Herding? What herding?

[PatCummings]

I know our friend Blackthroatedwind rails regularly against the growing herding epidemic in race-riding, and deservedly so.

Today in the Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket we witnessed an epic case of herding and the boys in the box sat on their hands.

http://youtu.be/i6G5RuEeQmE

Oh, and the whip from Buick riding Elusive Kate struck Sky Lantern across the face once...combining that and the herding...and amazingly, still no DQ

[Scav]

I don't see that as herding at all. The jock had his whip in the correct hand and the horse was still getting out the whole stretch. Now the jock didn't 'straighten' her out but he was trying to use the whip to do that.

I see herding as when a horse is on the rail, and then there is a horse in the 5 path making a major move, and said rail horse gets directed by the jock to drift out to intimidate

[pointman]

Originally Posted by Scav

I don't see that as herding at all. The jock had his whip in the correct hand and the horse was still getting out the whole stretch. Now the jock didn't 'straighten' her out but he was trying to use the whip to do that.

I see herding as when a horse is on the rail, and then there is a horse in the 5 path making a major move, and said rail horse gets directed by the jock to drift out to intimidate

This type of herding, which just seems to go on about a daily basis now and at several tracks, drives me nuts. You really can't blame the jocks for doing it when they know the stewards refuse to doing anything about it. That is, of course, until someone gets really hurt.