“Jockeys are frightened": Why it looks like more leaders are winning races

Do you feel like more leaders are winning in modern horse racing?

That’s the question which was asked of David Taggart, Sam Hyland and Josh Jenkins on SENTrack’s Saturday Trackside, after a listener said they believe more and more races are being won by leaders.

Jenkins attempted to answer the question first before the former jockeys gave their opinions.

“Before you two give a more learned opinion, the same issue is happening in harness racing,” Jenkins stated.

“Is there a chance that with all the sport science the trainers are using and the stronger these horses are getting and the faster times they're running, it is just simply harder to run the leaders down these days, and the tracks are improving as well.

“Is that potentially a reason why?”

Taggart responded by admitting that he wasn’t exactly sure what the answer is, but multiple different things could be contributing to the observation.

“I don't know,” Taggart replied.

“I got told social media has got a lot to do with it.

“Jockeys are frightened to make decisions with the chance of getting criticised. That's one of the reasons I've heard.

“Another one is that they probably try to (ride to instructions too much).

“Well, I don't think they try to ride to instructions too much because you’ve got to be proactive, but to me, leading's one of the easiest things to do.

“But you look at Gai Waterhouse - Nash Rawiller was the best front-running rider, and then next thing it's Timmy Clark, and next thing it's such and such, whoever rides for Gai.

“Even when I was riding, I know that the jocks didn't like when the caller announced, ‘He's out three deep.’ I know they've backed off that little bit the callers, but jeez.

“I think jockeys are getting away with murder (now).”

However, Jenkins finished by stating that the observation may not be backed up by numbers, and it is just something which people are subconsciously noticing.

“You need to see the stats to back that up too,” Jenkins said.

“It might be something that you're seeing and feeling, but it might not actually be accurate.

“It doesn't mean that more leaders are winning than yesteryear, you need to do the numbers.”