UK Horse Racing Tips

Archive for the ‘Jockeys / Horses’ Category

Introduction

While some jockeys are known for their major title wins, others tend to better known for their jovial personalities to make up for a lack of wins. Thankfully for Paul Carberry, he manages to combine the two of them together. Having retired in 2016, Carberry was an impressive jockey with many big wins along the way in a career that’s seen its own fair share of highs and lows as time went on.

Known for his time on the back of Harchibald, where he arguably formed his best partnership, Carberry was a jockey known for an irrepressible spirit and a personality that made him stand out amongst his contemporaries. However, his career was also known for having its fair share of controversies.

Career Summary

While winning the Grand National in 1999 and the Welsh National in 2013 bookended a happy and successful career, Carberry was a man known for sometimes attracting controversy during his career. From being sentenced to jail for lighting a newspaper on fire during a flight (we’ve all done it!), to failing a breath test in 2009, he’s been involved with a few brushes with the law.. some would argue that he’s missed out on some opportunities during his career beecause of this.

Take that away, though, and you have a very impressive and talented jockey waiting at the other end. Recognised for both his personality and his quality in performance. It’s the classic style of Carberry to be involved in controversy as well as the big wins – a mix that has provided a memorable career and character. While he’s now retired, the sport will miss his eccentric and engaging nature.

Achievements & Highlights

Major Wins – Grand National (1999), Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2004, 2007), Christmas Hurdle (2004, 2008), John James McManus Memorial Hurdle (2005), Welsh National (2013).

Associations – Harchibald, Sausilito Bay, Nicanor, Florida Pearl, Beef or Salmon, Solerina , Harbour Pilot, Hairy Molly, Bobbyjo.

Introduction

A thoroughbread horse racing jockey of some repute, Willie Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. He was known for an energetic personality and an incredibly long career that seen him take to the course until he was the age of 54, retiring in 1996. An apprentice to Captain Gerald Armstrong, he became the British Champion Jockey an impressive five times between 1972 and 1983, and won an outstanding 17 British Classics. With 100 winners per season for 23 years, he totalled way over 3,800 wins by the end.

Career Summary

A career that seen Carson become the fourth-most successful winner in GB racing history is one well worth remembering. His best season arguably came in 1990, when he won close to 190 winners across the season. Indeed, he is one of just a mere four jockeys who managed to ride an impressive six winners in one sitting.

Sadly, he came 2^nd in the year when he done so to Pat Eddery, who won with an unbelievable 209 winners. The majority of his main successes as a rider came under the tutelage and partnership with Dick Hern, who helped him train his horses. He rode his three Derby winners at this point in his career.

A career after racing seen him enter into everything from the Ampney Crucis Minister House Stud program to being a part of A Question of Sport, right through to co-hosting BBC horse racing with Clare Balding until 2012.He was also a pundit for the BBC, correctly tipping Camelot to win the Epsom Derby. For more free horse racing tips take a look here!

Achievements & Highlights

With trophy wins in 5 major nations, Carson has one of the most impressive trophy hauls in the history of the sport. With 5 Championships, 17 Classics, 23 Centuries and 3,838 winners in total, it’s safe to say that Carson has earned his reputation as a true legend of his sport.

Major Wins – 1,000 Guineas (1990, 1991), 2,000 Guineas (1972, 1980, 1987, 1989), Derby (1979, 1980, 1989, 1994), Oaks (1977, 1980, 1983, 1990), St. Leger (1977, 1983, 1988)

Associations – Cpt. Gerald Armstrong, Sam Armstrong, Bernard van Custem, Clive Brittain, Dick Hern. Bireme, Dunfermline, Sun Princess, Minster Son, Nashwan, Don’t Forget Me, Known Fact, High Top.

It’s been all too long since I added a jockey profile to the site and so I decided to add another one to mix it up a bit. Horse racing of course has no shortage of history to it and there are so many figures within the sport that have more than made their mark. One high on the list has to be none other than Lester Piggott.

Born in the relatively small market town of Wantage, Oxfordshire Lester Piggott went on to achieve greatness within the sport, in no small part down to amassing a staggering 4,493 wins over the course of his illustrious career.

Dubbed “The Long Fellow” by his contemporaries and great many fans, the champion jockey is known for his trademark competitive personality and connections toward the horses he rode. Nijinsky was one that stood out for him as the horse with the most natural ability of any he rode. For good reason too, as Nijinsky won some of the most noteworthy races over his career (Epsom Derby, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth Stakes etc). He had other favourites, regarding Sir Ivor as a horse that he felt very attuned to.

Those 4,493 wins of course included a great many highlights and records, one of which was winning the Epsom Derby a staggering 9 times. His stellar career, which started in his teens, spanned over decades. All in all, he was crowned Champion Jockey a record eleven times, which goes to show the standard he was able to keep up over the years. When people think of successful flat racing jockeys, Lester Piggott is often one of the first names to come to mind.

Lester Piggott’s success in racing wasn’t a total surprise to everyone, as to put it lightly the man certainly has pedigree. His Grandfather Ernie Piggott rode three Grand National winners and three-times British jump racing Champion Jockey. he went on to become a trainer, and in fact trained Ayala, who went on to win the Grand National in 1963. Ernie was, it seems, a grand national winning machine in multiple capacities. I can’t even win the race as a punter, let alone on the back of a horse, But still, I hope out hope so let’s hope I have a bit more luck when betting on Grand National 2017 at William Hill UK. Fingers crossed for me.

Piggott retired in 1985 but his passion for the sport never once dwindled, as he followed family the family tradition of becoming a trainer, amassing 30+ winners from a stable of almost 100 horses. Unfortunately, he fell foul of the tax man for a brief time in the early 90’s, but was soon back in business shortly after, as you’d expect from someone as determined and single minded as this man.

In fact he’s still going strong now at the ripe old age of 81. Surprised at his own longjevity, Piggott hasn’t lost his trademark sense of humour:

““What can you do? It’s a fact, isn’t it? A lot of people know I’m going to turn 80 – but I wish they didn’t.”

Richard Dunwoody is an admired, and now retired, British jockey chiefly remembered for his extraordinary triumphs in National Hunt racing. Born in Northern Ireland on 18th January in 1964, the racing legend emerged the Champion Jockey on three distinguished seasons. Like his father, Dunwoody’s inimitable record includes a great many exemplary wins atop tens of famed winners at various race courses in Britain and Ireland.

While the Irish-born Dunwoody has numerous records to his name, he’s mainly remembered for his big wins in the King George VI Chase races.  Dunwoody clinched a total of four distinguished titles that propelled his revered standing among contemporaries and cheering throngs of devoted fans. Two of his King George VI Chase titles were attained atop the timeless winner – Desert Orchid.

Other noteworthy victories that catapulted Richard Dunwoody to glory include his great performance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1988. Riding Charter Party, Dunwoody outdid scores of rivals to win the glamorous Cheltenham title. One of the very few jockeys to receive the Lester Award, Dunwoody achieved the enviable honor on five occasions as the most successful Jump Jockey of the Year. Dunwoody won the Irish Grand National in 1990 and in fact even in his first year as a professional he rode West Tip in the Aintree Grand National. Get your free bet for the Grand National here.

Even after quitting active participation in professional tournaments, the sporting veteran and training guru embarked on an immensely rewarding charitable mission. He launched a 1,000 Mile Challenge on 1,000 consecutive eventsin support of Spinal Research and Racing Welfare, completed his big-chartered trek at Newmarket Racecourse in 2009.  Later, he went on to write a best selling autobiography ccalle Obsessed.