regards to all at Kingsley House and ordinary. Whether it was Tudor Minstrel, endorse and support your view that a thanks again for the wonderful Klarion. Nijinsky or Poet’s Society at York or the whip is essential. KINGSLEY KICKBACK Ascot Magnificent Seven, the galvanising As a former chairman and racing Anthony Latter effect on the thoroughbred was the same. administrator for four decades in India, I Mill Hill, London Longevity and the comeback: These have noticed that without the use of a three were no shooting stars, for their whip a jockey can very easily avoid the ************ riding careers were long and successful at full potential/performance of his mount, Lester the greatest and shouting "good old Gordon" as he and dedication, was simply outstandingly the highest level and each came back and thus not run on merit. As you know, rode yet another winner. It was just one of superior to either Richards or Dettori. The Fred was the finest from setbacks; in Sir Gordon’s case the horses do respond tremendously to a As probably one of your few Klarion those quirks of sport that he won only one way he controlled his weight so he could Second World War and in the others self- whip when put under pressure, especially readers who is old enough to have had the Derby, but perhaps the war years and their ride at all was just superhuman, surviving After Mark's error of judgement in inflicted. in a close finish. Those who want to be privilege to see all three of the greatest aftermath had something to do with that. on water, crackers and the occasional glass suggesting Frankie Dettori is a better I can’t split them and there is no photo- soft on horses are hypocrites at a cost to jockeys of their respective eras -- Gordon Frankie Dettori is a very, very good of champagne and cigars. It is a miracle he jockey than Lester Piggott (Mark is finish. A triple dead-heat it is!. the sport and the owners and the punters. Richards, Lester Piggott and Frankie jockey and his personality undoubtedly managed to have the strength to ride the obviously too young to remember 'the Dettori -- ride in their pomp, I have to has made him the current star of horse type of finish that got Roberto home in the Long Fellow' in his pomp), John Scanlon Paul Walker Dr Cyrus S Poonawalla disagree with Mark's opinion that Dettori racing, and his media appearances have 1972 Derby or The Minstrel home in the asks who was Britain's greatest-ever Blakedown, Worcs Pune, India "may" have replaced Piggott as Britain's made him a celebrity even outside of 1977 equivalent. jockey? "greatest-ever jockey". racing. But his record simply does not He rode on a daily basis at all types of It is as thankless a task as trying to say ************ ************ Richards who still, to this day, holds the hold a candle to Lester's. He has had the meetings and among people who knew which was Britain's greatest-ever UK record of 4,870 winners was a legend assistance of his retainers for the racing (and many who just backed his racehorse. Well said on the whip Quite right! and, in the days before blanket (if any) TV Godolphin empire and their associates and rides because he was "Lester") he was, in However, if we are going to whistle in coverage, betting offices and mass media now the Qataris and John Gosden, but still his time and era, certainly as popular as the wind, then surely it is difficult to beat Heartfelt thanks from across the Irish Sea Well done Mark for your interviews in advertisements, was an absolute hero to has won only two Derbys and his meagre Dettori is now without the help again of the claims of Fred Archer. He was to you, Mark, for the comments you put the Racing Post, putting what most the public, the ordinary racegoer or street (for a champion to compare with Richards constant media exposure. champion jockey for the first time in 1874 forward in the Racing Post in mid-July sensible folk think into words! corner punter. One has also to remember or Piggott) three jockeys’ championships He was stronger in the finish than any when he was 18 and won it for the next 11 regarding the importance of the whip in Not enough people with common that there was not nearly so much racing suggest that he has simply not been as other jockey I have ever laid eyes on and years before his untimely death in 1886 racing. I had a letter published in the Post ‘horse’ sense at the top. then as there is today, especially during the dedicated to riding winners as either of the had a "feel" for a horse that simply came His career