Davy Russell V John McCririck

brandon_flowers

http://www.irishracing.com/v5newsitem?prid=43545

John McCririck today defended his criticism of Brian O'Connell's ride on Dunguib in the Spinal Research Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday. He was speaking to Pat Kenny on his Today show on RTE Radio One.


The Channel 4 pundit said: "Let's get a bit of realism. Brian O'Connell has ridden Dunguib to win nine races. He is a young man whose career is ahead of him. This horse is a difficult horse, Dunguib. He jumps sloppily and can't be got in a rhythm by Brian O'Connell. You would not have a relative newcomer in the very top-flight and expect them to do their best.

"Remember when he won the bumper, it was a flat race here last year, he was in front three furlongs out. How did he ride it in the first race, the Supreme Novices, wide on the outside, far back, came through late. You need a man like Ruby Walsh, A P McCoy, even bring back John Francome to teach the horse, this horse is still learning and it's unfair on Dunguib that Brian O'Connell should be kept on it, loyalty by the stable and the owners, that's fine, but it's against the interests of the horse and of course the punters.

"It's the boys sticking up for the boys, isn't it, they stick up for their own, absolutely right and full credit to Davy Russell for saying that. But I'm asking you, if you owned Dunguib would you go along with a relatively inexperienced young rider on the way up or go and get one of the top pilots?

"This is a particularly difficult horse to ride. He doesn't get into his stride easily, he doesn't flow, he doesn't have the rhythm unless the jockey can help him. He's got away with it in the past winning tuppenny ha'penny races in Ireland with two and three runners and that kind of thing but when he came across a proper hurdle race in top class company the rider was found wanting not the horse and I'm asking anyone who complains about what I'm saying, it's what the punters are saying, in fairness when they backed Dunguib they knew this young lad was on top so it is their own fault for doing it but in the end if they owned the horse who would they employ, Ruby Walsh or Brian O'Connell?"

Ted Walsh had commented on the same station last night: "I wouldn't give McCririck the time of day. I think he is a big oaf. McCririck wouldn't be safe on a bicycle let alone on a horse. I wouldn't give him any credence. A few times I used to take him on but John Francome said to me one time don't be taking him on, he is not worth taking on. It's like Ronan O'Gara responding to Kevin Myers. I mean Kevin Myers probably wouldn't get a ball in Elverys and he is commenting on a fella like Ronan O'Gara.

"You shouldn't even comment on those fellas. He (McCririck) goes on with that auld baloney and bull**** all the time. He does that, he is always onto that. He used to rile me one time but do you know something if he passed out alongside me in the chair I don't know if I'd go over to pick him up. Francome knew I was going to jump on him and he put his hand on my knee and he said ignore it. McCririck is a show man."

In response McCririck said: "Absolutely brilliant. Ted Walsh is the king of Cheltenham after what his daughter did yesterday and of course Ruby with 26 winners at the Festival, the record of all time. They are the royal family, it's not the Queen that has Barbers Shop running here today, it is the Walsh clan, how can you argue with Ted, he is the voice of Ireland a fantastic man. He rode four Festival winners, over 600 winners, trained winners at Cheltenham. Ted Walsh is that.

"On the other hand Ted Walsh knows in his heart that I'm right but he cannot come out and say it and condemn one of his fellow Irish riders. He can't do it. So for Irish consumption he has got to go along and say that I'm wrong. All the jockeys, the professionals know it. You know I'm right, do you have an inexperienced new professional on a horse that is a difficult ride or do you get a top pro? It's a no-brainer.

"Those from the weighing-room and the exs from the weighing-room, just because I haven't ridden too many winners at Cheltenham think I know nothing.

"Brian O'Connell's career is on the make, it's on the up, he'll be a good young rider, in time, but not now. This Dunguib is particularly difficult, he is a slow learner. He needs tuition, he needs education and only a top-flight rider can give it to him.
"So maybe in a few years time Brian O'Connell could well be champion jockey in Ireland. Take nothing away from a twenty-three-year-old, he is not capable of giving the very best possible ride to the horse, same as Sam Waley-Cohen on Long Run yesterday. He is an amateur and they should go and get a proper jockey stuck on him as well so I'm not just picking on Brian O'Connell. But Dunguib needs teaching and he was not given a proper ride by a novice."

