John Francombe

fade2black

by Jon Lees and Paul Binfield (Racing Post)

A TRIO of Britain’s senior Flat jockeys have demanded an apology from riding legend John Francome over his remarks in the wake of Kieren Fallon’s sensational ban from riding that some riders cheat to fix races.

Francome, seven times a champion in Britain, was accused of being “irresponsible” as he was taken to task for claiming that “half a dozen” races a year may be fixed.

Kevin Darley, a former champion and joint president of the Jockeys’ Association, and brothers Richard and Michael Hills were incensed by Francome’sviews expressed during a broadcast on Radio 5 Live at the weekend that jockeys have cheated.

In a letter to the Racing Post, the trio assert that they have neither ridden in a fixed race nor been approached to stop a horse.

Channel 4 Racing pundit Francome made his comments when interviewed for Sunday’s edition of Sportsweek.

The programme, broadcast at the end of a devastating week in which Fallon was charged for conspiracy to defraud Betfair punters, discussed whether the fixing of races was widespread. Fallon was one of 11 people charged by City of London police after a two year investigation.

“I should think it happens about half a dozen times a year,” Framcome had said, before adding, “but when you think how many races there are, it’s actually not a lot.”

When asked if jockeys were cheating, he replied: “I guarantee that they have. It happens - it’s life. Join the real world.”

Darley and the Hills twins claimed not to recognise the sport as Francome had described it andsaid his opinion portrayed the sport in a poor light and was the wrong message to give young riders coming into horse racing.

Darley said: “He is saying that these things happen when they don’t. I spoke to Michael Hills about it and then Richard and we decided we shouldn’t let people like John say things like that. I am in my 30th year in the game and I’ve worked bloody hard to get here and what he has said is detrimental to the sport.

“We want to assure everyone who reads the Racing Post and the public that we have the straightest racing in the world in this country.

“If John thinks otherwise then the authorities should ask him to point out what he says has seen. We are speaking for ourselves as well as everybody else in the Jockeys Association. These were bad comments for John to make and he should give us an apology.”

Reports published in certain newspapers on Monday suggesting that the Coolmore operation might boycott British racing should Fallon fail to have the HRA ban on himriding in Britain lifted are not being taken seriously in Irish racing circles. The suggestion that Fallon's employers would adopt a policy of having no runners in Britain unless the ban was lifted was described by informed sources as being "completely without foundation".

The Coolmore-Ballydoyle operation is expected to continue its policy of aiming its better horses at the top prizes in Ireland, Britain and France.

It is understood that Aidan O'Brien will be represented on Friday atNewmarket where the Ballydoyle trainer has Marcus Andronicus, fourth in the St James's Palace Stakes, entered for the Group 1 Darley July Cup and the two year olds, Admiralofthefleet and Duke Of Marmalade, in the Group 2 Weatherbys Superlative Stakes.

Alan Munro, who stepped into the breach to ride Aussie Rules in the Coral-Eclipse last week after Fallon was banned, said on Monday that the weighing room was unanimous in its support of the banned former champion.

Munro was called up by O’Brien after first Fallon and then Johnny Murtagh, who had sustained injury the previous evening had been pencilled in to ride the French Guineas winner.

The combination finished fourth to David Junior at Sandown, and Munro was more than happy to help out at short notice.

He said: "I'm really upset and sad for Kieren. I think that it is unjust what they have done and the sooner he gets his licence back to ride in England the better.

“Aussie Rules was a big ride in a big raceand I haven't been offered any other rides - it was just yesterday to help them out in the circumstances.

"There were no discussions about the situation – on Monday the whole focus was on the Eclipse.

"I was delighted with Aussie Rules. He just slightly weakened out in the last 50 metres. We went there to win and were soon headed but he continued to figure. He is a very good horse and very genuine.

"Of course there hasn't been any discussion in the weighing room about who will ride for Coolmore in England - everyone unanimously supports Kieren."

Blue Square offer 7-1 that Fallon will ride at this week’s July festival in Newmarket that begins tomorrow. His appeal is heard at 5pm in London on Wednesday.

Keeping a close eye on developmentsis Andre Fabre, who wants Fallon to ride Hurricane Run in the King George at Ascot on July 29.

I hope he doesn't to be honest. In my opinion if you take the jumps into consideration as well, I think there are way more than his modest dozen races a year fixed. Some of them, although not exactly 100% fixed, definitely contain horses that are not racing to their full potential (still fixed in my opinion actually) There's still a lot going on and most of it will never see the light of day. In fact, a lot of it has now been considered part and parcel of the game and some trainers who are called shrewd could be called some other names if they were to be properly investigated.

scojones

I agree fade. How many times have we seen a jockey hit the front and ease off just to get beaten a short head? It could be said this is just jockey inexperience, but I've seen the best jockey's do this at one time or another. Whatever about UK racing, a big race fixing incident occured in an Irish track about three years ago. I'm not going to name the track for obvious reasons, but a lady jockey had never won a race before, and it was her birthday so the jockey's let her win. I was told this was going to happen on the way to the track, and they did it in the most blatant manner. It was a 25/1 shot, I had my money on and said nothing. It made me take a step back and think about getting further into this sport. I decided to just stay away from that track and get on with it. My mates tell me this kind of thing happens all the time at the track in question.

scargill

I'm shocked and surprised to hear that he reckons that there only half a dozen dodgy races a year !

To be honest, once Fallon (& co.) got charged I kind of lost my appetite for racing and betting.

masterK

Francome is absolutely right in what he said, there is most definitely a few races fixed every year, I wouldn't think it's any more than a few.

To follow up what sjones was saying I don't think I've ever heard of the Stewards or anybody else investigating an Irish race. It's amazing with all the hype in England that we have never once heard a muttering from HRI or anybody else in the industry in Ireland, it's a closed shop and the lot of them are in on it so nobody wants to rock the boat and hence they stay quite.

fr wishy washy

masterK wrote:

To follow up what sjones was saying I don't think I've ever heard of the Stewards or anybody else investigating an Irish race. It's amazing with all the hype in England that we have never once heard a muttering from HRI or anybody else in the industry in Ireland

Have a look at any 2 Mile Maiden hurdle in this Country with 25 runners or more and I guarantee after 2 flights have been jumped there's at least 8-10 horses at the back that just stay there for the whole 2 miles of the race and never raise a gallop(or are never asked to).You never hear a tap about it.

ziggy

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masterK

If the Ice Saint incident had happened in Ireland it would never have been even mentioned by anybody, it got nationwide coverage in the UK. The coverage it got in the UK and the effect it had on the career of Sean Fox encourage me as to the integrity of the sport over there, any such incidents are always closely scrutinised.

The big problem in the UK in my opinion is trainers who give their runners 3 easy races in maidens, get a nice low handicap weight and then suddenly show a huge improvement to win in their first handicap, these incidents are never questioned, quite the opposite in fact, the trainer involved is praised by the media for improving the horse so much.

I rarely back on Irish racing these days unless it's higher quality stuff or I've heard something about a runner.

ziggy

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masterK

ziggy67 wrote:

You wouldn't be referring to a certain Knighted trainer would you?

How did you ever guess? He's not the only by any means, there are 2 or 3 others that have it done the same thing quite regularly.

Corben Dallas

Anyone who thinks all racing is 100% legit is a fool. M Hills should get off his high horse and stop trying to suggest that racing is whiter than white.

Horse Racing (for the most part) would generally be fair and on the lvl, but unfortunately beacuse the sport is intrinsically linked with betting,it means that dodgy dealing will go on.

As someone said to me once for the big races with prestigious awards/prizemoney, u can be fairly sure that they are all out trying to win it, but on a wet Tuesday in Redcar with 6 runners +bugger all prize money......dont be so sure.

The Betfair factor, where u can make money on losing horses,has also encouraged the more corrupt/bent elements in racing, because (IMO) its easier to lose a race (as fav) than it is to get agreeement form all other riders/trainers to allow u to win.

---

The Jockey club and HRI should do their upmost to keep the sport as fair as possible and clamp down hard (with bans etc) for bent Jocks/Trainers/Owners.