total of 2,748 winners came last year about the whip and its relevance The jockey’s championship – a Second World War when it was really forementioned. Indeed there have been with genius. A strange and awkward man, at a strike rate of 33% and included 21 after Richard Johnson was penalised meaningless calendar joke. restricted. periods when he has turned out only for for sure, but without doubt the greatest British Classics. He was the first jockey to because of his heroic ride on Native Prize-money – so low the incentive to I can recall, to this day, the crowds at what could be considered "choice" jockey Britain has ever produced. ride over 200 winners in a season in an era River in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. I am cheat is manifestly obvious. Sandown, Kempton or Hurst Park (long mounts. Sorry Mark, "may", in my opinion, when there was no Sunday racing, no all- beginning to despair about the state of Handicaps and a dearth of inventive disappeared) throwing their caps in the air Lester Piggott, because of his record means absolutely not! Nevertheless, kind weather racing and travel was far from British racing and the people who race planning. I believe we still have the easy. administer it. highest proportion of handicaps as a He went on to ride more than 200 I come from an area of Ireland that is percentage of overall races of any major winners a season eight times. Nobody else steeped in racing history and where racing nation. I once told a journalist this in the Victorian era managed that feat even respect for the horse and jockey is condemns British racing to being once, and it was not until Gordon Richards paramount. You have the best ‘institutionally cheatist’ AUGUU UUST in 1933 that it was achieved again. racecourses and the best racing in Britain Given that he was more than a stone (I am a racing fan of 43 years) but I fear Charlie Elsey heavier than George Fordham, who was this obsession that has caught hold about Marlborough, Wilts YYEARLING the other great jockey of the Victorian era, placating people who will never have an his record is all the more remarkable. interest in racing will lead to terminal ************ decline. It needs racing professionals of John S Sexton your calibre to stand up and be counted to Call this planning? SALEA Grange-Over-Sands, Cumbria defend the sport that we love. As you pointed out in the article, the whip is a I was annoyed by last month’s (July) ************ necessary and vital tool in getting the best edition of the Kingsley Klarion. I could 17 ­199 AAUUGUSTU out of the horse. If the whip is banned in not find anything with which I disagreed, A triple dead-heat! Britain it will signify the end of my or even disputed mildly! DDEEEAAUUVILLEE obsession with racing. That is something Mark, in his criticisms of the BHA, As we cannot directly compare the I find hard to contemplate. In conclusion might have added these facts: On July 10 jockeys of different generations, I would I hope your contribution to the debate there were five seven-furlong handicaps suggest the following three tests. will stir others of stature in racing to fight -- two of class 4, a Class 5 and two of 340 year lin gs by top c las s stallions incluuding Public recognition: Only Sir Gordon back and stand up for what we believe in. Class 6. 140 by interna ti ona lly aac cl aaimed sir es Richards, Lester Piggott and Frankie On the same day there were four, mile AMERIC AN PHARO AH , CAAMEL OTT,, D ANSSILI, J DARK ANGEL , DUB AWI, FASTNE T ROCKK, Dettori have been referred to by the ame Burke handicaps: one Class 4, one Class 5 and FRANKEL, GALILE O, I NVI NNCIBLE SPIRITT, public by just their first name, and bets Mitchelstown, Co Cork two Class 6. And this is called race KINGMAN , KODIA C, L E H AAVVRE , LOPE DED VEGA, were placed accordingly. Similarly, Pathe planning? NO N AY NEVER, SEA T HE STTAARS, SIY OUNI.O News, newspapers, TV and now the ************ Nor can I fathom why the first two CONT ACT internet featured all three, often to the nurseries were both over six furlongs, inf o@arqana .com ­ +33 ((0)2 31 81 811 000 exclusion of others. Support from India both on July 6, and the third was on July An electric quality in their riding: All 9, also over six furlongs. www.ar qana. com three possessed the gift of being able to I read with interest your article in which transmit a will to win to the racehorse, you said removing the whip would Rolf Johnson CATALOGUUE not just the great ones but also the threaten racing altogether.