__________________________________________________________

Some brilliant stuff from Ted Walsh in there, have to agree with Davy on this one. McCririck is a punter and in truth knows nothing about horses like a trainer or jockey would. He is the same as every other losing punter, he has to blame somebody. I hate the c*nt.

mdwexford

Still rather Ruby on him though same as id rather Barry on Long Run.
You want the best possible jockey available.

convert

I missed him on the radio this morning, so was just about to sit down and listen to it now.

I heartily agree with Russell and Ted on this one, McCririck is just a pain in the a** who just looks at racing from his pocket's point of view and does not have the insight that jockeys and trainers do. It's very easy to stand on the sidelines or the stand and dictate and comment upon other people's actions. It happens in every sport, unfortunately, but I can guarantee you it is the very people who criticise are the ones who wouldn't dream of getting up on a horse and riding around Cheltenham.

Whether or not Dunguib's connections got the tactics right on the day will always be debated, but I guarantee you if O' Connell had been up in the first three or four the whole way round and got beaten, he'd still be criticsed. When you have that amount of pressure on you, and the vast number of punters relying on you and you don't produce, you'll always be criticised. Had the horse won, there wouldn't be a word said about the tactics and O' Connell would be hailed a hero.

I think Ted has hit the nail on the head here - McCririck is just a show man who says things that are way off and seems to enjoy the reaction he gets from it. I admired Davy for having a go at him in the manner he did - he didn't get in a knot about it, he just stated it in a forceful, determined matter-of-fact way. McCririck used to annoy the f**k out of me, but now when he comes on the TV I just let what he says go in one ear and out the other. I never actually hear what he says. He's just an annoying f**king eejit.

cullen5998

Good post, i was wondering what it was all about. I would have Ruby on Dunguib but you couldnt take O Connel off him after winning all those races.

Go on Ted walsh and Davy Russell:D Take no crap from that oaf

brandon_flowers

mdwexford wrote: »

Still rather Ruby on him though same as id rather Barry on Long Run.
You want the best possible jockey available.

Well to be honest Ruby, AP and Barry Geraghty would not be available to a trainer like Philip Fenton for a SNH as their retainers will always have a horse lined up for this. Brian O Connell did extremely well to settle the horse early on when he nearly pulled the hands off him. JP Magnier is an example of an amateur giving a horse a bad ride. I lost a nice bit of money on him and I can accept it. Dunguib is not the machine people thought he was. He is nowhere near actually. It seems so stupid that people were talking about him for the CH as well. He'd be 25 lengths off Binocular.

Juwwi

The owner pays the fees its up to him who rides the horse.

McCririck is an idiot .

Personaly l would'nt put up an inexperinenced rider at cheltenham.
They do have to learn somewhere but in a big race at cheltenham on a fav is alot of pressure for a young lad.

Dunguib,Long Run and Shot From The Hip all pulled and would'nt settle for their riders

mdwexford

brandon_flowers wrote: »

Well to be honest Ruby, AP and Barry Geraghty would not be available to a trainer like Philip Fenton for a SNH as their retainers will always have a horse lined up for this. Brian O Connell did extremely well to settle the horse early on when he nearly pulled the hands off him. JP Magnier is an example of an amateur giving a horse a bad ride. I lost a nice bit of money on him and I can accept it. Dunguib is not the machine people thought he was. He is nowhere near actually. It seems so stupid that people were talking about him for the CH as well. He'd be 25 lengths off Binocular.

Id try and get some sort of partnership going with a top class jockey if he was mine, im sure lots of them would be itching for the ride.

I didnt back him but i think the front 3 are good horses but he doesnt jump well enough at the moment to get near the frame in a Champion Hurdle.

corny

In an ideal world McCririck is probably right. Every trainer and owner in the race would probably want a Walsh or McCoy onboard. I'm sure the owners felt BOC knew the horse well enough to handle it. McCririck is just looking for attention though and doesn't care who he hurts or insults.

twowheelsonly

By the same token, if one of the 'Big Boys' had gotten the ride and lost McCrirrick would be the first to claim that he should have been left with the jockey that knows him best.
If he's such a difficult ride then changing the jockey should have been done months ago, not on the spur of the moment just for Cheltenham.
Wise up McCrirrick, you're a clown and nothing else.

Prophetic or what????

Brian O’Connell’s not in any sweat ahead of the Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham
Jeff Clayton

Published on 14 Mar 2010

The concept of a Cheltenham banker may throw up the image of a rural version of the men who’ve buried the rest of us in a mess, but this one is designed to pay the bills rather than create them.

