Noel Fehily slams current crop of jumps jockeys and says only three compare to past stars

FORMER top jockey Noel Fehily says today's current crop of riders 'look like amateurs'.

The six-time Cheltenham Festival winner highlighted just three out there he thinks can hold a candle to legends past.

Fehily, who won the Champion Hurdle twice on Rock On Ruby and Buveur d'Air, said he does not think the standard of riding is as good these days.

Speaking to Horse Racing Odds And Betting, he said he is 'struggling' to explain the gap between past and present.

But he is adamant it is there.

Fehily said: "I don’t want to sound like a miserable old retired jockey, but I don’t think the standard is as good these days.

"I watch some of them go round now and they look like just good amateurs.

"They have more grounding now, with jockey coaches and all sorts of things. They get a lot more now than we did, I can tell you.

"When I was starting, any of us could have been champion jockey.

"When I first walked into the weighing room, you had Richard Dunwoody and Jamie Osborne, who were unbelievably stylish.

"Norman Williamson was so gifted in the saddle, then there was Graham Bradley, AP McCoy and Mick Fitzgerald.

"All of them were good enough to be champion jockey. They were brilliant riders, unbelievable, great horsemen.

"I don’t think you can say the same now. Brian Hughes is a different class and Harry Cobden is very good. He would have held his own in our era and he’s still young.

"Johnny Burke is exceptionally good too but after that, I’m struggling.

"I don’t know why there is a gap but there definitely is a gap."

Fehily's words echo those of former Grand National-winning rider Timmy Murphy.

He said: "I was very lucky. Before AP McCoy and Richard Johnson, I was with Adrian Maguire and Richard Dunwoody, and that generation. They were as good, if not better.

"They were the jockeys we looked up to and aspired to be as good as. That is why the generation after that were so good.

"The likes of AP, Norman Williamson and Richard Johnson would have 100 per cent learned from them.

"There were loads of talented jockeys. Any of the top ten were good enough to be champion jockey. I don't think the current bunch are as good."

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