Strike it rich with Strydom
IDEAL: IF YOU RIDE FERRARIS, YOU GET THE WINNERS AND YOU EARN THE BIG BUCKS
Affranchi in Race 2 could provide good value for bettors.
Often jockeys are asked how they get their rides. The answer is simple. You either ride for a stable or you freelance and that’s where things get a bit tough as you have to ride for all different yards.
So, if you’re out of favour it becomes difficult, but if you’re in favour it all runs smoothly. When I was younger and I was going for the championship I really did not need an agent as people were falling over me to get me to ride their horses. Now there are a number of jockeys allocated to big yards and naturally, as they ride the quality horses which are regularly winners, people think they are on top of their games and are riding well.
When you are out of favour you often don’t get your second or even your third pick and therefore you try to get anything you can, as you are trying to earn a living. You are also hoping that one of your pickup rides converts into a winner so later, when that horse becomes competitive, you are called upon to ride them again.
When a jockey is allocated to a stable the arrangement is that you will ride all the horses. You often get the choice of rides but some stables are so big that you only get 90% of the rides because there are so many jockeys who come to work the horses that the stable feels obliged to give those guys a ride.
There are times when the stable jockey cannot make the weight so a light-weight jockey is needed to replace him. In my case if I cannot make the weight I wouldn’t bother calling for the ride.
Often a trainer will feel pressurised to put a jockey on because the owner might be a friend of the jockey or he feels a jockey has ridden well for him in the past.
Sean Tarry has his stable jockeys but he often tries to put a jockey and horse together when he believes they will be well suited and he will keep that jockey on for as long as possible.
From my side I have certain trainers I know I can phone for a ride because if it is available they will give it to me. There are other trainers I won’t even bother calling because there is no chance I will get the ride.
Currently I’m doing my own rides but I do have an agent who assists me. An agent will normally phone for the best possible ride but as often you get knocked back you prepare a list in order of preference and start working down from there.
But that list is only based on your opinion and sometimes you can get it extremely wrong. From my own experience I have often been in a position to pick the ride I want but have got it wrong. However, there are times when I think I have picked badly before the race but things go my way and I happen to win.
Generally, the jockey in form will get most of the rides because racing is fickle and trainers will jump from jockey to jockey. To put it simply, in this game you’re only as good as your last ride.
At the end of the day from a jockey’s point of view, the more Ferraris you can ride, the more winners you have, the more they want you, the more opportunities you get to go overseas and make the big money.
Today we race on the Turffontein Standside course and the going is still firm and fast. Race 1 is over 1400m but remember draws count over this distance so my selection is Friend Of Time and the dangers are The Bosbok and Rescue.
Race 2 is a Novice Plate for three-year-old fillies and the best handicapped horses are Vivir and Crimson Royale and I believe they should fight it out. You could banker either in the BiPot.
Race 3 is a similar race but for the colts and here Affranchi looks the right horse and could be a banker in the Place Accumulator. He was also my first choice of rides when my agent made the call.
I ride Russian Beat who recently won his maiden but as every now and again Sean Tarry puts me on a horse, I hope to do well for him as I know he will then keep me on the horse for the future.
Race 4 is a Maiden Plate where Frankly is my first choice and is the horse I phoned for. Unfortunately she is drawn wide and is also coming off a long break. You will therefore need to include Elangeni in the PA. In the Pick 6 Madiba’s Magic and Nandi’s Vision are possibilities.
Race 5 is a MR 104 Handicap with many horses having chances. For the Pick 6 include as many as possible but for the PA consider, in this order, Shukamisa, Irish Pride and Doosra.
I’m riding Kings Archer and last time I was lucky to get a good position but the pace was slow which is not in his favour. So with luck in running we should have a decent chance. Include him in your bets.
Race 6 is another handicap and many horses have chances. I suggest you include as many as possible in the Pick 6 but for the PA go with any of the following horses – Mutrib, Querari Viking, Psychic, Judd’s Rocket and Yer-Maan. My agent tried to get me the ride on Querari Viking.
Race 7 is another handicap but you might be able to cut the field down to Full Of Attitude, Street Flyer, Bold Viking and Nordic Rebel for the Pick 6. Full Of Attitude and Street Flyer should get you through the PA.
Race 8 is another handicap where the two main selection are I Ain’t Trippin and Tiger Lace. Those two could get you through the Pick 6 as well but if not you will need the field as many of them are on similar collateral form. I’m riding Noceur who has a similar formline to Excalibur’s Return but on that occasion when I rode her over 2000m the distance may have been too far. My call was to Alec Laird and I would have been happy to ride either of his runners, Noceur or Pale Lilac.
Race 9 has my Place Accumulator and Pick 6 banker in Wild Curve. He was my first phone call as well. I won his maiden on him and he was immature but still managed to improve and I think he has lots of scope for improvement. He’s a banker in all bets.
My next call was for Dan The Lad and I’m happy to have the ride although it’s possibly a touch too short. I will be looking to give Wild Curve a run for his money so I can retain the ride on Dan The Lad next time he runs.