Smith smiles on

HE’s nicknamed “Big Money Mike” and, just as he had done at Belmont earlier in the summer, Mike Smith was the leading rider by stakes earnings and overall earnings for last week. His haul included two Grade 1 wins at Saratoga, totalling $1,180,000.

His 2017 earnings currently stand at over $22 million, including those from the Dubai World Cup. His career earnings exceed $302 million.

Yet, watching the American racing coverage last week, you could not but be struck by how, despite a disappointing reverse on the filly Songbird, Smith still conducted a detailed interview walking back in, discussing the defeat while signing autographs and posing for photos.

We say racing doesn’t get attention or have recognisable characters – yet it’s up to the top jockeys and trainers to present the sport. On this side of the ocean not everyone would make such effort to be accessible.

Getting your name out there

RACING needs our sponsors, and they receive some rewards in the publicity from race naming rights.

In the battle for airtime and newspaper coverage between Downpatrick and Roscommon on Monday, it was no contest!

Up north we had the AJC Group Winner Alright Ladies Upstyle Hair Competition Win A Trip To Croatia Beginners Chase, followed by the Rekorderlig Cider Most Appropriately Dressed Lady Win A Trip To Thailand Handicap Chase.

That compared with the more concise names at Roscommon - the Murray Ambulance Maiden followed by the Abbey Hotel Roscommon Maiden.

Presenting one of the best

IT is often the case with a National Hunt stallion that his progeny do not excel or that his significance as a sire is realised until he is retired or passed away. That could not be said of Glenview Stud stallion Presenting.

It does not seem that long ago when, as some of us can remember, the dark, elegant colt in the George Strawbridge colours briefly looked like he could take a big hand in the 1995 Derby finish until the late Walter Swinburn swept by on Lammtarra.

Presenting had presence then and passed that on to his offspring, through big imposing, jumping horses.

Few National Hunt stallions could boost two Gold Cup winners of the high calibre of War Of Attrition and Denman, as well as a Grand National winner in Ballabriggs and three Irish Grand National winners in Niche Market, Rogue Angel and Thunder And Roses.

It was mentioned last season that Presenting’s latest star Yorkhill could drop back to hurdling.

Now wouldn’t it be something if Yorkhill managed to add a Champion Hurdle to Presenting’s roll of honour.

in National Hunt racing’s elite races.