GALLOPERS ARTICLE

20.11.11 Whoops, We Interviewed The Wrong Bloke

Likable Kiwi trainer, Roger James

Most of us do not understand the feeling. That feeling of complete exaltation, ecstasy even, when your horse wins a Group 1 event.

Crikey, we've had a Class 1 winner & the feeling was indescribable. The closest thing I can describe is the feeling when the photo finish result of the 1997 Melbourne Cup was announced & Might & Power declared the winner, easily the biggest collect of  a 45 year punting lifetime an almost drug induced high that can never be forgotten.

It gets better than that surely, for those who have won the ultimate in racing, a Group 1 race. That split second after the race when the winning trainer, winning owner or even the wining jockey looks to the skies & thinks, "Yes, this is it, I've done it". Must be the greatest feeling in the world.

One occurrence that is really becoming annoying in horse racing is the media scrum that evolves around the winning trainer, jockey & even the owners after a big race victory these days. Media broadcasters even have former jockeys on horses riding along side the winning horse trying to obtain some sensible comment from the winning hoop who is clearly exhausted, out of breath & virtually speechless.

Remember, many of these jockeys left school at 14 or 15 years of age & have little or no education, although they are well versed as apprentices on media commitments. Nevertheless, we await the day when in a moment of ecstasy after winning that elusive group 1 for the first time, one blurts out into a microphone, beamed into house holds around Australia,

"Fuck, that was good!"

Imagine the uproar, & not the jocks fault, just a spur of the moment quote, ones we all have when we speak before we are able to think.

And what about the poor trainers, not even given a few seconds to catch their breath, gather their thoughts & prepare what they might like to say. An instant media scrum packs around them with sometimes 8 or 10 microphones being shoved down their throats. Give these poor guys a break, please.

So then, after the exalted feeling of winning your Group 1, enjoying all the media attention that comes with it, walking around the mounting yard like the King of your domain, a siren is heard across the public address system of the race course & the howls of "Protest" emerge from every corner of the race track.

Yesterday at Ascot this type of incident happened after the Roger James trained He's Remarkable was first past the post in the Railway Stakes, a Group 1 event over 1600m. Both the affable James & leading jockey Kerrin Mcevoy who rode He's Remarkable were duly mobbed after the race by hoards of media. Less than 10 minutes later, their worlds were shattered as they sat glum faced in the Stewards room listening to the protest hearing. The result of the protest seemed to take an eternity & the decision went against James & McEvoy & in favour of the local hope & second past the post Lucky Gray, trainer Gino Poletti & hoop Shaun O'Donnell.

Congratulations to Lucky Gray, both trainer & jockey as all three have done an amazing job to nail the Group1 with such a young & still maturing horse.

And spare a thought for Roger James who had victory snatched out of his hands when he was about to place it securely into his trouser pocket.

And what about the media who interviewed the wrong winners? I suppose they will argue they have a job to do & are only attempting to catch that magic moment of victory & bring it live into the lounge rooms of every house hold in Australia.

Do we get an apology from the media, "Oh sorry ladies & gentlemen, we interviewed the wrong bloke, he didn't win after all." And what about those who turned the television over to watch another program after the original interviews were carried out. They have no idea what transpired with the protest.

Yesterday at Ascot there were protests in two of the three major races. The protest in the WA Guineas was eventually dismissed which at least stopped the media making fools of themselves twice in one day.

Capturing the moment is one thing, however being accountable is another & in this day & age media must be accountable for their actions being accurate.

In all seriousness, how many trainers or jockeys come out with anything other than the standard, "I feel great" or something along those lines in the seconds after a race? It is rare that any gems of wisdom are expounded in these interviews immediately after a big race victory. So why not allot time for interviews 10-15 minutes after the race, after correct weight is announced when we all know who the true winner is. Then trainers & jockeys have time to gather their thoughts, maybe even say something meaningful & memorable. Then at least we know they are the actual winners.

It doesn't happen in other sports. We never see a player or coach of a football team interviewed before the final whistle is blown. Football administrators allocate time after the match for players & coaches to be interviewed by the media.

We don't see Sir Alec Ferguson of Manchester United fame interviewed with 10 minutes to go & United up 1-0 over arch rivals Liverpool, then after the premature victory interview Liverpool snatch 2 late goals to secure a miraculous win.

Maybe it is time media took a step back & waited at least for correct weight to be announced before mobbing the connections of the horse that was first past the post. This will not only allow the media to interview the true winners, it may also give the winning connections a few quiet moments to savour their magnificent victory, which they no doubt deserve.

Gallopers 20.11.11