Ryan Moore, Paul Hanagan and Andy Murray’s Mum!

Paul Hanagan landed a treble last night to boost his chances of winning the jockeys title. He is a very good jockey and a nice bloke to boot who works hard and judges pace better than some. All of these qualities have become clear to us over the last few years, and now his most ardent supporters will not hear of defeat in the Championship race. They may be right, but their blinkered devotion to the Hanagan cause may see them dining out on a large slice of humble pie come the end of the season for they seem to have underestimated the most dedicated and single minded jockey in the business in Ryan Moore.

Ryan is not everybody’s cup of tea, but does he care, not a jot! Does he care about the jockeys’ title? You can bet your last fiver that he does, there is a fire that burns within, a drive, a need to win that festers inside that may not be obvious to outside observers, but in private I bet Ryan wants to retain his title and believes that he will.

 I think it would be fair to say that Moore wants to win just as much as Paul Hanagan’s fans want him to win and therein lays the difference between the two men in this fascinating battle. Look at Andy Murray, he is a very good tennis player, but you get the impression his mother wants him to win a grand slam tournament more than he does, and we all know what happened to Murray in this years Grand Slams. If Hanagan fails to become champion I suspect he will be gutted, but not as gutted as those who clench their fists and punch the air every time he hits a winner.

 Of course Hanagan wants to be champion, but his supporters are getting a little over excited and in truth are setting him up for a fall. Those who want Hanagan to win should take a back seat and let him get on with what he does best, he does not need the weight of expectation that is being heaped upon him. He has enough on his plate trying to beat the best jockey in the country. Andy Murray must wonder sometimes if he is playing for his Mum rather than himself and Paul Hanagan is to win he must win for himself and nobody else.

A day off for me today and I am planning to head out for a run shortly. I am going to try and beat my best time on my usual circuit, I am sure you hope that I succeed, but in truth I am doing it for myself.

All the best

Today’s Selections

4.30 Lingfield – Benandonner (each way 13/2 William Hill)