Racehorse TALK

That TV is bigger than my street, Perhaps Scott Prince can fit it in his lounge room ?

Lovely photos DD that TV is amazing .....thanks for sharing with us  

Fradd admits to 'bad decision' 02 Apr 2010

Michael Lee/Craig Brennan

Jockey Robbie Fradd and trainer Patrick Shaw have cleared the air over that much-talked about Rocket Man ride that has been panned by a large section of the racing world, including Shaw himself.

The healthy relationship the South African has enjoyed with Shaw and owner Fred Crabbia over the last three years had become strained since Fradd jumped off the Singapore sprinter after their half-length second to Kinsale King in last Saturday’s US$2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) at Meydan in Dubai.

Rocket Man, a noted free-running on-pace galloper, was seen restrained behind the leaders and found himself in an untenable position at the top of the straight.

By the time he found daylight, the bird had flown, and a world reward had once again slipped away from Rocket Man (a fighting second in last year’s KrisFlyer), but this time Shaw and Crabbia were left with the bitter taste they had been let down by a questionable ride from Fradd.

Fradd did not speak to Shaw until Tuesday when he recognised he had erred.

“It’s all sorted out between Pat and me now. My obligation has always been towards Pat and Fred, and nothing else matters,” said Fradd.

“I’ve been in this game long enough to know anybody can make bad decisions every now and then - including all these experts out there.

“I didn’t talk to them (Shaw and Crabbia) after the race because they were a bit down and I didn’t feel it was the right time.

“I just wanted a few days for things to get quiet, but unfortunately things got out of proportion during that time.

“In hindsight, I should have spoken to them straightaway and nip it in the bud.”

Fradd, a top jockey who has won the highest accolades in both his homeland and other countries like Hong Kong and Japan, knows it was not one of his better rides, but said the decisions were made in the best interest of Rocket Man at the time.

“At the time of the race, I made some decisions, which unfortunately didn’t work out. I’m not a machine, I’m only a human being and I made a mistake,” said Fradd.

“I should maybe have kept the American horse out. Turning for home, maybe Rocket Man would have then kicked forward, I don’t know, but he could have run out of steam as well, and then you’re an idiot again.

“I was caught between a rock and a hard place, really.

“I thought the Japanese horse (Laurel Guerreiro), who was a quarter of a length in front in the straight, would fall away but he didn’t.

“At the same time One World came out and gave me a bit of a bump. I lost a bit of momentum and that’s when the winner took one-and-a-half to two lengths on me.

“The winning post came too early. If I had won, it would have been the greatest ride since Seabiscuit!”

Fradd is also planning to fly to South Africa next week to speak face-to-face with Crabbia as well.

“Like I said my commitment is to Fred and Pat,” he added. “I know Fred is a very busy man and I hope he can find a couple of days so I can have a good talk with him as well.

“Fred is a very fair man but I leave that to him.

“I hope I can rectify matters. If I can, it’s all good because that horse is very special to me.

“I’ve worked with him from Day 1. When that horse was in the stable for six months, I looked after him, but unfortunately, people out there keep forgetting these things.”

Shaw, for one did not forget, especially Fradd’s part in saving Rocket Man’s career shortly after last year’s KrisFlyer, and said that he’d now had his say and it was time to move on.

“It is all history now,” said Shaw. “I’ve had my say and it is time to move on.”

Shaw said he owed a lot to Fradd for still having Rocket Man up and running and in the process being talked of as one of the world’s top sprinters.

Fradd was the one who detected all was not right with Rocket Man in June last year after which x-rays revealed the gelding had suffered a condylar fracture of the off-side cannon bone which was subsequently operated on with screws inserted.

“Without Robbie’s input we quite possibly wouldn’t have Rocket Man racing today,” said Shaw.

“That is why I like to keep the same jockeys on. The guys get to know the horse and the feel of them.

“They are the first ones that can tell when something is wrong with a horse.”

Meanwhile Rocket Man emerged from quarantine – where he is staying for two weeks following his return from Dubai last Tuesday - this morning to do some light trackwork.

Shaw also had Rocket Man’s off foreleg x-rayed – as he normally does – as a precaution.

“He had a light canter this morning and was nice fresh,” said Shaw. “He has taken no harm at all from his trip.

“His x-ray has come back all clear and we can now press forward to his upcoming races.”

Rocket Man is expected to contest the Group 1 $500,000 Lion City Cup over 1200m on April 24 before lining-up in the Group 1 $1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m on May 16.

That would be his trainer too, DD 

Wow. Anyone who can't see that the jockey cost him the race after giving up the plum spot outside the leader, meaning he would have kept the winner 3 wide the trip rather than being stuck behind it- when on the fastest horse,  and then being in a buffeting duel for 200m in the straight (as soon as he got clear of the one he was fighting with he put 2 lengths on it)-should take up other interests. (I hope that sounds as offensive as when you said it  ).

Interesting that the experts on the coverage spoke for 20 minutes about how Rocket Man shouldn't have given up the spot outside the leader because it meant he was restrained, started over racing, couldn't get out and when he finally did he was beaten less than a length. The birds eye camera angle showed this perfectly.

And the trainer publicly said he thought the tactics cost him the race- should he look for another job?

Other interests? No thanks.

I got the impression watching the trainer after the race that it might just have been a life changing experience for him, Did you see him jumping around in the enclosure from your vantage point DD ?

DD,

Every right to your (learned) opinion. Bit shattered you told me to find other interests because my opinion differed from yours . Even though it was an opinion shared by the commentators and the trainer.

Clearly we were watching different races 

With out arguing with anybody

From my experience in racing, if you restrain a free running horse, the amount you restrain them, is the amount you cost them in the run. (have had plenty of experience on the subject also)

So in Rocket Mans case, he was restrained more than 2 lengths, and should have finished at least 2 lengths closer, and that is not factoring in the buffeting he copped, and was still able to balance up, and take a lot of ground off of the winner.

I also can't agree with the comment of the leader doing the bollocking in the lead, he kicked off of the corner, so obviously wasn't going to hard.

If Rocket Man sat outside the lead, he easily has the winners measure in the straight.

But this is a forum, and we all have our own opinions

You were sitting 20m from there with your lovely wife (hope I'm not being too presumptuous). Watched the same races and had a pearler of a time. So really, what is the difference? Just because they have squillions, doesn't make the view any better. They probably have bigger problems than we could even imagine.