Much has happened since that demanding, draining autumn 19 years ago but the character building events are never far from Peter Crouch’s mind.
Crouch is now a popular media personality, a man who loves a day at the races as much as he enjoys a round of golf. He brought the curtain down on his successful football career five years ago, having been a distinguished England international and an FA Cup winner.
But back in the autumn of 2005 life was challenging for Crouch. He had just been thrust into one of the game’s most demanding roles – Liverpool centre-forward – and it was anticipated he would set off fireworks immediately following a £7million move from Southampton.
Yet that’s the thing with sport: it rarely follows the path you expect. Crouch couldn’t buy a goal for love nor money and, over the course of 18 games and four barren months, he failed to hit the target, even missing a penalty at one point. Through perseverance, eventually the dam burst.
You wouldn’t necessarily make the link but Crouch’s predicament back then came to mind on Saturday when Kieran Shoemark set sail for home at The Curragh, desperately trying to win his first Group One since becoming the main rider for John and Thady Gosden’s powerful stable.
Kieran Shoemark has struggled since becoming the main rider for the Gosden’s stable
It has drawn parallels to Peter Crouch’s challenging start to life at Liverpool in 2005
The last three months for Shoemark have seen parallels. Stories about whether he is good enough for such an important role, comment about the void left by one of the greats (he’s taken over responsibilities from Frankie Dettori) and a succession of agonising defeats.
None have been as painful, however, than the one Emily Upjohn suffered in Ireland. Shoemark asked the high-class mare to sweep to the front 700 yards from home and it looked certain she would win. Here was a moment, potentially, to transform the atmosphere.
That final furlong at The Curragh, though, is deceptive. Looking at it on TV, you’d think it was runway-flat but, on course, when you walk down to the marker post, only then do you appreciate the stamina-draining incline. Emily Upjohn got lonely as she climbed the hill and Bluestocking picked her pocket.
Inevitably, in the land of social media where angry talk is often fuelled by losing betting slips, Shoemark was once again pilloried. Dettori wouldn’t have lost, they said. The stable needs to get a new man, they raged.
They used to say that about Crouch, too. It was never taken into account the outstanding work he was doing for the team in general or the esteem in which he was held by his team-mates, the kneejerk reaction was that he would never be good enough.
Crouch would keep plugging away and, eventually, the tide turned. Who says the same can’t happen for Shoemark? The stable he is riding for now is going through a transitional phase and doesn’t have the amount of horses capable of contesting the biggest events as was the case in the past.
The Gosdens also train for many owners who have their own retained jockeys, meaning Shoemark isn’t in the position of having first call on everything they run and explaining why he wasn’t on either of the yard’s two victories at Royal Ascot last month.
Shoemark will never be another Dettori but, at some point, the tide should turn for him
That cuts his opportunities at the highest level significantly and should be something that is taken into account when Shoemark doesn’t find himself on board on a Gosden runner in a Group One.
If his ability was in question, nonetheless, would Rogel Teal have rung the 27-year-old to book him for the ride on the high-class Dancing Gemini in Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown? It’s a significant moment and should act as a reminder of his ability.
Of course losing on Emily Upjohn will have stung and, similarly, it will have been a source of torment that things haven’t gone as he’d dreamed they would but making a snap judgement would be a mistake. Crouch’s fortunes, happily, eventually changed and he ended up feted at Liverpool.
Shoemark will never be another Dettori but, at some point, the Gosdens are going to give him the leg up on a flying machine. Sooner or later, as was the case for Crouch, the goals are going to come.
Martin’s apology just doesn’t cut it
Tony Martin has apologised but sometimes an apology doesn’t make amends. The Irish trainer, a multiple winner at the Cheltenham Festival, is currently serving a three-month ban for anti-doping rules but you wouldn’t have known that if you were watching racing at Newcastle on Saturday.
Alphonse Le Grande, who was formerly in Martin’s care but is currently being trained by his sister Cathy O’Leary, had won the Northumberland Vase, in fine style and justified 3/1 favouritism under Hollie Doyle, landing a first prize of £38,655.
In the post-race celebrations, an elated Martin was pictured and Doyle said she had spoken to him in the build-up, having ridden for him before. There has been widespread fury within the industry about it all and understandably so.
Martin was allowed to attend Newcastle because he has not been warned off and not a banned person but Doyle’s comments made it clear that he had given her riding instructions. An investigation is now being carried out by the Irish Horse Racing Board (IHRB).
‘I regret my actions and I apologise for them,’ Martin, whose suspension is up in August, told The Racing Post.
He might be contrite but the damage has been done. Plotting and scheming has always been a narrative in racing but the perception around this is that a high-profile trainer has flagrantly ignored the rules and done whatever he wants. The outcome of the investigation is eagerly-awaited.
Giselle: Remember the name
The Ballydoyle two-year-olds look a formidable bunch and that view was only strengthened on Sunday when Henri Matisse won The Railway Stakes at The Curragh. With a dad like Wotton Basset and a mum like Immortal Verse, he was bred to be good and he looks beautiful.
It is the fillies that have been making the biggest waves, however, with Bedtime Story and Fairy Godmother sensational at Royal Ascot. But might Aidan O’Brien have a better one under wraps? Word reaches Horse Power that a daughter of Frankel called Giselle has talent to burn.
O’Brien is currently taking things easy after her debut run behind Bedtime Story at Leopardstown last month but Giselle will be back before the autumn. Await her reappearance with eagerness.
