Emotional struggles
Robin Oakley
We all have our perspectives. In Sweden for CNN last week, I found that the locals have been enjoying the hottest summer since records began. But for the goodhumoured Prime Minister Goran Persson. needing a high turnout in his election to be sure of clinching another victory for his Social Democrats, there was a snag. The weather has made it such an enjoyable summer, he told me, that nobody was taking the slightest notice of politicians' doings: 'I need some rain to be re-elected.' Best not to be seen performing a killjoy raindance all the same, I suspect. Back home on Saturday Goodwood's so-called Celebration Mile proved anything but for trainer Terry Mills, jockey Kevin Darley and thousands of favourite-backers. and I found perspective a struggle.
It had been such a blissful week, and nothing to do with those suntanned blondes all over Stockholm either. Not long ago, after her Ascot victory, I urged readers to snap up the 10-1 then available on Sir Michael Stoute's Russian Rhythm for the 1000 Guineas. I have not liked the look
of a filly so much since Bosra Sham and I warned that such a price would not last. After Russian Rhythm's scintillating victory at York's Ebor meeting, when she showed not just speed and elegance but the courage to come again after being stopped in her tracks by Wunder's Dream, she was cut to a mere 5-2 for next season's first Classic. Two other long-time favourites of this column, Henry Candy's sprinter Kyllachy and Marcus Tregoning's classy middle-distance performer Nayef, both in the Ten To Follow two years ago, won York's Nunthorpe and Juddmonte International respectively.
But then came the bad news. When I spent a day recently at Terry Mills's Epsom stable the star of the yard, Where or When, was lying down in his box having a mid-morning siesta. He might just as well have stayed there for all the chance he had of winning Saturday's Celebration Mile, for which he was backed down from 8-1 to 11-4 favourite. Reckoning him nailed on, I had taken 4-1 with all my York winnings and some more besides. But coming down the finishing straight Where or When's jockey Kevin Darley, sitting on the heels of the leaders, went for one gap after another, only to find them all closing in his face. Finally, he elected to come the long way round the outside, only to find as he did so that he was penned in by Richard Hughes, coming from further behind on the eventual winner Tillerrnan.
The exuberant Hughes pointedly raised a single finger as soon as he had crossed the line, with four horses abreast close behind him. The gesture was not lost on many of the crowd who remembered him doing the same on Tillerman at Ascot only to find Out he had been judged second by the photo-finish. But then all hell broke loose. Terry Mills and his son Robert, having been told by Darley 'We'd have won a minute' had he only been able to get through on Where or When, were understandably furious that their horse had not been allowed to run his race. Not content with turning the air several shades of blue, Terry entered an official objection to Richard Hughes and the winner for having held his horse in. When the objection was overruled and no disciplinary action followed for Hughes, Terry was bitter, insisting that it was one law for the racing establishment and another for small yards like his. And it has to be said there were a few Establishment smirks on view.
I have huge sympathy for Terry, and not just because I lost money. I have absolutely no doubt that given a clear run Where or When would have won the Group 2 race, and my opinion was shared by many a hardened professional. But there was strong debate when the stewards took no action against Richard Hughes. Terry wanted him given a long suspension. But Mark Perrett, husband and assistant to winning trainer Amanda Perrett and himself a former jump jockey, insisted that Hughes, who admitted shutting the door on Darley, had only been doing what he was paid to do. When I argued that Tillerman's neck had been angled in towards Where or When, preventing him getting out, while Hughes was required to keep a straight line, Willie Carson defended Tillerman's jockey, chiding me, 'He could hardly say: "Oh go on, Kevin, after you, do please come out."' But Epsom trainer Philip Mitchell, once one of the best amateur riders we have seen, had every sympathy with the Mills yard and their criticisms of Hughes.
In fairness to Richard Hughes it has to be said that securing a Group 2 victory with Tillerman was a considerable achievement. The horse has a mind of its own and has too often been a disappointing favourite for me ever to back him despite his ability. He has to be held up for a precision-timed final burst. If the pace is too slow while he is held at the back he will fight for his head and lose interest. But Where or When too needs to be held up behind a good pace. And for horses with that requirement there is always the danger that the gaps will not appear in front at the crucial moment. Riders have to bear that in mind and Kevin Darley must take his share of the blame. In the end, I suppose, it is a question of just how far the 'professional foul' should be allowed to go in this shirt-tugging age. Richard Hughes did not technically break the rules of racing. He did not maltreat a horse or endanger the safety of another rider. But the best horse on the day was not allowed to win and that cannot be good for punters or for racing.
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