royal ascot reflections.

​Sean Levey regular proves he is a top-notch jockey, when given class horses to ride in classy races can get the job done as well as any other jockey. As Richard Hannon, tongue firmly in cheek, said. “He is lucky that he rides for a good trainer.” Though said in jest, Hannon is correct. What should equally be said is that Hannon is lucky to have Levey as his retained jockey. Long may the duo be successful. 
Also, Sean Levey is a characterful jockey, someone who should be better used to promote the sport to people of the same skin colour as himself, to demonstrate that horse racing is a diverse community that allows opportunity for success to one and all.
Willie Mullins is a serial achiever, be it at summer festivals in Ireland, the big festivals in the winter or Royal Ascot. His eye for opportunities is almost supernatural. And he invariably gets horses fit for Ascot by winning a maiden hurdle, sometimes at obscure places like Ballinrobe or Sligo. Who else would take that path to success? The only question left to be asked about Mullins is this – is he a better genius than Aidan O’Brien? I would say yes, others might disagree.
Kevin Blake’s love affair with electronic data amuses me, though I fear for his marriage with all the candle-burning he must do to be able to present all the gobbledygook figures in a way to have them look even remotely helpful. It is my contention that electronic data will prove as misleading as informative as horse racing is far from scientific due to horses being sentient and prone to whimsy. It is a game of fate, with a hundred and one throws of the dice in every race. Dear old Blakey will say the data proved correct in the Prince of Wales yesterday, though many ‘experts’ were of the opinion that Inspiral would fail for stamina without consulting the runes of electronic data. Also, the mare fell out of the stalls and because of the suicidal pace set by pacemakers, she was so far out of her ground by halfway she had no chance of winning, with Kieran Shoemark looking after her in the final two-furlongs.
What is always a pleasure is witnessing Sir Mark Prescott training a big winner, as he did on the opening day. Possibly the greatest man of present-day racing and by far its best promoter; a man, if he should ever retire and hand the keys of Heath House over to ‘poor William’, should be head-hunted by the B.H.A. to avail the sport’s regulatory body of his immense wisdom and knowledge.
I have no doubt that Kieran Shoemark will establish himself as a worthy successor to Frankie Dettori at Clarehaven once the Gosden horses get into full-swing. But his achievement thus far is that, despite the early problems he got himself into, he is well-liked by almost everyone. Addictions of all kinds distort the personality of people. It is why the B.H.A. policy of giving jockeys both the help they require and a second chance at their career cannot ever be called into question.
I took a liking to Highbury when he won a maiden at Leopardstown and though beaten by stable companion Illinous at Ascot yesterday, I believe he is the one to back for the St.Leger. He was ridden with tomorrow in mind, with Wayne Lorden riding him out hand and heels and not subjecting him to an overly-hard experience. A horse with a big future, I predict.
Horse racing has so many good people at its summit, with Oisin Murphy being one of the brightest lights. Yes, he is a little goofy when compared to Ryan Moore or Will Buick but a jockey who owns, and rides, show-jumpers and even owns an event horse, is someone who clearly has a love of the horse, not simply a love for his career. That he still visits a mental health councillor tells you that he recognises his flakiness and is resolute in his desire to become a better man that he is already. Sounds corny, but I hope he finds true love and will be able to dispense with the chats with his ‘not inexpensive’ councillor. 
Finally, and this is not a knocking exercise, why was Auguste Rodin a ‘decisive’ winner yesterday, when other horses winning by a similar distance are usually only described as ‘just getting on top’ or words of a corresponding meaning? He won tidily, in my opinion, and doubtless would have won if the race had gone on for another half-mile. But he was not decisive. He won and that is all that matters, I suppose. But Illinois won in a similar manner but his victory was not described as ‘decisive’. To win decisively, to my mind, is to win with ease, which Auguste Rodin never bothers with. Just getting the job done is the be all and end all as far as he is concerned, though he seems to have diminished from being a ‘collectors’ item’ to only ‘very special’ since last season. That said, in the unlikely event he should tackle City of Troy this season (the Arc) I would back him to beat his more illustrious stable-mate.