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I’VE had better weeks.
Unfortunately, I’m facing a time out on the sidelines as I injured my thumb in a fall at Chepstow on Tuesday. I was unseated from a horse called Before Midnight in a maiden hurdle.
Hurting a thumb may not sound much but if you can’t hold the reins you can’t ride a horse.
It was frustrating as he looked likely to win before getting rid of me at the second-last and I took a right good kicking.
With the season just starting to get going it’s pretty rotten timing.
I suppose the lack of rain about means not many of the horses down at Nicky Henderson’s can run at the moment so I might not miss as many rides as might have been the case.
That’s me scratching around trying to put a positive spin on it. You’ve just got to accept that’s the life of a jump jockey sometimes.
My wife Serena has been looking after me. She’s got plenty of patience but she doesn’t suffer fools. I’m well aware if I start taking the mick she’ll be booting me out with a list of jobs.
I’m feeling it a bit today as I would have had a couple of nice rides at Ascot.
PYM (12.40) is a horse I’ve always liked. We made all the running when he won on his hurdles debut at Chepstow three weeks ago and I think he’s got a big future.
He’s owned by Patricia Pugh, which means he runs in Altior’s colours. He’s got to carry a penalty today but I expect he’ll be able to handle it. He should run a big race.
As I said, the guvnor isn’t able to run too many at the moment but one horse who will like the ground is WENYERREADYFREDDIE (1.50).
He jumped nicely when second to Lil Rockerfeller last month. The winner was rated much higher over hurdles and we had to take him on at level weights so it was a good effort.
He’s in a handicap today and he’ll be pretty dangerous off his current mark. Jerry McGrath rides both of them so I’ll be speaking to him this morning to help him out if I can.
I work with Jerry most days down at Seven Barrows and he’s a lovely lad. He’s had his share of injuries, which just goes to highlight the ups and downs of being a jockey.
Dan Skelton recently broke Martin Pipe’s record for the fastest to 100 winners in the season and that was an impressive feat.
Getty Images – Getty0His brother Harry has ridden most of them and he got to 100 winners yesterday at Wetherby.
Dan is a man on a mission. He’s put a lot of work into the summer months and it means everyone else has to work even harder and up their game. Harry is a great lad and they make a really formidable team.
It was a surprise to Samcro get turned over at Down Royal but these things can happen to the best of them on seasonal debut.
SAMCRO SHOCK Huge upset as Samcro is downed by outsider Bedrock in WKD Hurdle
Gordon Elliott will have been disappointed but he will certainly have left plenty to work on and nobody should be rushing to judgement just yet.
Yes, there is no doubt he ran below his best but he is a big horse and will have needed the run.
Mind you, what a ride from Rachael Blackmore on the winner Bedrock. There are few better riders — male or female — than her right now.
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