Racing Post

In racing family is important – as the Moores have proved

TOM SEGAL

WHILE watching the racing on Saturday something struck me that I hadn’t really written about before, and that was the importance of families.

It surely can’t be a coincidence that some of the most successful stables in the country are run within family structures, and the advantage of having your relatives riding the horses and being around the yard are obvious.

Take the Moores and the Skeltons. Everyone in those yards are pulling in the same direction – they probably have dinner together in the evening and chat about the horses and what is best for each one.

That is a very different scenario from a stable jockey, who comes to the yard in the morning to ride a few horses and then goes home.

I just don’t think many people can be as honest or as willing to put their neck on the line in a working relationship as they are in a family orientated one.

Harry Skelton must have nothing else on his mind when he goes out to ride a horse other than doing exactly what was planned beforehand. There will be no doubts as to whether he’d keep the ride in the future or if he should be on something different in the race. He will ride the horse the way the team have planned and will be perfectly fine with the consequences afterwards.

It is the same situation with the Moore family, who continually overachieve – as highlighted by Editeur Du Gite’s amazing victory in the Clarence House Chase at the weekend.

Year in year out, both on the Flat and over jumps, I don’t think there is a yard that hits above the average more than the Moores. Of course, that is a lot down to the brilliance of the trainer, but I’m a huge believer in the wisdom of crowds and how a few brains are better than one. Consequently, having Josh and Jamie around to bounce ideas off has to be a huge benefit.

In Ireland I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of Patrick in the Mullins regime. He will always say that his dad Willie doesn’t listen to anyone and is his own man, but I guarantee whatever Patrick says will be lodged in Willie’s brain and he won’t be able to totally get it out. I know that when my son or daughter say something about their lives I would at least think about it, even if I didn’t agree with it and try and find a solution of sorts.

The world has moved on at a pace in the last 20 years and while Willie is an incredible trainer, I doubt whether he would have be able to get where is is currently without Patrick’s assistance day in day out.

NEWS

en-ie

2023-02-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-02-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

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