Feb_114_TalkingTo_Owner Breeder 17/01/2014 14:47 Page 44
PHIL SMITH
Smith pictured with connections of 2010 Grand National hero Don’t Push It, JP McManus, Jonjo O’Neill and Frank Berry (l-r)
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they venture south. But the general quality of the jumpers in the north is nothing like as good as those in the south. Our job is to give them a chance and when they go to Cheltenham and Aintree they boast a high percentage strike-rate in handicaps. Funnily, we never get a complaint about northern Flat horses being rated too highly and unable to compete in the south.
Why are handicappers so quick to put horses up after an impressive win/effort, but so slow to reduce ratings? Historically that’s absolutely true. But in recent years I’ve been encouraging the team to drop horses more quickly. However, there is a huge proviso. And that is an integrity issue, which is one of the most important aspects of our job. If trainers knew that if they won and then their horse was pulled up or disappointed we would automatically drop its rating, there would be an incentive to cheat. We have a major integrity function to keep everyone honest. But I must say that in recent years we have been inclined to drop horses a fair bit quicker. How do you ensure that Irish-trained horses are not advantaged when they run in Britain? Since 2003 we have assessed Irish jump races in the same way we do every English race. On the Flat we are happy to take the Irish handicappers’ decisions. But jumping we are applying the same methodology to the Irish as we do with the English. It is worth remembering there can be a huge difference in the quality of the ground and when some
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“The novice chase
situation is damaging the sport and I have just produced a paper on the subject” Irish horses come here after running on heavy they improve on the better going. The novice chase situation in Britain, with two/three-runner races and lack of opportunities for high-class recruits from hurdling, is damaging the sport. What should be done?
It certainly is damaging the sport and I have just produced a paper on the subject that has gone to my boss, Ruth Quinn, the BHA’s Director of Racing. So watch this space… You often take flak from journalists when rankings are revealed, including when you reduced the rating of Dancing Brave and co in tandem with Frankel being given a mark of 140. Was it really necessary to tinker with the ratings? Well, it was unofficial. I did an exercise, which said this is how these figures would have looked with modern-day methodology. The guys who were handicapping in 1987 were operating in a marginally different way from they way we do it nowadays. We did it out of interest and fun, and Dancing Brave is still officially 141. Only unofficially is he 138. Frankel is 140.
CLOSE UP AND... PERSONAL
CLOSE UP AND... PROFESSIONAL
How do you relax… on holiday with my wife and playing golf
Most demanding part of my job… hitting the deadlines with so much racing
Most exciting moment in my life… getting married in 2012
I’d encourage more people to go racing by… attracting the over 50s, who have more time and money than the younger generation
Four dinner party guests… Catherine and I are quite reclusive, but I’d like Beyoncé to join us! Favourite holiday destination… following the Tour de France in the Alps and Pyrenees My weakness is… chocolate
My ambition is… a dead-heat in the Grand National Best horse I have seen… Kauto Star I feel the pressure when… I’ve had a bad result in a handicap
THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER