Spencer jocking off Slattery

punchestown

Jamie Spencer steered Royal Island to an easy but controversial victory in the seller at Chepstow.

The 4-5 favourite justified his odds by cruising to the front at the furlong pole before running out an eight-length winner from 14-1 shot The Gaikwar.

The runner-up's trainer Ron Harris also saddled the third Personify also at 14-1.

But the success provided a major talking point as champion jockey Spencer had only been called up at the last minute to replace Vince Slattery.

Slattery had travelled to the course for the ride - his only one of the day - but was jocked off in favour of Spencer by connections.

The following is taken from an article that appeared in the Independant (UK) about 3 years ago;

9.30am Vince Slattery is a journeyman, and most of them are long journeys and most of them fruitless. Today he sets off for Leicester. In October, he received a prize to mark a feat that not even Frankie Dettori or Tony McCoy can claim. He rode at Kelso to complete the set of tracks. He has ridden at all 59 racecourses in Britain. "And I've fallen off at most of them as well," he says.

Slattery's car is a Toyota Celica, which provides the myriad roles of transport, office and dustbin. The vehicle runs on LPG, liquefied petroleum gas, which is cheaper than petrol but can have harrowing effects on an engine. The car stalls at most of the roundabouts up to the Midlands, while Slattery vainly chases rides on his mobile phone.

"I never buy expensive cars," he says, rather unnecessarily. "And you have got to like travelling with this job. I spend around pounds 6,000 a year on fuel and do about 65,000 miles.

"I don't like taking holidays because you are missing out if you're not here and I have my break in my car every day, calling trainers. You have to be thick-skinned. You ring people up and the phone goes virtually straight down. I've been chasing my arse trying to get a ride for today and I have ended up with these two creatures.

"People just see you arriving at the racecourse and they don't realise the riding out you've done in the morning, that you might have done 200 miles before you started.

"I'm not really an extravagant sort of person. That's my wife. She thinks money is what the postman delivers in the morning. I buy as little as possible if I can help it. When I'm riding out I'd be spotting posts and stuff as I'm going around. At the weekends, when I'm not riding, I go out to the woods with the kids and we chop up logs to use in the stove.

Since that article, Slattery suffered the tragic loss of his young son. I find it astonishing that Spencer would accept the ride in view of how important a win like that would be for Slattery (paltry share of prize money aswell as jockeys fee aside) and although Im sure it will emerge that Spencer has given all monies due to Slattery, the fact remains that Slattery should have been allowed keep the ride and Spencer should not have allowed himself to replace the jockey.

pro_gnostic_8

Very bad form, for sure.
Vince3 had ridden the horse on his three previous starts ............ Class 4's and today dropped down into a Class 6 was the nearest thing to a moral certainty, which I firmly believe was Vince's entitlement if there is any such thing as loyalty. Then again, loyalty seems an alien concept to the owner Mr T Neville
.I would think, however, that Vince will be re-imbursed the riding fee + travelling expenses and perhaps the 10% win money.

Shan75

I always think it's a disgrace when any jockey is jocked off on the day of the race when another jockey becomes available.Once the declaration is made it should be set in stone.Only in the eventy of injury or jockey not turning up should a change be allowed.This should be made law and enforced by the BHA with a penalty of disqualification for the horse and couple of days ban for any jockey breaking this rule.In this particular case it's not like Spencer needs a ride in a bottom of the barrel race.Very sad indeed.

punchestown

Apologies folks, Racing Post reports that Slattery aggravated an old shouler injury whilst riding in the first (although only booked for the one original ride) hence the jockey change!

careca

Can you get a deposit refunded from www.hitman.com

mike65

I was watching ATR as this was being discussed last night and no-one knew of Slatterys knock and everyone assumed that connections had done the dirty. Apparently Spencer himself was a little uneasy at having the gig. Or maybe that was just conjecture.

Mike.

punchestown

So which clown is ash hight punter?

pro_gnostic_8

Not me ! Honestly !!!
But obviously Ash is a regular viewer of this sub-forum.

In fairness, Ash is a sound fella ( most of the time ).......... judging by his posts elsewhere. Cannot fault him at all, and he knows his horses.

It does seem, tho' that we owe Jamie S an apology.

aidan24326

I often wonder why jockeys at the very bottom of the food chain bother at all. It's a hard life with long hours and often for little reward.

punchestown

They earn a few quid riding out for various trainers each morning and a ride or two every couiple of days is a handy few quid (provided they dont get stung for the petrol)