Letter: Clever Cauthen; 100 GREATEST RIDES.
Byline: Alan CoplandON HER day, Cormorant Wood could beat anything, and the 1983 Champion Stakes was certainly one of her days.
The problem Steve Cauthen had was that he wanted to cover her up in a large field and deliver her challenge as they came out of the dip.
Unfortunately, there was a very strong wind blowing directly across the track that day, which was pushing the whole field over towards the stands' side.
It was clear from three furlongs out that Cormorant Wood was travelling very well but had nowhere to go.
Cauthen had to sit and suffer far longer than he would have wanted to. While most other jockeys would have risked losing everything by trying to barge their way out, he waited and waited, skilfully keeping her balanced and running until finally his gap came as they ran out of the dip and, in an instant, he had her out and clear for a brilliant victory.
I was pleased and surprised years later, after he had retired from race riding, to hear Steve interviewed on Channel 4 and say that the ride on Cormorant Wood that day, together with Slip Anchor's Derby, were his best rides during his time in Europe.
Alan Copland
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| Title Annotation: | Sports |
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| Publication: | The Racing Post (London, England) |
| Date: | Jan 5, 2007 |
| Words: | 207 |
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