The fate of many punters at this year’s Festival is likely to be decided in the opening six minutes of action when Dunguib runs in the Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Tuesday. This horse has been backed by most of Ireland – and a fair bit of Britain as well – which leaves his 23-year-old jockey with the prospect of either being the hero or feeling as though he has just been invited to his own funeral.

None of which seems to bother Brian O’Connell. The first time he set foot in Cheltenham was the day he rode Dunguib in the Champion Bumper a year ago. Again punters charged in as if there was no settling day and the pair charged home to win by 10 lengths.

“He travelled unbelievably well the whole way and my biggest problem coming down the hill was coming there too soon,” O’Connell said. “Sure, there were plenty of nerves and excitement, but I had to just put that to one side and ride the race as normal. There certainly wasn’t much room for error.”

There is likely to be even less this time as the pair have to negotiate eight hurdles. Picking holes in Dunguib’s form can seem about as pointless as trying to work out how bankers’ bonuses are calculated, but there are some who think Dunguib can be beaten. They point to his last run at Leopardstown, where he won a Grade One hurdle without getting out of second gear and was running from the back of the field, which could prove a gamble in a 20-runner race.

Dunguib clearly has a few foibles – genius rarely runs in a straight path – but O’Connell does not seem overly concerned by them. “The main thing is to try to get him into a rhythm and once he does that he’s not so bad. This is the best two-mile novice of the year and he’s not going to have it all his own way by any means, but I certainly wouldn’t be swapping my ride for anything else.

“He’s won from making the running, from sitting second or third and he’s won from last. He can win from anywhere. His jumping wasn’t up to scratch the last day at Leopardstown. He’d have to improve on that, but his jumping at home since has been good. I think he was just a bit too switched off at Leopardstown.”

As the runners line up for the first race at Cheltenham the famous 
Festival roar erupts from the grandstand as if someone had just flipped a 
thousand-decibel switch, but O’Connell will forget that and the millions riding with him and Dunguib. “No, I just put that to one side. I hope everyone can make a few pounds, but that’s just extra pressure that I wouldn’t need.

“You can go from hero to zero kind of quick. With a hotpot like this the jockey can often be the first one to be blamed. But that’s all part of the job – although I’ll probably have a couple of sleepless nights anyway.”

SOMEONE else who might be finding sleep a rarer commodity than usual is the bright spark at Paddy Power who came up with the idea of refunding losing bets if Dunguib wins.

The firm are bracing themselves for the double whammy and the sort of bank-breaking payout that will have Christmas cancelled until further notice. As their spokesman, Paddy Power, said nervously: “If Dunguib wins, other bookmakers will be on the floor – but we’ll probably be six feet under.”

With punters standing by, shovels in hand. You can bank on that.

Aidric

Lovin Ted Walsh's comments. He has been the star of the C4 coverage again this year. McCririck is just a funny sideshow,nobody takes him seriously really.

evil_seed

mccririck is a clown. in the sense of like a clown at a childs birthday party. he's there purely for the entertainment. he's a caricature

Whyno

McCririck is the biggest ar*ehole in racing.C4 were dead right to get shot of him off the saturdays racing and sooner the better hes gone for good. Hes english to the core and will pick on any frailty-weakness or mistake made by any irish man.
Sure a more experienced jockey would help dunguibs progression (possibly) or it could be that the horse is just not as good as we thought and at the highest echelon of racing is just an ordinary performer but i'll be fcuked if i'd listen to that twat of Big Mac bad mouth one of our own promising young jockeys.
As barney curley has said hes a failed bookie and a failure in life and he aint qualified to dictate how jockeys should ride and on their mistakes. If one of the top jockeys spoke out on O'Connells ride well maybe id listen but not that tub of lard.
Davy russell as much of a crooked fcuk he is was dead right to speak out against big mac and i hope the rest follow suit.

Aidric

Whyno wrote: »

Davy russell as much of a crooked fcuk he is was dead right

Nulty

Anyone remember or see when Barney Curley went ballistic at Luke Harvey and McCririck? McCririck was absolutely ****ting himself!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfPpBpDaSXE

Nulty

While I'm at it :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v3DfpVwZlA

Whyno

Aidric wrote: »

Hes not my favourite person in the world.

mountai

Davy Russell - - - One of the best jocks in Ireland !!! Did me a big favour on WA .. No more croocked than the rest of them, and a brave man to come out in front of the racing public, in a polite and forceful manner, in defence of one of his kind.I think its cowardly to make comments about people when they cant defend themselves!!!

