Kieran Shoemark is a work in progress and why Premier Racing has always been wrong
IT never ceases to amaze me how much people want others to fail.
But such is the way of the world, and of course, over the years, you just get used to it.
I get told how useless I am every day of my life. But if you are on telly, you just have to take the nice stuff with the bad. It’s a way of life.
The latest easy target appears to be Kieran Shoemark, in my opinion, the hugely talented new No 1 first rider for the John & Thady Gosden outfit.
For some, Shoemark’s time is already up, even though the Flat Turf season has only been underway for just over a week. Jesus!
Indeed, on X, formerly known as Twitter, I have one guy who tweets every time Shoemark has a loser telling the world the rider is not up to the job.
Others compare Shoemark with the Gosdens’ former inmate, Frankie Dettori. Yes, Dettori, for some the greatest rider to have graced the turf.
That, in itself, is extremely odd. Shoemark is 28 with three Group 1s to his name – incidentally, when he won the Nassau at Goodwood on Lady Bowthorpe, Dettori was last.
He’s a talent but a talented work in progress. Just what Gosden wanted.
From what I have seen, Shoemark, whose life has not always been easy and who has shown steely grit to get himself to where he is, is full of confidence in his own ability.
Not in a cocky way, quite the opposite. But like all class sports people, he feels with the right ammunition, he can beat anyone. And that he can bring an edge.
That flare will only be seen when the horses are good enough for him to use it. And in the main, so far this term, they haven’t been for all sorts of type of reasons.
The huge exception was Friendly Soul, who Shoemark gave a peach to in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket. The jockey was tactically aware and strong in the finish. It was all you wanted to see from a Gosden rider.
Arrest blew out at Newbury and was disappointing at Chester, albeit second in the Ormonde. But in the former, he badly needed the run, and in the latter, the ground had dried out and he drifted like a barge in the betting.
Added to that, Arrest was also disappointing for Dettori last season in the Derby and King Edward VII. He was 4-1 favourite for the Derby and finished tenth of fourteen and 3-1 at Ascot when he beat one home.
Arrest has talent. But he’s also very tricky and I’d suggest a gelding operation would not go amiss.
Eben Shaddad was seventh in the Poulains at 13-1. I’d have thought the Jersey at Royal Ascot was more his thing than a Classic.
God’s Window almost fell asleep in the Dee after a delay at the start and virtually refused to race. He actually ran really well in the end albeit fourth and he’s not one to give up on. I suspect he’s very good.
Regal Jubilee was 28-1 for the 1000 Guineas and ran like a 28-1 shot having been given a cracker by Shoemark to nearly land the Fred Darling, a race the third Elmalka would have landed with ease if she had a clear run.
Epictetus drifted in the betting before his return at Ascot as if a leg had fallen off. He’s another who surely will be fitter for the outing and the trip was too short.
Trawlerman ran a belter in Dubai – he had been shocking for Dettori the year before – when, as with Arrest at Newbury, the Gosdens were keen for the horse to stay out wide in the earlier stages. His third place was a strong performance, while Emil Upjohn was far from disgraced on her return.
Danielle was fancied for the Lingfield Oaks trial, but she clearly didn’t let herself down on the surface and actually was far from disgraced in defeat. Just remember she had been beaten twice on the all-weather before her facile Wetherby success in a Class 5.
Now don’t get me wrong. Jockeys will always make mistakes. I thought Shoemark should have landed the Wood Ditton on Lead Artist, but I also understand on debut a horse will never get the full Shoemark treatment. In any case, he will trot up in a maiden or novice soon!
It’s been suggested Shoemark wasn’t wanted for Lord North at Sandown. In other words the hint has been trouble in the camp.
But that’s ridiculous. Lord North is part owned by Sheikh Mohammed.
Of course, he’s going to ask for his rider William Buick when available.
Added to which, Oisin Murphy has a relationship with Running Lion and Philippa Cooper has always requested Rab Havlin to ride her animals. Philippa had kittens if Dettori was anywhere near her beasts.
Shoemark starts this week with the Dante meeting at York and finishes off with the Lockinge at Newbury where he is due to partner the world class Inspiral. The latter can go well fresh so let’s hope she’s ready.
I would hope racing fans could support him rather than just join an easy bandwagon.
I’d also expect the Gosdens to do the same. In their time for non-riding reasons they have had to stand by Dettori, Murphy, Benoit de la Sayette and Robert Havlin. Loyalty has always been their keyword.
Let’s get the ’Shoe’ on the front foot.
Meanwhile, it’s no secret racing is full of cliches. One of the most annoying is that people love the jumps more over the Flat because they get used to horses coming back each season. That familiarity is key.
But it’s just lazy to think like that.
So on that basis, I want to big up Bless Him, who returned at the age of 10 over the weekend in the Victoria Cup at Ascot and finished a mighty third to The Wizard of Eye at 33-1.
Trained by Dave Simcock, Bless Him was off a rating of 98, having peaked in his career at 107. It was his 52nd start and he’s banged in seven victories and won over £330,000.
Bless Him is a little legend. Bless him indeed.
Finally, apparently people are beginning to be up in arms about Premier Racing. I mean how did it take this long?
It was ridiculous and 100 per cent wrong to suggest there are 170 Premier meetings in a year of horse racing.
Yet the BHA went with it. Did they really feel we are all that thick?
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