"The thunderstorm that hit Goodwood at 7am made all the difference – but for that I don't think he would have won.
"Royal Ascot was so disappointing – we went there thinking we had a stone in hand, but he went keen to the start, jumped slow and was just never on the bridle.
"We were 15 lengths off the leaders and I was never going but, in hindsight, we now know that it was the firm ground that was responsible for that defeat.
"It was fast enough at Sandown last time when I bullied him along, which was the wrong thing to do, but with the rain taking the sting out of the ground he travelled that bit better here, and given a real bit of dig, he will travel even better again. He's a Group horse – there is no doubt about that."

Ok Flyingbolt you be the advisory to the Hannon`s yard regarding ground conditions for his horses.

Once again, if the gaps had not closed then Hughes would be lauded again as a master. Sajjhaa was coming across Sky Lantern to the outside which is why Hughes never pulled her wide and SL like most of the runners leaning in towards the rail.

His one weakness?? is that like ALL other jockeys he finds traffic when he has other options?

They all phuck up bdj, therefore every jockey has that weakness and every jockey in the future will have that weakness. I have a problem  when they deliberately find traffic to guarantee they will not be placed. Hughes in hindsight would have come wide but 8/10 times the gaps would have appeared.

motley

Which part of the Sandown race is AG 100% correct about ?
He hasn't given an opinion. He's just repeated what Hughes said.

As for Hughes, the ride on Ninjago was another masterclass in giving a horse no possible chance of winning the race.

I shall repeat this only once.

Horses do NOT beat standard on good ground.It was good/firm on Friday whatever Seamus Buckley,Richard Hughes or Uncle Tom Cobley says.

I accept it may have been even firmer at Ascot and Sandown.However at Ascot he was given an impossible task sat out the back and seemingly totally unsure which part of the track to race on.When he finally made up his mind and got some daylight the horse flew home. He didn't seem to be feeling the ground in the last furlong.

At Sandown he did the opposite, chasing the horse along to try and negate an outside draw and raced too close to the lead which did not suit the horse.On Friday he gave him the perfect ride and it was a pleasure to watch. In his other 3 runs this season he has given him absolute stinkers.Indeed there is a case that this horse should be unbeaten this season.

I accept it may have been even firmer at Ascot and Sandown

Thankyou for finally admitting the errors of your ways FB.

At Ascot he was never on the bridle, struggling on the FAST ground. Interesting on GOOD(good/firm in places) at Goodwood he travelled and QUICKENED up well. Just accept that he does not want it firm FB and move on.

motley

Which part of the Sandown race is AG 100% correct about ?
He hasn't given an opinion. He's just repeated what Hughes said.

As for Hughes, the ride on Ninjago was another masterclass in giving a horse no possible chance of winning the race.

With respect I'd accept the judgement of the jockey, rather than a poster tbh. I backed wentworth at Sandown
even though he was badly drawn, got stuck into him early from draw, and firm the ground obviously didn't help
the horse, as for your "he won on it" they will often go on it once, against weaker opposition, but they remember
when they don't like it, I can tell you that.

As for Hughes, he is without doubt the best jock riding today, 8 wins at goodwood, all ridden with supreme confidence.
He is the first since LP, to ride em like that. He cant get them all right, with they way they are ridden. Can't win
on all of them, especially at places like Goowood.

Most of Hannon's are ridden like that, and he rides them for the most part, exquisitely, and it's a pleasure to watch
with or without a financial investment. If you want one beaten UP, well that not what he's about.

As for Ninjago, wasn't good enough, he's always ridden like that, again I backed it behind Moviesta at NM, he really needs
a stiff 6 off a really fast pace, Goodwood , in my opinion not his type of track.
But that's just my opinion, other opinions are available, I'm sure.

TYVM, when a poster of you're experience and knowledge agree's, Facts, i'll always
feel I must be right

We often forget that they are horses with memories, nervous dispositions, their own thought process and not machines.

It would have taken a brave horse to try and force any gap open in that race. Buick was rolling around and so were the other runners. There was a glimmer of a gap but then in closed up and again. Sky Lantern would have been reluctant to run between 2/3 horses rolling around in front of her.

"As for Ninjago he's always ridden like that"

There is holding one up and there is holding one up 15 lengths off the pace in a 27 runner field. He was beaten three and a half lengths and passed about 10 horses in the final furlong.He probably is better suited by a stiffer track but he certainly doesn't lack pace. He was still on the bridle 2f out.

As for "He is the first since LP to ride them like that" I nearly choked on my Shreeded Wheat when I read that. Lester often made the running and was rarely in the wrong place during a race. Indeed the ultimate "hold up " jockey was Lester's great rival Scobie Breasley.

Going back to Richard Hughes when he does make the running he is superb at it.

AG,don't put words in my mouth.
I have NEVER said Wentworth wants it FIRM.
My assertion is that it was good to firm on Friday.

Hughes has tweeted he couldn't barge his way out as Sky Lantern was still remembering the slap on the face from the whip

shouldnt have been in that position anyway, nothing stopping him holding his ground on the outside, wether it would have won or not is another matter, but the ride by hughes cost it any chance it may have had.

I completely disagree with just about all of that bolty, but i'll defend your right to say it.

Piggott and riding them with that type of confidence, was what I was referring too, as the description
With Supreme confidence but as ever on here, I have no control over how people interpret the things I say

"Hughes and making the running" He's much better when he's holding them up,(don't u tink) as per the high
percentage of the one's he rides, you surely have to agree with that statement.

As regards the ground I prefer to rely on the coc and the jocks, and the running of the horses,
than your assertion, on what the ground was and was not.

Almost all of his rides this, would of won ride of the ride of the week/month, now that's class.
Pure class.

No I don't agree,motley. He holds up most of the horses he rides often giving them a lovely ride. He also (and always has) makes an lot more c ock ups than he should. When he makes the running he always seems to do everything right win or lose,judging the pace perfectly. I'd rate him the best front running jockey currently riding.

"As for the ground I prefer to rely on the coc and the jocks"



You trust the opinion of the Clerk of the Course ?????????

AG, racing post actually have their own time based ground as 0.02 slow for friday. so pretty much good ground for them, very slightly on the slow side. As I say their standards are for what a 100 rated older horse can achieve on good ground.

I would take the cocs and jocks opinion (on race day) that is 100% of the time,rather than
your expert view, from the comfort of your favorite armchair and if
that is not readily obvious, I afriad I won't know what to say to you. As for your opinion
RH is better from the front than behind, ditto the above

I think it says all you need to know about AGs race reading ability when he says 8 times out of ten at GOODWOOD a gap would have appeared for Hughes,after pulling SL in behind a wall of horses.Some people are so arrogant that their opinions are always right,they end up making complete fools of themselves.

according to hughes, he was very confident of it staying so cant have that as an excuse

That does not mean he wouldn`t keep hold of her for longer or that she as much left as anticipated.

who rode most of the favourite pleaseeeeeeee

+7 all rides,+2 fav,MMmmmmmmmmmmmtidy.

i would ring hughes up ,and  tell him not to turn up for windsortomorrow.fm.