In the racing game, it is virtually accepted as fact that jockeys are the worst judges. I did find the comments of Glen Boss in the aftermath of Smart Missile's impressive Run to the Rose win, however, quite interesting. When describing the colt's devastating final sectional on Racing Review, Boss referenced the incredible Caulfield Guineas of 2005, when God's Own came from a seemingly impossible position to nail Paratroopers right on the post. This win is without doubt one of my favourite racin

In the racing game, it is virtually accepted as fact that jockeys are the worst judges. I did find the comments of Glen Boss in the aftermath of Smart Missile's impressive Run to the Rose win, however, quite interesting. When describing the colt's devastating final sectional on Racing Review, Boss referenced the incredible Caulfield Guineas of 2005, when God's Own came from a seemingly impossible position to nail Paratroopers right on the post. This win is without doubt one of my favourite racing moments of all time, so my interest naturally piqued, I put down the Giacometti 'L'Homme qui marche I' exact replica I was fashioning, leaned forward in my chair and listened a little closer to what Bossy had to say (all the while trying not to be distracted by the gargantuan silver pendant/breastplate decorating his chest).

And indeed, his comments made me look at that famous race from a completely different perspective: though God's Own was undeniably motoring home, according to Boss the win only appeared to be as freakish as it was because Paratroopers was running on absolute empty in the final 100m. Although perhaps obvious to most people, over all these years of watching that great race on Youtube I have previously been oblivious to the fact that Paratroopers was going up and down on the one spot and virtually walking to the line - probably because I'd had my eyes fixed on God's Own's torrid passage back in the field for the duration - and been unable to fathom the speed with which the son of Redoute's Choice attacked the line. But sure enough, when I watched it again, it was plain as day that the leader really shortened stride approaching the line, thus making an already mind-blowing win look completely out of this world. It's funny how the manner in which one views a race can change even six years on... I wonder if we'll be talking about a Helmet v Smart Missile Guineas that far down the road?