George Rooke

[Winner69]

George having a long Christmas break

George Rooke | From the close of racing Friday 19 December to the conclusion of racing Sunday 11 January (Suspended @ Ellerslie R4 11/12, Te Rapa R8 13/12 & Trentham R6 14/12) 

 

Three suspensions in as many days some effort

 

No wonder referred to the Riders Skills Panel ...suppose that's meant to improve things

 

 

 

 

 

[scooby3051]

Hope they look at the way he uses the whip too...I know its repetitive but it needs actioning...there are a few serial offenders and he is one of them.

[nomates]

4 minutes ago, Winner69 said:

George having a long Christmas break

George Rooke | From the close of racing Friday 19 December to the conclusion of racing Sunday 11 January (Suspended @ Ellerslie R4 11/12, Te Rapa R8 13/12 & Trentham R6 14/12) 

 

Three suspensions in as many days some effort

 

No wonder referred to the Riders Skills Panel ...suppose that's meant to improve things

 

 

 

 

 

That about sums up most jockeys attitudes , take very little notice when reprimanded .

Now start sitting them down for extended periods and they will start to wake up .

[Ohokaman]

1 hour ago, Winner69 said:

George having a long Christmas break

George Rooke | From the close of racing Friday 19 December to the conclusion of racing Sunday 11 January (Suspended @ Ellerslie R4 11/12, Te Rapa R8 13/12 & Trentham R6 14/12) 

 

Three suspensions in as many days some effort

 

No wonder referred to the Riders Skills Panel ...suppose that's meant to improve things

 

 

 

 

 

In demand jockey. Rode 4 winners and 5 placings in that time.

[CabooseKid]

A bit of a shocker of a day for Rooke ...ended up running last in the last race and throwing a verbal tantrum at the strapper when returning to the birdcage. That after the events highlighted in race 6 and then getting Dealt to by Dealt With the hotshot in race 7. It seems the judicial enquiry might have affected his riding.

[Farnarkler]

There's a camel waiting for this bloke........sadly.

[stodge]

5 hours ago, Farnarkler said:

There's a camel waiting for this bloke........sadly.

Do you mean he's quitting New Zealand and going to Dubai to ride for the winter? 

[Ohokaman]

16 hours ago, CabooseKid said:

A bit of a shocker of a day for Rooke ...ended up running last in the last race and throwing a verbal tantrum at the strapper when returning to the birdcage. That after the events highlighted in race 6 and then getting Dealt to by Dealt With the hotshot in race 7. It seems the judicial enquiry might have affected his riding.

He might have had a point, we don’t know. Cosmic Dream won well but the other two stable horses were awful.

Neither Roger or Robert were on course to sort it out either.

[Maximus]

22 hours ago, scooby3051 said:

Hope they look at the way he uses the whip too...I know its repetitive but it needs actioning...there are a few serial offenders and he is one of them.

totally agree, scoobs ...recidivist offender IMO

[Farnarkler]

12 hours ago, stodge said:

Do you mean he's quitting New Zealand and going to Dubai to ride for the winter? 

I reckon Camel racing would best suit his style Stodge, then again,.....poor camels.

[Ohokaman]

Give the young bloke a break. Only 24 and no doubt still finding his way in NZ Racing and not doing badly for mine.

The stables giving him rides...Te Akau, James/Wellwood, Marsh, Rogerson etc obviously recognise his talent.

 

[Maximus]

Max disagrees with thee on this front, O man ...24 is old enough to know that if you keep on making the same mistakes you'll get punished harder and harder. No one is doubting his talent, he has it in spades, BUT ...gotta be a good lad, George, and realise that suspensions are there to teach you a lesson, not to give you another pleasant mini-holiday to soak up the glory of your success(es).  Mebbe use the time off to learn the whip use rules. 

[Ohokaman]

25 minutes ago, Maximus said:

Max disagrees with thee on this front, O man ...24 is old enough to know that if you keep on making the same mistakes you'll get punished harder and harder. No one is doubting his talent, he has it in spades, BUT ...gotta be a good lad, George, and realise that suspensions are there to teach you a lesson, not to give you another pleasant mini-holiday to soak up the glory of your success(es).  Mebbe use the time off to learn the whip use rules. 

He’s hardly alone there is he so why the negativity ?  He will learn, the hard way if necessary. Stables will demand it.

[Farnarkler]

5 minutes ago, Ohokaman said:

He’s hardly alone there is he so why the negativity ?  He will learn, the hard way if necessary. Stables will demand it.

He'd get hunted in Oz, can't sit in a bus.......sorry, sometimes the truth hurts a bit.

[Maximus]

41 minutes ago, Ohokaman said:

He’s hardly alone there is he so why the negativity ?  He will learn, the hard way if necessary. Stables will demand it.

the negativity comes from the fact that he copped three separate suspensions on consecutive days/meetings. Alarm bells should be ringing inside 'is head 

[Ohokaman]

1 hour ago, Maximus said:

the negativity comes from the fact that he copped three separate suspensions on consecutive days/meetings. Alarm bells should be ringing inside 'is head 

Yes I’ve read the reports. Others not blameless either and rider of Gigi also charged with same offence in Cup.

