Foxhunters Chase 2021

[Nortons who]

Wishing and Hoping declared to run today in the 3:15 Hunters Chase at Catterick and short priced favourite.

Only mentioning as a few on here were keen on him last season but he had problems jumping out to the right and it will be interesting to see how he gets on. He is an 11YO , won his first P2P in October but then came 2nd LTO in December.

He is being ridden today by Alex Edwards (experienced Hunter Chase jockey who won the Foxhunters on Hazel Hill in 2019 and turned professional this season to be able to ride under current restrictions).

[Lobos]

I can see a few amatuers getting their Professional licence. There's talk that Patrick Mullins will be doing it before the Fez in order to take up some great rides .

[Eggs]

Nortons who ....interesting, cheers. 16-1 Hills, so the 20-1 NRNB with Sky might be a bit of value.

[ToniC]

I can see a few amatuers getting their Professional licence. There's talk that Patrick Mullins will be doing it before the Fez in order to take up some great rides .

Cant see that at all myself if I’m honest. They really don’t have anything to gain by doing it, outside of the 3 or 4 very top amateurs, an average pro jockey is going to be the better rider every day of the week. So I can’t see them getting many rides if trainers & owners have the option of getting their favoured pro on board, and then even for the likes of codd & oconnor, they’re such a big positive as a jockey booking because they’re always riding against massively inferior rivals, that advantage totally disappears if they’re riding against the pros. Add to that I’m pretty sure your pro license is for life, and you can’t go back to being an amateur again.

I’d love to see amateurs being able to ride in the amateur events, but I don’t think for one minute that even the good amateurs would hold any advantage over the pros.

[PresentingPercy]

I can see a few amatuers getting their Professional licence. There's talk that Patrick Mullins will be doing it before the Fez in order to take up some great rides .

Jamie Codd had a good interview on FF podcast last week about it. The likes of him and Derek O'Connor have no chance of going pro as P2P in their main game. And outside of them two and Patrick, is there many other amateurs you can think of that are better pilots than one of the pro's?

[Istabraq]

I can see a few amatuers getting their Professional licence. There's talk that Patrick Mullins will be doing it before the Fez in order to take up some great rides .

There's no way back to the amateur game after turning professional so they would have to give up on a lifestyle, would also create significant issues for the PTP circuit.
Can't see it myself...

[PresentingPercy]

There's no way back to the amateur game after turning professional so they would have to give up on a lifestyle, would also create significant issues for the PTP circuit.
Can't see it myself...

I wouldn't worry too much about it anyway, UK govt will make a decision soon enough to allow them race again, its just a simple changing of the terminology. Was probably brought in to stop P2P, but the way it was worded, it stopped amateur partaking in the events instead.

Here in Ireland, we allow amateur sportsmen to continue to play what we deem 'elite sport' (GAA). Horse Racing is the same, Jamie Codd and the rest are still racing in Ireland at the 'elite sport' race meets, with P2P not deemed elite thus cancelled.

[Istabraq]

I wouldn't worry too much about it anyway, UK govt will make a decision soon enough to allow them race again, its just a simple changing of the terminology. Was probably brought in to stop P2P, but the way it was worded, it stopped amateur partaking in the events instead.

Here in Ireland, we allow amateur sportsmen to continue to play what we deem 'elite sport' (GAA). Horse Racing is the same, Jamie Codd and the rest are still racing in Ireland at the 'elite sport' race meets, with P2P not deemed elite thus cancelled.

Yep, agree PP.
The interpretation of 'elite' will differ amongst us all but personally I'd say the best amateurs participating in any sport is elite, it doesn't seem right that the best racing festival could take place without the best amateur jockeys when there are races, etched in the festivals DNA, specifically for amateurs.
Hopefully someone sees sense...

[Run4Home]

I can see a few amatuers getting their Professional licence. There's talk that Patrick Mullins will be doing it before the Fez in order to take up some great rides .

Patrick is the only one I think who may IF it came to it because of the book of rides he will have and given Willie may want him for some. The rest of the amateurs won't because very little to gain.

My understanding is he could turn pro and revert back to an amateur without issue but there is no clear understanding how long it would take to revert. But within the rules once he doesn't ride 25 winners there is no reason he cant go pro and then back to an amateur

Even at that I think they will likely be able to ride there anyway...

[Lobos]

Patrick is the only one I think who may IF it came to it because of the book of rides he will have and given Willie may want him for some. The rest of the amateurs won't because very little to gain.

My understanding is he could turn pro and revert back to an amateur without issue but there is no clear understanding how long it would take to revert. But within the rules once he doesn't ride 25 winners there is no reason he cant go pro and then back to an amateur

Even at that I think they will likely be able to ride there anyway...

Hazel Hill jockey has turned professional which started this thread.

[Johnoman66]

Wishing and Hoping declared to run today in the 3:15 Hunters Chase at Catterick and short priced favourite.

Only mentioning as a few on here were keen on him last season but he had problems jumping out to the right and it will be interesting to see how he gets on. He is an 11YO , won his first P2P in October but then came 2nd LTO in December.

He is being ridden today by Alex Edwards (experienced Hunter Chase jockey who won the Foxhunters on Hazel Hill in 2019 and turned professional this season to be able to ride under current restrictions).

Non runner now

[PresentingPercy]

This may have slipped through the cracks this week, but positive news and update regarding It Came To Pass.

"He's in savage order and is better than he was last year.
"I just don't want to bottom him and that was the only reason I didn't run him at Naas.
"We will go to Thurles if the ground is any way fair and if not we'll go straight to Cheltenham."

https://www.irishracing.com/news?headline=Thurles-then-Cheltenham-for-It-Came-To-Pass&prid=215732

[Garrison Savannah]

This may have slipped through the cracks this week, but positive news and update regarding It Came To Pass.

"He's in savage order and is better than he was last year.
"I just don't want to bottom him and that was the only reason I didn't run him at Naas.
"We will go to Thurles if the ground is any way fair and if not we'll go straight to Cheltenham."

https://www.irishracing.com/news?hea...ss&prid=215732

The difference in prep last season to this season has to be a concern. Last season he had 4 races before winning at Cheltenham. This season just the one. However, of those 4 runs prior to the festival last season, the first ended with an unseat and the last a pulled up - so not what you’d recognise as perfect prep anyway.

The other positive is the price - how many win at the festival one year and come back the next as a 10/1 chance?

[ToniC]

The difference in prep last season to this season has to be a concern. Last season he had 4 races before winning at Cheltenham. This season just the one. However, of those 4 runs prior to the festival last season, the first ended with an unseat and the last a pulled up - so not what you’d recognise as perfect prep anyway.

The other positive is the price - how many win at the festival one year and come back the next as a 10/1 chance?

Pacha du polder was 25s after winning at 16s the year before in this off the top of my head! Agree about the lack of any sort of satisfactory prep though, not that he was hardly on anybody’s radar for this this time last year

[charlie]

The Worlds End declared tomorrow. Needs a top 4 finish to book his place here. Will face a handy sort in Bob & Co. Hopefully he qualifies, then has a month to get right for March.