# Champ



## Clodagh (1 January 2020)

What a totally rubbish ride from Barry. The horse jumped beautifully when asked to stand off but was never great if allowed close in. Why, at full racing pace, did he decide it would be best to let the horse decide? Especially on a fence which is always tricky.
I thought he was riding terribly when he came back from injury but had really improved again, but this was bad. And why can't he admit it? AP (Love 'im) was always the first to admit it if he made a mistake.
And no I am not a jockey and couldn't do what they do. I watch many hours of them doing it though!


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## bonny (1 January 2020)

Clodagh said:



			What a totally rubbish ride from Barry. The horse jumped beautifully when asked to stand off but was never great if allowed close in. Why, at full racing pace, did he decide it would be best to let the horse decide? Especially on a fence which is always tricky.
I thought he was riding terribly when he came back from injury but had really improved again, but this was bad. And why can't he admit it? AP (Love 'im) was always the first to admit it if he made a mistake.
And no I am not a jockey and couldn't do what they do. I watch many hours of them doing it though!
		
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Totally agree !


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## Elf On A Shelf (1 January 2020)

I've never been Barry's biggest fan and a little help and guidance from the jockey would more than likely have kept the pairing intact.


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## lar (1 January 2020)

Spot on - I said to OH the fence before the fall that BG needs to remember he's on a novice chaser here and help it out a bit more.  Obviously it's a split second decision but why on earth you'd leave a novice horse that's made a couple of errors and is starting to get a bit tired to guess at a fence is beyond me.


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## Dobiegirl (1 January 2020)

According to the RP he was staring at the grandstands and BG reported he had a lot more petrol in the tank. I think Barry was trying to up the pace as there were a couple of speed merchants in there and didnt want a sprint to the finish so was trying to make it a test of stamina.


Might Bite's race was a strange one although he did look to be enjoying himself before not finding, weakening before the last. Whether they decide a wind op is due or as discussed on tv retirement who knows what will happen next but very concerning but he always was a very quirky horse.


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## Clodagh (1 January 2020)

Dobiegirl said:



			According to the RP he was staring at the grandstands and BG reported he had a lot more petrol in the tank. I think Barry was trying to up the pace as there were a couple of speed merchants in there and didnt want a sprint to the finish so was trying to make it a test of stamina.


Might Bite's race was a strange one although he did look to be enjoying himself before not finding, weakening before the last. Whether they decide a wind op is due or as discussed on tv retirement who knows what will happen next but very concerning but he always was a very quirky horse.
		
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If he was looking at the stands surely a prod in the right direction would have helped.
I love Might Bite and was sorry to see him stop so suddenly.


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## MyBoyChe (1 January 2020)

I couldnt make up my mind about it, Im not sure whether BG left it to the horse to make his own mind up or whether the horse ignored BG and just did what it wanted regardless.  Either way it was certainly a strange ride!  Like you Clodagh, Im not a jockey, I do ride but wouldnt be a jockey for all the tea in China, far too dangerous, but I watch a lot of NH racing and do sometimes wonder about choices made.  That said they are made at racing pace and even the best will get it wrong occasionally


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## splashgirl45 (1 January 2020)

i thought bg rode well for the rest of the race and was really riding him into the jumps but seemed to leave him to it at the last...  its easy to be an armchair jockey


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## Mariposa (1 January 2020)

splashgirl45 said:



			i thought bg rode well for the rest of the race and was really riding him into the jumps but seemed to leave him to it at the last...  its easy to be an armchair jockey  

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I did too - but that's also me being an armchair jockey! Thought he was going so well too.

Wasn't Lalor fabulous - it was so lovely to see him back on form!


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## Clodagh (1 January 2020)

splashgirl45 said:



			i thought bg rode well for the rest of the race and was really riding him into the jumps but seemed to leave him to it at the last...  its easy to be an armchair jockey  

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It is, but I felt BG was riding him into some and not others, so no consistency. Perhaps it was to encourage Champ to learn how to think for himself but if 2 and a half is a short trip for him he will have more thinking time at 3 miles. At least the horse is OK. I don't even mind if BG made a mistake - but he could at least admit it!


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## Clodagh (1 January 2020)

Mariposa said:



			I did too - but that's also me being an armchair jockey! Thought he was going so well too.

Wasn't Lalor fabulous - it was so lovely to see him back on form!
		
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He went really well, although all the persistent coverage about Richard Woollacott drives me mad. There's a human interest story and theres milking the situation. Nice horse, I'm not mad keen on the trainer. (Not that she milked the situation, it was the media).


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## Andie02 (2 January 2020)

Sorry ladies got to disagree with you. Barry asked the horse to come up and the horse put in an extra stride and game over !  A novicey mistake from a novice horse in a novice chase. Hopefully Champ will learn from it.


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## splashgirl45 (2 January 2020)

Andie02 said:



			Sorry ladies got to disagree with you. Barry asked the horse to come up and the horse put in an extra stride and game over !  A novicey mistake from a novice horse in a novice chase. Hopefully Champ will learn from it.
		
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you must have watched a different race to me....i didnt see him ask the horse to come up either ftom the front view or the side view......and why say sorry ladies?   our gender has nothing to do with our opinions and was not necessary in this instance...


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## Andie02 (2 January 2020)

x


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