IT’S been a week where the Olympic Games have totally dominated media coverage. Time and time again, athletes have come before cameras and summed up their experiences, not all of them successful or reaching the expected standard, but in a friendly, forthright manner.

And contrary to what we usually see on general sporting social media, even valiant efforts in defeat have been welcomed and praised. Would it be so in general sport?

On a quiet week for racing, jockey Kieren Shoemark has been the focus of attention and come in for a lot of scrutiny now that he is in a high-profile position as retained rider to the Gosden stable.

There was some knockback coming from the racing ‘professionals’ towards the racing media for putting the rider under scrutiny. Many, more directly involved in racing, brought up the mental health issues jockeys can experience, predictably taking the rider’s side.

Although of course we can recall there were many in the profession who publicly expressed opinions that Bryony Frost should just put up and shut up when she spoke up about intimidating weigh-room behaviour.

In a letter to the Racing Post this week, former trainer James Toller wrote: “It was sad to see him put through such scrutiny”.

We saw from the tearful winning interview by Callum Shepherd after winning on Isle Of Jura at Royal Ascot, that his jocking off from Ambiente Friendly in the Derby had hurt. Shoemark has now been replaced on Inspiral at Deauville tomorrow, though having to stand aside for Ryan Moore on the big day is no disgrace to anyone, given how well he is bossing things at the moment.

Must do better

If Shoemark has been found wanting on the big days, it has been on Gosden’s top older horses that gained most attention, but most of whom should receive a ‘must do better’ report this season, and have not reached the levels of past years. Audience has been a surprise exception, but of the three high class fillies that Shoemark has ridden at top level, Inspiral is five, Emily Upjohn also five and Free Wind six. All have flattered to deceive on occasions and all have put up below par runs under Frankie Dettori. Inspiral has been winning Group 1s since she was two and has her quirks.

Gosden himself had ups and down with Frankie, practically after the Royal Ascot 2023 that saw Dettori beaten on Inspiral, Stradivarius and the handicapper Saga.

Going back to the second Arc de Triomphe that Enable won, he later said he had kept the fact that the filly suffered a chill and missed work after her Kempton reappearance, from Dettori (and from punters) because he didn’t want the rider to lose confidence. It did seem odd at the time. Bigger the name, easier to forget the below par efforts.

So, how much confidence the Gosden team keep in Shoemark remains to be seen, but with below-par horses and no obvious rider replacement, it will be interesting.

But for all the public “scrutiny”, it comes with the territory in this online era, punters are more verbal and make it public if they are seeing horses not been ridden to full advantage. It’s much tougher in many other sports, fancy having 3,000 football fans shouting abuse, “a shit Andy Carroll”? It certainly can’t help a player’s performance.

Of course, the substantial bank balance and not having the fear of having your body smashed up in a fall should take the sting out of that abuse!

But jockeys, on the racetracks, are generally well away from such comments. I can’t think any rider would be accused of being a “shit Frankie Dettori” publicly.

But it’s the era we live in that online comments are not pleasant. Social media and discussion podcasts are the order of the day. The only solution is to stay off social media. It can be done!

Beware the feel-good factor!

THE Olympic success over these weeks has seen many in the media and particularly retired sportsmen, calling for much more funding to go towards coaching of athletes, from athletics to boxing and over many sports, citing the huge social benefits and the ‘feel good’, engagement to the public at large.

Already there are suggestions on social media that racing’s annual government contribution should be looked at. It’s not hard to argue that racing’s (and equestrian sports) value and contribution to the economy is a more than worthy return in so many ways, not just in feel good weeks during the Olympics and World Championships every two or four years. But when trainers are all calling out for more prize money, everyone should be aware of more obstacles or darts thrown racing’s way in the months to come.