Connections of Chieftain's Choice were found guilty of schooling/conditioning the horse on the racecourse after he finished fifth in the concluding race of the afternoon at Leicester. The Kevin Frost-trained gelding made his first appearance since May in the Waltham-On-The-Wolds Handicap Hurdle and was a 20-1 shot in the hands of Trevor Whelan. An inquiry was held into the running and riding of the seven-year-old after he stayed on "under apparent tender handling", according to the stewards' report. Whelan stated his instructions were to drop in last and get the gelding to finish its race off as it was finishing weakly under front-running tactics in previous starts. The rider added that the gelding had ran too freely and began to gurgle at the fourth last hurdle. He also said he was conscious it was his mount's first run since having a wind operation. Frost confirmed these instructions and added that the gelding had had a hard season the previous campaign and after a break for a wind operation wanted to see Chieftain's Choice settled and finishing its race. Having heard their evidence and viewed recordings of the race, the stewards suspended Whelan for 16 days (December 12-22 inclusive and December 26-29 inclusive), Frost was fined £3,500 and Chieftain's Choice was suspended from running in any race for 40 days. Well worth a look at this run as it looks far more blatant than anything in the whole Jim Best saga. Verdict due on Best in the next few days and my money having read a lot of the proceedings would be an acquittal. Any time the star witness in any case is "doing a deal" it always smacks to me of being unreliable.
And I should add that as Kevin Frost trains in Shropshire he's clearly innocent. Straightest of bats up here, not clever enough to cheat!
Schooling goes on all the time. Anyone who thinks every horse is is being pushed to its limit is deluded. What I have seen for myself is that the authorities will turn a blind eye if the offender has deeper pockets. If they can be seen to be doing their job by penalising those that don't have the pockets to challenge them it's easy for them. Don't know anything about the Best issue. In this instance I'm not sure what the authorities think the jockey should have done. One thing is certain - inconsistency
I have to agree with Timeform really, there are too many horses who aren't being run to their merits and the BHA haven't cracked down on it enough. The way to improve this is with better prize money and differing betting markets but that just won't happen.
They’ve just shot the 'pilot' of ‘Henderson and De Boinville’. If TV execs like it expect to see it commissioned and 8 episodes appearing on screen this time next year.
Any sport that revolves around man, betting and handicapping is always going to be crooked. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I doubt if there is one race run all term, in the NH sphere where there is a prizepot of £10k or less, where something ‘underhand’ isn’t occurring.
The introduction of exchanges has made it worse because those who know a horse isn't out to win can make it attractive for the unaware to back it (akin to daylight robbery). I know that's what bookies have been doing since the beginning of time but it is now widespread and open to much more abuse. In show jumping there is major prize money to be won but if a horse is being prepared for a major event (especially if coming back from a lay off) it's perfectly acceptable, and expected, to enter it in small events and just nurse it round to jump a nice clear. No betting involved. It's reasonable to assume therefore that the only reason this rule of running to their merits is there is for the benefit of punters and, to be honest, anyone who bets in races with small prize money, really needs their head tested unless they know they are on a trier. I totally disagree with Timeform on this one. I think they take this view because their top rated horses keep losing.and it's not doing their reputation any good. Personally if I had a horse that I was aiming at a big race I wouldn't be telling my jockey to push the horse to its limit in every race. I would only be interested that it was running to my expectations and experimenting with the best way to run it in different tactical situations (ie to ensure all angles were covered for the big one). Picking up a prize or 2 without being extended would be expected/hoped for
Interesting reading for a man who owns a horse that has never ever done anything other than be raced to gain the best possible finishing position!
