just How good is Sam Waley - Cohen?

Gold Cup-winning rider Sam Waley-Cohen left in frustration after picking up his third suspension in less than a month. As Waley-Cohen is an amateur, he can only be banned on days when there is a race staged in that category, but he had already amassed a total of 15 days to serve during January and February, with a dozen of those coming about when he rode a finish a circuit too early at Fakenham.(that was made worse apparently because of the way he blustered and treated the enquiry principles even saying his horse had given him signs of distress and that why he pulled it up !

He was also given three days for allowing Long Run to hang in on the bend entering the second circuit of the King George and received the same amount on what was only his second ride under Rules since on Time For Spring in the tauntonracecourse.co.uk Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.The stewards found he had used his whip without giving his mount time to respond approaching the second-last fence. The new days will be February 16, 17 and 19.

The 29-year-old, whose next major engagement is likely to be on Long Run in the Betfair Denman Chase on February 11, was reluctant to speak to reporters and said: "I'm not sure if I'll appeal and I really don't want to comment at the moment."

Time For Spring was still in front at the last, but Waley-Cohen had been tracked all the way by a patient Will Kennedy, who gave Made In Time (8-1) just enough rope to win well by two and a quarter lengths on the run-in.

To say that numerous people on the various blogs have labelled this guy a no hoper is an understatement - If long Run wasn't as good as it is he would not be hitting the headlines as a classy amateur - and the fact is he isn't as good as many around - he's arrogant that's for sure but what Amateur  who won the King George and  Gold cup would not think he is something special.?  Someone has to sit him down and tell him "the horse was what won it for you. You just sat on him - that all, you just sat on him, its a good horse that would have won those races with most of the jockeys in the weighing rooms".

Now he's trying far too hard, that ride yesterday was  not that  ill timed as far as pace was concerned, He asked for a big jump at the right time and to be honest I saw nothing that would make me say it was other than a better ride by Kennedy - if anything the ride was near perfect, just the animal could not last out using those tactics, only by losing were the tactics wrong, and  a professional would blame himself but  Will Sam realize that? Just a little humility is required to make this amateur very good indeed. You don't get horses to win by you reputation alone  the animal had given its all by the last, But Sams blood was up, the three cracks of the whip before the second last was a mistake,  you cannot treat horses as if they are machines --  if your loaded have matinee idol looks and have the guarantee of riding the gold cup winner maybe its all to much for him to realize this. 

My opinion - lucky but  far too arrogant ? bad combination - good luck to the lad hopefully this bottom smacking will do him a bit of good. Lets hope so cos he is going to bring the game into disrepute unless he learns quickly

 Bob