Just wanted to see what other people think about this, as Mark indicated that the jockeys would be better in SO5 in terms of being more tactically astute - basically they were meant to lose their moron tag and actually have the ability to see gaps and avoid getting locked in

Well my opinion is that the jockeys are no different and to test it I consciously watched each race over one season in my game and noted down the number of poor rides and poor rides which, by evidence of the horse flashing home late and just failing, cost me big races. The percentage of poor rides was over 40% and 30% of the group races i lost were due to poor jockeys!!The only answer I have to this is to breed race handy horses!!!

Even pace horses in so4 tended to be ok but in so5 a lot of my even pace horses are being given awful rides and losing when they really shudnt

while my knowledge isnt great, i have to agree in regards to how jockeys have ridden my horses.

if my horse is restrained at all it loses, the jockey runs into the back on another horse everytime

exactly true - so AI of jockeys has not improved at all

I actually disagree with this. I think jockey AI is loads better. If you watch a race you see jockeys going around horses and not running up something else's backside just to get the inner. However I do think that STILL jockeys are taking 'slight hold up' or 'don't lead' to far, most of my drop in horses end up trailing the field then making great ground at the end. So this aspect does need looking at as jockeys given orders are still getting too far behind. Overall though I think it has been a big improvement, it would be good if the hold up rides could be looked at though.

I think the other tactics are fine, my jockeys ride well at even pace, ride handy usually leaves the horse with nothing in the final furlong and gets outpaced but that could just be the horse/distance. Big problem with horses that are held up though, they beat small fields easily because they can run through them but can't get through a bigger field. I might start telling the jockey to stick to the side of the course away from the other horses and see if that helps at all

I am of the opinion thatAI of jockey betterthan SO4, although occasionally you setll get held up. Its frustrating, but less so than SO4.

Only just downloaded the game so unable to compare to previous versions...but as a Betting shop manager watching untold amount of races each day 30-40% of jockeys giving a poor ride is probably quite realistic... If thats intentional by the programmers or not is another matter....


Oh and Hi to all

welcome mate

Every horse of mine is rode early pace or held up, on SO4 they used to always go for even pace which dominated, pretty annoying clicking "even pace" every race.

I have a few NH horses who want holding up and I think the jockey has come wide every time he has needed to. On the flat I get the odd one boxed in, but its just to how the race has unfolded rather than him running up the arse of the horses ahead.