Matt Chapman talks Oisin Murphy, Liam Treadwell and Ballydoyle team tactics in his latest column
LAST week was in many ways a horrible time in racing, with the oh-so-sad passing of Liam Treadwell, who I wrote about at length in my Saturday column.
But of course life does go on, so who or what has made my latest Good, Bad & Ugly column? Let’s see…
GOOD
The champion jockey Oisin Murphy gets in here and not for his riding abilities but for simply being a good bloke!
You see there was a public plea – arguably an appeal – from Oisin’s other half, Emma O’Dwyer, that on the back of the rider’s 2000 Guineas success on Kameko should could be blessed with a new dishwasher.
Murphy, clearly a giver if ever there was one, took note and clearly joyous scenes followed as the picture below shows. Well done Oisin. You know how to make a girl’s dreams come true.
Incidentally, I already believe Murphy has the jockeys’ championship wrapped up bar injury.
BAD
Last week was a bad week for racing in terms of people passing away. Too many tragedies. But from bad may come some good.
A lot of jockeys want change and I’m going to do anything I can to help them.
That might involve some podcasts of jockeys talking about their lives. I know some of them are keen to get their colleagues talking and expressing themselves.
There is so much happening in the world right now, and some good must surely come from so much bad.
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UGLY
Riders are going to have to be on the button in the Investec Derby on Saturday, with Aidan O’Brien likely to saddle between five and ten runners in the race.
We saw in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes that tactics are key, and riders will have to be even more aware than usual on a tricky track.
I’m not someone who gets uptight about this type of stuff, and just see it as part of competitive sport, but keeping out of trouble will be very important.
Let’s hope it doesn’t get messy!
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