Crumbs

Corben Dallas wrote:

but on a wet Tuesday in Redcar with 6 runners +bugger all prize money......dont be so sure.

Why does it always seem to be raining when these dodgy races purportedly occur?

fr wishy washy

Crumbs wrote:

Why does it always seem to be raining when these dodgy races purportedly occur?

Ask a certain Irish Trainer who raced his horse about 4 or five times this year on obviously unsuitable soft/heavy ground in maiden hurdles with the horse never sighted and with the form all ending up with duck eggs before the horses name.
The horse gets a break and returns with Ruby Walsh up and the money down to win a maiden hurdle at Tralee on fast/firm going at about evens without coming off the bridle..and then almost wins with the same horse on the flat at Royal Ascot.:eek:

You would want to be watching this game VERY closely.........

masterK

fr wishy washy wrote:

Ask a certain Irish Trainer who raced his horse about 4 or five times this year on obviously unsuitable soft/heavy ground in maiden hurdles with the horse never sighted and with the form all ending up with duck eggs before the horses name.
The horse gets a break and returns with Ruby Walsh up and the money down to win a maiden hurdle at Tralee on fast/firm going at about evens without coming off the bridle..and then almost wins with the same horse on the flat at Royal Ascot.:eek:

You would want to be watching this game VERY closely.........

He's yet another trainer who gets praised by the media for such incredible training feets.

masterK

ziggy67 wrote:

You wouldn't be referring to a certain Knighted trainer would you?

Have a look at Alambic at 8:50 tonight for yet another example of a great training feat. The horse came 10/13, 13/13, 11/12 in first 3 runs all over 7 furlongs and was given a hanicap rating of 46 (just above Banded class). He suddenly stepped up in trip to 12 furlongs and low and behold he finds amazing improvement to win 2 and come 2nd in the other of his last 3 races. He's 1/2 tonight to win again. He goes under a penalty tonight. He has 4 more entries in the next few days, this is his 4th run in less than 2 weeks. They are going to try and get a few more wins into before he is handicapped again.

If that's not cheating then I don't know what is.

The worst thing is watch the race on ATR and listen to the praise Prescott will get. I'd love Boycie to come on and explain that one to me.

Morgans

In fairness, Masterk, and I agree that the arselicking Sir Mark Prescott gets is nauseating, he is only exploiting the biggest loophole in the handicapping game. Its not cheating. He is playing well within the laws of the game and everybody knows it. Check out the prices Alambic was for her two year old starts and then on the back of three duck eggs, her price on her first start as a 3yo, which she lost. Everyone knows what he is up to, but until the loophole is closed, so that in some way the handicapper can rate the horse on conditions which best reflect the horses ability then we are stuck with the likes of Prescott, Cumani, Dunlop, Martin, Pipe.(M not D) (not left yet anyone) doing the same over and over again.

Why all journalists and broadcasters fall postrate before him is another thing. Silliness of the highest order.

Crumbs

Isn't the official handicapper within his right to not allocate a handicap rating to a horse after 3 runs when he feels he has insufficient information to go on? How often does this happen? Almost never, I would say.

One idea is to give provisional ratings. Eg. Say a 2yo runs unplaced in three 5f maidens, a rating could be given allowing it to run in handicaps but only up to a certain distance, say 7f.

Morgans

You are right Crumbs. The horse doesnt have to be given a mark automatically after three runs.

wb

I dont consider 'beating' the handicapper cheating. If the horse is running before the handicapper gets his hands on him, shrewd punters will spot this, and may find a gamble. I dont see how it is cheating when the declarations are there for all to see.

masterK

Personnally I don't think a horse should be allowed to enter a handicap until they have been at least placed in a maiden or have ran in 6 or 7 maidens.

The other option in closing the loophole would be to force a horse in his first 3 handicaps to run within distances not in excess of 2 furlongs further than they have run in a maiden unless they win their first or second handicap.

I still think there is something the racing authorites can do, surely the likes of Prescott and Pipe should be asked to explain the sudden improvements in their horses at the very least. The maiden races these horses had ran in should be studied to see exactly how hard these horses were trying in the races, in the case of Prescott's horses it's fairly obvious that it's not too hard at all.