Why are horses disqualified?

Horses can be disqualified before or after a race for a variety of reasons, some of which are more common than others. Far and away the most common reason for disqualification is that, by accident or design, a horse causes interference to one or more of its rivals, to such an extent that it affects the result of the race, as far as the winner and placed horses are concerned. Depending upon the severity of the interference, the placings may be reversed or the offending horse may be disqualified.

Following a race, a horse may be subject to an objection by the Clerk of the Scales, for example, if a jockeys fails to ‘weigh in’, at all or, for whatever reason, the horse is considered to have carried less weight than it should have done, according to the race conditions. Occasionally, a horse may be disqualified, before or after a race, because it is found to be ineligible to run or, after a race, because its jockey is ineligible to ride. If a horse is subject to a routine examination and subsequently tests positive substance, it can be disqualified long after the race has been run. Other, more obscure reasons for disqualification include a horse that is leased, rather than owned outright, running in a selling or claming race without the written consent of the lessor.

As you can see these are nuanced issues of which knowing the ins and outs of can benefit us. The better your understanding the more likely you are to come away from it as a winner!

What is point-to-point racing?

What is point-to-point racing? Point-to-point racing is essentially grassroots steeplechasing for amateur jockeys and trainers. Point-to-point race days are organised at a local level by a hunt, or a recognised club or association, and staged on a variety of racecourses, approved, but not licensed, by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). Jockeys riding in point-to-point racing must be members of, or subscribers to, a recognised hunt and horses qualify by virtue of being owned by members or subscribers and having a registered ‘hunter certificate’.

Traditionally, point-to-point meetings are staged February and May, which corresponded to the period outside the main fox hunting season, in the days before it became illegal to hunt foxes with packs of dogs in Britain. A meeting typically consists of six or seven steeplechases, the vast majority of which are run over a distance of three miles and a minimum of 18 brush fences, although shorter and longer distances are possible, depending upon the specific type of point-to-point race being contested. All point-to-point courses have basic facilities, including a bar and toilets, but there is no dress code and, overall, the atmosphere is friendly, relaxed and informal.

Since World War II, which jockeys have held the world record for most winners?

In the United Kingdom, the most successful jockey of all time was Sir Gordon Richards, who retired in 1954 with 4,870 winners to his name. Indeed, Richards set a world record, but it lasted only until 1956, when broken by fellow Englishman John ‘Johnny’ Longden. Born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, Longden emigrated to Canada with his family 1912 and subsequently moved to California to pursue a career as a jockey. Based at Santa Anita Park, Longden retired from race riding in 1966 with 6,032 victories, thereby setting a new world record for career wins.

Longden’s record stood until 1970, when it was broken by Texan-born Willie ‘Bill’ Shoemaker. Indeed, even though Shoemaker rode his last winner in 1990, taking his career total to 8,833,

he would continue to hold the world record for most wins until 1999. At that point, Shoemaker ceded the all-time record to another West Coast jockey, Panamanian-born Laffit Pincay Jr., who had been riding in the United States since 1966.

Like Shoemaker, Pincay Jr. continued to hold the record for most career winners until his retirement, at the age of 56, in 2003, by which time his tally stood at 9,530. In fact, Pincay Jr. would not be surpassed until Canadian-born Russell Baze chalked up win number 9,531, courtesy of Butterfly Belle at Bay Meadows in San Mateo, California in December, 2006. Thereafter, Baze frequently traded the all-time record with Brazilian-born Jorge Ricardo, but continued riding until June, 2016, when he brought his stellar, 42-year career to end. At the time of his retirement, at the age of 57, he had ridden 12,844 winners and wrested back the record from his South American rival.

Remarkably, Ricardo, who turned 60 in September, 2021, is still active as a jockey. He equalled Baze’s record at Hipodromo da Gavea, in his native Rio de Janeiro, in February, 2018, before breaking it at Hipodromo de San Isidro in Buenos Aires, Argentina the following day. At the last count, ‘Ricardinho’, as he is known to his fans, had ridden‎ 13,122 winners and, after 45 years in the saddle set a record that will surely never be beaten by anyone other than himself. He once said, ‘I keep riding because it is my life. Honestly, I can’t live without it.’

Which was the best Australian racehorse of all time?

The history of horse racing in Australia, which dates back to the late eighteenth century, is awash with superstar horses, not all of whom, necessarily, received the worldwide recognition they deserved. Attempting to identify the ‘best’ Australian racehorse of all time is likely to prove engrossing and exasperating in equal measure, but let’s start with a mare with a perfect 25-25 record, namely Black Caviar.

Trained in Victoria by Peter Moody, Black Caviar first rose to prominence in November, 2010, when, as a four-year-old, she outclassed a high-quality field in the Patinack Farm Classic, over 6 furlongs, at Flemington. The following February, dropped back to 5 furlongs, she impressively won the Coolmore Lightning Stakes – a race that she would win again in 2012 and 2013 – and, the following month, carried 9st 2lb to a comfortable, 3-length victory in the Lexus Handicap, over 6 furlongs, on the same course.

In 2012, Black Caviar was barely extended to win her first five starts, all at odds of 1/10 or shorter, but did experience a heart-stopping moment in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. With the race seemingly in safe keeping, jockey Luke Nolen dropped his hands prematurely, allowing Moonlight Cloud to close within a head, before pushing Black Caviar along again close home.

Unlike Black Caviar, the other Australian wondermare of recent years, Winx, was beaten six times in her 43-race career. However, in May, 2015, she embarked on a winning streak that would last four years and 33 consecutive races – 25 of which were at Group 1 level – until the end of her career in April, 2019. During that period, she won the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, the Chipping Norton Stakes at Royal Randwick and the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Gardens four times apiece. Indeed, in January, 2014, by which time she had won 13 consecutive races, Winx was awarded a rating of 132 by Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, which was – albeit much to the surprise of many observers – the same as that awarded to Black Caviar.

Other candidates for the best Australian racehorse of all time include, in no particular order, Makybe Diva, Phar Lap and Carbine, all of whom were prolific winners. Makybe Diva has the distinction of being the most successful horse in the history of the Melbourne Cup, having won ‘the race that stops the nation’ three years running in 2003, 2004, 2005. Phar Lap won 37 of his 51 races during the Great Depression, including a easy victory in the 1930 Melbourne Cup under 9st 13lb, while, longer ago, Carbine, a.k.a. ‘Old Jack’, won 33 of his 43 races and set a weight-carrying record, 10st 5lb, when winning the 1890 Melbourne Cup.

 

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