[ad_1]
Danny Muscutt and Kevin Stott have been best friends since meeting at the National Horseracing College in Doncaster as teenage wannabes.
A decade later, talented riders find themselves locked in a thrilling battle to become the champion jockey in the All-Weather – a battle that could take place on Final Day in Newcastle on Good Friday, live on Sky Sports Race.
Stott was the runaway leader at the halfway point, opening up a 15-win advantage over Muscutt, but his determined rival calmly continued to close the gap before taking a decisive four-win lead in mid-March.
“It would be nice to win it,” said the brilliant but often understated Muscutt. “Especially because there’s nothing I want to do in the fall. It’ll be a great reward for hanging around all winter.”
Stott, whose steely determination has won new admirers, is equally philosophical. “It will be a good thing to have on the CV, especially after being at home for a long time,” he added. “However, if it doesn’t happen for me, I will be happy for Dan. He is a top driver, a good friend and deserves all the success he gets.”
That’s the respect of these two young men for each other who are strong rivals you can expect at this stage of the title race is paled by mutual admiration. After all, they cut their teeth together at jockey school before they both found success at the highest level.
“There’s not a lot of banter between us to be honest,” added Muscutt. “We just go up every day and try to ride as many winners, but I’m sure Kevin doesn’t need to remind me that I’ve been looking over his shoulder.”
“We haven’t spoken about it,” said Stott, who not only lived with Muscutt at Racing College but also lived with him at Newmarket a few years ago during a brief spell with former trainer Luca Cumani. “Whatever the outcome, we’ll be happy for each other. That’s how it is.”
Muscutt appears to have momentum after sweeping into the lead with a little more than two weeks of Season 10 remaining. He has ridden 43 of 68 winners since the turn of the year compared to Stott’s 24.
“I had a good February, but the last two or three weeks have been very difficult for all of us,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of spares but the Newmarket yard I’m riding in at the moment is busy so I’m hoping I’ll have some strong ammunition for myself.”
Muscutt (left) rides Thismydream to victory at Southwell
In contrast, Stott has endured a quiet start to 2023 and admits it will be difficult to find a regular supply of winners.
“The opportunity hasn’t been there like it was in the first few months of the season. My relationship with George Boughey was very productive, but George didn’t have a runner until January and February when Dan was growing. of the winner,” he reflected.
In fact, Boughey has provided just six winners since the start of the year compared to 19 with an incredible strike rate of 25 per cent in the opening months of the season.
“I couldn’t have tried any harder,” says Stott. “My partner Meg (Nicholls) has done a great job as my agent, but winners are getting harder and harder to come by. All we can do is do our best and see what happens on Good Friday.”
Stott (purple) has signed on as Amo Racing’s retained jockey this year
As the two riders seek their first career titles, both are quick to point out that they will be enjoying the start of the new Flat Season, which promises a lot at this burgeoning stage of their careers.
Stott’s dominance in the All-Weather Championships has won him a lucrative position as first jockey for rising powerhouse Amo Racing – a role that will almost certainly require him to be at Doncaster for the start of the Turf campaign on April 1.
“All-Weather has given me the opportunity to show my talent this season after being freelance and being in the spotlight helped me get a job with Kia (Joorabchian), which I’m very happy about,” added Stott.
“Of course I will be disappointed if I don’t win the title after leading for so long but my new role will more than make up for it. That alone has made all the constant travel and hard work worthwhile.”
Muscutt has overtaken Stott in the title race where he previously left 15
For Muscutt, a second consecutive productive winter only kept the momentum he built going into 2022 when he recorded his best annual tally of 127 winners. Thanks to the support of James Fanshawe and Kevin Philippart De Foy, he continued his pole position.
“It’s a bit of a balancing act because I can’t see one ball now,” he said. “I will also ride the Turf before Friday, but it is a good position to compete for the title so I am not complaining.”
The two jockeys hope to set the seal on such a memorable season campaign with Championship success on Good Friday. Muscutt rides Ziggy in the Easter Classic, while Stott hopes for Fleurman in the Marathon Final.
“Fleurman really impressed me in the Fast-Track Qualifying at Wolverhampton the other day,” he added. “He has a lot to gain at weight with the Earlofthecotswolds champion, but he can beat him.
“Olly (Murphy) has done a great job with this horse who is clearly improving at the right time. We know the big track at Newcastle suits him so I’m hoping for the best.”
Muscutt also felt he had a chance of winning at Ziggy Harry Eustace.
“He had a good run in qualifying at Newcastle earlier in the season but it didn’t last at Kempton. The leader ran like clappers and it took a lot of attention from us all, but Harry revived him well.”
No doubt a victory for both riders on the marquee day for the All-Weather race would be a fitting finale to what has been an interesting battle between two of the best talents in the weigh-in room. A fight that might give the audience it’s attracted to another twist or turn.
[ad_2]
Source link