The art of doing nothing: a jockey's riding style can be a winning factor
Horse racing analyst Andrew of Fiosrach shares his insights into how a jockey's riding style can play a significant role in a horse's jumping ability and ultimately in its chances to win.
If you haven't spotted that, then I suggest you watch multiple races and in the final couple of furlongs look for the jockey sitting motionless. Then see where that horse finishes - by the way, it does not happen every time, but they will win more often than not.
As AP became more successful with multiple jockeys' championships under his belt, he relaxed his technique and began to sit much more still coming into fences. As a consequence, his mounts began to jump better and fall less, and this added longevity and further success in his latter years as the leading UK jockey.
Of more recent jockeys, I think Davy Russell offers a perfect example of how to sit still and let the horse figure out how to best jump a fence. It is important to remember that horses have been jumping fences for thousands of years, with or without a human on board, and they do not want to fall.
With the Cheltenham Festival only a week away it will be important to have a jockey on board that has learned the Art of Doing Nothing.