Gautama

twowheelsonly wrote: »

By the same token, if one of the 'Big Boys' had gotten the ride and lost McCrirrick would be the first to claim that he should have been left with the jockey that knows him best

Very true. It's always going to be a six of one/half dozen... argument. Whoever lost on Dunguib would have done so for such reasons.

But don't forget, McCrirrick wasn't the only blaming O'Connell. There were plenty of punters in the crowd that had lumped on Dunguib, and blamed O'Connell for a bad ride.

applehunter

John McCririck told it as it is. Albeit he he should have just made the comment and left if at that.

The jockey didnt have him in a good position. A more experienced jock around Cheltenham wouldnt have given him so much to do.

Whyno

mountai wrote: »

Davy Russell - - - One of the best jocks in Ireland !!! Did me a big favour on WA .. No more croocked than the rest of them, and a brave man to come out in front of the racing public, in a polite and forceful manner, in defence of one of his kind.I think its cowardly to make comments about people when they cant defend themselves!!!

Oh believe me ive said it to his face also(christams leopardstown festival two years ago)There was a hole lot of defending he was doing either because he knew to right what was being said to him. There was nothing brave about him coming out and saying what he did it was about putting a complete tool in his place.
I never said he wasnt one of the top jockeys which he clearly is and defo one of the bravest. Gave WA one of the rides of the festival.
But your talking from your pocket which is easily done but believe me that he is one of the biggest crooks on the irish national hunt scene.
By the way hes done me plenty of favours on the punting front too.

mountai

Whyno - - - - What I do know is

A plan does"nt always come together on the day
Believe me - - I wasnt talking from my pocket
Every other Jock that won at Cheltenham, wallowed in the glory of their
win,(fair play to them, they"re entitled to) while Russell was the only
person to come out in public , the silence from the rest of them was
deafning at the time.
Calling a person a "CROOK" in public is not to be recommended
And I still think your a coward

Whyno

mountai wrote: »

Whyno - - - - What I do know is

A plan does"nt always come together on the day
Believe me - - I wasnt talking from my pocket
Every other Jock that won at Cheltenham, wallowed in the glory of their
win,(fair play to them, they"re entitled to) while Russell was the only
person to come out in public , the silence from the rest of them was
deafning at the time.
Calling a person a "CROOK" in public is not to be recommended
And I still think your a coward

Ok thanks Davy.

Clemon

Whyno wrote: »

Ok thanks Davy.

:pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

Cantoris

I think the criticism of the ride is probably fair enough. Last year he did take it up a long way from home but he seem intent of being behind and on the outside this time round. If you are going to go wide you should do it for a reason i.e. worried about jumping or to get a clear run towards the front. There's not much point losing ground going wide if you are going to stay out the back. And you can't be that far behind at the top of the hill. Will O'Connell have learnt from that.....yes. It still doesn't change the result this year and he will have to wait until next season to prove himself.....if he still has the ride.

mountai

mountai wrote: »

Davy Russell - - - One of the best jocks in Ireland !!! Did me a big favour on WA .. No more croocked than the rest of them, and a brave man to come out in front of the racing public, in a polite and forceful manner, in defence of one of his kind.I think its cowardly to make comments about people when they cant defend themselves!!!

Backed Davey on Di Villez (spelt wrong ) when he won at 33/1 in a cross country chase. Thought he was fantastic the way he spoke up coming in after winning a valuable Cheltenham race.

thesandeman

RoverJames wrote: »

Backed Davey on Di Villez (spelt wrong ) when he won at 33/1 in a cross country chase. Thought he was fantastic the way he spoke up coming in after winning a valuable Cheltenham race.

He only won the cross country that time because he literally 'came up on the inside'. He was well cursed by me that day.

thesandeman

thesandeman wrote: »

He only won the cross country that time because he literally 'came up on the inside'. He was well cursed by me that day.

You sound like the sour bastads in my local betting office who were hoping I wouldn't collect my €400

J_Mac

I said this the moment I saw Brian O' Connell on Dunguib at Cheltenham. Love or hate John McCririck, I think personally its hard to disagree with him. At least he has the balls to come out and say it.