Jockey Angle with Paddy Flood: 'She gives this horse a very Derek O'Connor ride' On this week's episode of ‘The Jockey Angle’, brought to you by William Hill, jockey coach and lead analyst, Paddy Flood, analyses a mature ride from Abbie Fitzgibbon aboard Whatey’s Quest in Listowel, a mortifying miscalculation by Niall McCullagh and a potential Guineas contender in Push The Boat Out. Race replays are FREE to watch from all Irish tracks and a selection of premier British tracks sponsored by William Hill. Paddy Flood’s Analysis I was looking through a lot of rides and runners this week and I had a good few picks, but I just really thought this ride deserved a bit of highlighting. Just watch this horse going to the first fence. She's good and prominent. She's up there with the leaders. The horse does not go down and jump the first well. Just watch the horse's feet. He actually chips in a stride and maybe adds an extra stride and a half where he could have came and took off at the jump. What I liked was you watch Abbie's body language. She doesn't get down and hustle him and bustle him. She just grabs a fresh hold of him. She's being followed by probably the greatest amateur of all time and the best man over a fence I've ever seen in Derek O’Connor. She actually gives this horse a very Derek O'Connor ride. What I'm saying is she's not pushing the horse. She's actually getting the horse to run into the bridle for her. And basically what she's trying to do is let this horse know this job is easy because after that first where he jived in on her. She could have been well within her right to get down and give him a smack in the shoulder and rush him down to the next jump. Some jockeys would do that. But she does the very mature, sensible thing and grabs a hold of the horse again. Watch her body language going to a fence. She's not forcing. She's not forcing. She's trying to get the horse to take her down. If she forces him down, I'm 99% sure that this horse will back off even more. Just watch him here again. Shifts in, goes right on her. She does have a good seat. You can barely see it. I just love the style of her. She's down low with him. And watch her hands. Her wrists are turned and her knuckles are facing forward. I thought it was a really mature ride. I think with a more aggressive ride, that horse wouldn't have won. Fair play to Abbie Fitzgibbon. If you see her on the track, by all means don't be afraid to have a few quid on if you fancy a horse she’s riding.
