddenly in! Qipco deserved more.

No one is irreplacable but at some stage you must make a stand and i think he is right,hope the other jockeys back him up.

@ Dan Hardcore

Rather eloquent... and spot on, imvho

hughes is ulta confident that the rules will be changed....and that other jocks will follow his lead .