George Simon: I've seen a lot in my time, this wasn't great
George Simon • June 16th, 2025 4:52 PM
Over the years, I reckon I'd seen everything imaginable from my vantage point in the Commentary Box.
That will give context around this column.
From an "entertainment" perspective I'm sure there were many who watched what unfolded barely believing what they were seeing.
If watching horses and riders falling off and careering all over the racetrack is your cup of tea, then you were in your element.
However, from a jumps racing enthusiast viewpoint, it wasn't what you wanted to see.
I don't think many people were expecting what transpired as the small seven horse field of maiden steeplechasers set off on their 3900m, 17 fence journey.
The first three fences were dispatched efficiently by all seven runners.
Run of the mill stuff, nothing to report.
Then the fun and games started, and quite literally the circus came to town.
As the field moved out into "the country" by the 800m on their first of two laps, Zeefa Zed dislodged rider Emily Farr.
Bad luck for connections and those punters who'd wagered on Zeefa Zed but thankfully horse and rider were uninjured.
A few hundred meters later as the field made their way up the straight with just over a lap to go, the race took a dramatic twist.
Hot favourite Countryman, ridden by Kylan Wiles crashed on landing after jumping the fence before the stand double.
Unfortunately, Fabulous Nancy with Joshua Parker aboard, who'd been minding its own business back at the tail of the field, cannoned into the prone Countryman and unseated Parker.
After starting with seven runners, we were down to four and hadn't even completed the first lap.
But wait, as they say in those ubiquitous television advertisements, there's more.
After all remaining runners cleared the stand double and made their way to the fence leaving the straight, one of the riderless horses cut in front of the leader Canulovemeagain just prior to the fence.
This caused Canulovemeagain to baulk at the fence and essentially firing rider Corey Wiles into the fence.
Right behind that runner was Muse with Hamish McNeill aboard, and after having to veer sharply to evade Canulovemeagain, McNeill was unbalanced and also unseated from his mount.
Also caught up in that skirmish were the only other two runners, Uncle Charlie and Catch And Release.
Fortunately for Uncle Charlie he had enough momentum up to scramble over the fence although his rider Portia Matthews nearly parted company on landing.
Trust me, you can't make this stuff up.
The only other survivor, Catch And Release had also got involved in the skirmish and hadn't jumped the fence, but importantly his rider Dean Parker was still in the saddle.
So, with a lap still to run and six more fences still to negotiate, we were down to just Uncle Charlie and Catch And Release, provided they jumped the remaining fences.
History tells us that Uncle Charlie did jump the remaining fences and went on to record a near 90 length winning margin over the only other finisher, Catch And Release.
All horses and riders were uninjured which was a relief.
But as a jumping fan myself, I have to say it wasn't a good look.
Yes, there were extenuating circumstances with riderless horses creating havoc setting off a chain of barely believable events.
Also, this was a maiden field, so these are some of the more inexperienced steeplechasers going around.
However, with Jumps racing under the microscope from various quarters both inside and outside of the racing industry, I hope we don't see a repeat of what we saw last Saturday, anytime soon.
Jumps racing can't afford that.