[Kingshill]

16 hours ago, Maximus said:

the negativity comes from the fact that he copped three separate suspensions on consecutive days/meetings. Alarm bells should be ringing inside 'is head 

Wonder if [xxxxx] rogie paid the $2000 fine for him  considering the prize money won by Sharp and Smart on Saturday 

Edited December 16, 2025 by Pete Lane
No derogatory nicknames for respected trainers please.

[Maximus]

It's well known in the industry that the 'winning connections' often pay the 'poor' jockey's' fine in lieu of (or in addition to) a 'sling' . Amnd to be fair, there are many many generous owners in this game.

Whether or not the connections of SNS did is really no-one's business but theirs.
The real issue here is that too many jockeys in NZ are getting away with illegal use of the whip and other rules because the penalties are not sufficient to stop them from transgressing (see separate thread on this site). 

The ever-helpful Max has come up with a potential solution: DEMERIT POINTS just like your driver's licence...get over 100 points in any 2yr period and they take your licence to ride away for 3/6/12 months

[Pam Robson]

Actually, Max, I think that's a bloody good idea.

[BUCKY]

6 hours ago, Maximus said:

It's well known in the industry that the 'winning connections' often pay the 'poor' jockey's' fine in lieu of (or in addition to) a 'sling' . Amnd to be fair, there are many many generous owners in this game.

Whether or not the connections of SNS did is really no-one's business but theirs.
The real issue here is that too many jockeys in NZ are getting away with illegal use of the whip and other rules because the penalties are not sufficient to stop them from transgressing (see separate thread on this site). 

The ever-helpful Max has come up with a potential solution: DEMERIT POINTS just like your driver's licence...get over 100 points in any 2yr period and they take your licence to ride away for 3/6/12 months

Actually there used to be a Rule that 'prevented' owners etc from paying jockeys fines. Bloody hard to police I would have thought..but..if it came out that a connection had told a rider before a race that he should 'win at all costs' and if you get stung by the feds, we'll fix you up'..that surely would be bordering on illegal by encouraging riders to commit breaches of the Rules. Especially the whip rules which is why the RIB Board must instigate a right of protest!!

[Maximus]

yep impossible to police ..so many ways of beating the system ...but a DEMERIT POINTS system would have them all thinking twice about careless riding/ smart-arse tactics, illegal use of whip, inability to count etc etc ...cos automatic loss of licence for more than a handful of 'National days' HURTS where it hurts most, and no-one is going to be able to flip[ you a backhander on that!

[Ponderosa8]

16 minutes ago, Maximus said:

yep impossible to police ..so many ways of beating the system ...but a DEMERIT POINTS system would have them all thinking twice about careless riding/ smart-arse tactics, illegal use of whip, inability to count etc etc ...cos automatic loss of licence for more than a handful of 'National days' HURTS where it hurts most, and no-one is going to be able to flip[ you a backhander on that!

Another option.   Sharp'n Smarts winning stake was $80,500, so George Rooke's 5% would be $4,025... so just fine him $4,025 plus his riding fee of $212.75.

i.e., so he's going around just for the fun of it....

[PRea]

Hey all you wonderful racing jockeys have a look at Rookes ride in the 2nd race at Trentham on Sunday.  It was the ride of a genius. Gorgeous balance,  beautiful  hands ,soft and  supple on a shy maiden filly. Whip ?? Have a look and report back. He is the closest rider to Glorious   Greenville Hughes I have seen. I would stop at nothing to put him on. 

[Farnarkler]

9 minutes ago, PRea said:

Hey all you wonderful racing jockeys have a look at Rookes ride in the 2nd race at Trentham on Sunday.  It was the ride of a genius. Gorgeous balance,  beautiful  hands ,soft and  supple on a shy maiden filly. Whip ?? Have a look and report back. He is the closest rider to Glorious   Greenville Hughes I have seen. I would stop at nothing to put him on. 

Is that you Mrs Rooke?

[Maximus]

2 hours ago, Ponderosa8 said:

Another option.   Sharp'n Smarts winning stake was $80,500, so George Rooke's 5% would be $4,025... so just fine him $4,025 plus his riding fee of $212.75.

i.e., so he's going around just for the fun of it....

doesnt stop the 'winning connections (in this case of a hors ethat earned several mill) from reimbursing him any way they choose.. :Hey George..shame about that suspension for winnnig on our horsie, wanna go to Bali for a week or two ? Our shout!" See? It's not hard (Max thought that one up in a heartbeat!).
You HAVE TO MAKE IT SERIOUSLY DAMAGING to the jock in a way that cannot be 'squared up' by whoever....  DQ-ing the horse and taking away the Stakes earned is too problematic, IMO ...but copping and potentially accumulating DEMERIT POINTS is a powerful disincentive...so much so, that I cannot see a downside to it. Appeals process(es) are already in place ...if a jock wants to challenge a ruling, go for it... no different to how the Police/MOJ operate Demerits for driving offences.