Well, I think I know why he is finding it hard to crack the local racing scene.
I witnessed Newcastle R3 and in the last 50m IMO he was riding his mount(the fav by the way) with less than expected vigour and eventually missed third place and ran fourth.
The rider of the eventual third place-getter was low in the saddle riding with vigour and what was "Billy" doing......raising himself high in the irons-hardly the stance of a rider who was eager to fight out the finish!
I now agree with an earlier contributor and I will not defend him any more and I have wiped him as a betting prospect!
Where are the confounded officials!

Cheers.