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This is an interesting idea to come up with Britain’s champion flat racehorse though it doen’t appear to deal with the possibility the Irish may win most of them and leaves the fillies out in the cold a bit. Perhaps if successful they may try for something a bit more sophisticated and split it between sprinters, milers and middle distance horses, stayers and have a points based system to then slect the horse with the most points as the overall champion.
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Think it is a novel concept to ensure that the top horses race against each other more regularly.
I.e. it is taking Jump racings order of merit to a new level with the focus on just group ones and also, with 2 million to the winner – should be a great incentive (rather then the £250K which is not imperative to the top horses in jump racing). Also assume breeders would be interested as it shows versatality).
Think its a great concept as you will get colts who specialise at different distances – running to get points – could prove fascinating…..
Here is the link from a sporting buisness website – I.e. another take from a non-racing post article
http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/16741 … lat-racing
if successful, I am sure a filly version will be announced.
Can’t see how a sprinting version would hold the same appeal in the UK
I’m sure Doncaster are over the moon. Just goes to show the light in which the St Leger is viewed nowadays and this will do nothing to bring it back up.
“Our vision is that in 5 years The Sovereign Series will have become established as a major sports competition on the British calendar alongside Wimbledon, The Open and other similar events.” – Simon Bazalgette.
Optimistic to say the least.
It’s a nice idea and you have to applaud the intention but I don’t really see the point. The prize money isn’t bad but compared to potential stud earnings etc. I can’t see the owners of horses with the potential to win it being too tempted to specifically aim at it with the possibility of missing the Arc / BC.
Lee
Great initiative. Perhaps they could have included the leger, or a separate incentive might be more appropriate.
Not sure having the St Leger in there would be particularly fair as this would be the only race in excess of 12 furlongs. Very few horses are bred to stay that far.
I am quite suprised that the Derby is in there but the Oaks isn’t.
4 1mile races, 4 1m2f races and 2 1m4 (one of which is only open to 3 yos) races. Its a bit unbalanced in favour of milers who may step up rather than 1m4 horses who may step down.
The Lockinge is possibly the weakest group1 (quite consistently) of the whole year, and shouldnt be in there, what a farce as it currently stands.
Iamgine if phoenix Tower had got in front in the lockinge and he wins the eclipse. If evryone else took one race a piece, he could be the champion racehorse at a rating of about 117ish. Yeah, whatever.
I am quite suprised that the Derby is in there but the Oaks isn’t.
Perhaps they want to see more fillies aimed at the Derby – no idea why though.
Agree to a point re: the Leger and perhaps it’s the rose tinted glasses but IMO any incentive that could produce a worthy runner in (let alone a winner of) all three triple crown races would be a good thing for British flat racing.
Lee
I think this is the right way to make racing more popular in promoting it’s stars – like the formular-I-series does in car-racing.
By such a series we have a connecting link over the total season – and what a media appeal for the final race in the contest – "which horse is the real champion"? Connected with a popular bet on the winner of the series.
And of course minor series for sprinters, milers, fillies … and the leading jockey, trainer, owner.
But why restrict the series on GB-races alone? Start a European series with the 15 to 20 major races from GB / IRE / FR – perhaps one from GER and ITY! Modern racing is international contest!
Seems like marketing teams are scurrying to find ways of gathering the top horses together in the one race to create the greatest entertainment.
Silly. Trying to manipulate the search for top-class fields will drive top-class fields away IMO. Just let the natural process take place. Sometimes the King George will be terrible, and others it will be a showdown of greats from all corners of Europe.
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Interesting idea, and I sincerely hope it works, but is it really all that good for the sport to have all the best races on a weekend?
Races like the Juddmotte International are invariably televised anyway, often without the pressure of other sports intervening, and surely a way could be found without making the programme-book more lopsided than it already is.
It isn’t just that racing’s terrestrial exposure is getting nearer to just 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon, but the horrible thought of what these major midweek meetings will be replaced byThe Oaks isn’t in because they have stated no filly/mare exclusive races will be included.
I think it’s a good idea but I have a couple of issues (as an auditor it’s my job to find fault with things):
1. They could have said "The Sovereign series will be run from 1m to 1m6f". This would have meant including a grand total of 1 extra race – the St Leger. If this is how the St Leger is really viewed by racing’s organisers, then downgrade it to a Gr2! If it’s not attracting Gr1 horses then it shouldn’t be a Gr1.
2. The Oaks and 1000 Guineas could be included. They could then have prize money for the top filly/mare in the series. No need to include any races for fillies & mares only. Just let them take their chance against the boys and whichever filly earns the most points wins that prize.
3. Why have they left out the only other Gr1 races for older horses, the Coronation Cup & Queen Anne. Currently there is only 1 race over 12f for older horses (King George) so there is no excuse for leaving out the Coronation Cup anyway whatever about the Queen Anne.
I presume the thinking behind this is to make sure that each age group has the same number of races. However by including the St Leger this would mean at least 1 more 4yo+ Gr1 should be included. As stated above, this should be the Coronation Cup.
The Oaks isn’t in because they have stated no filly/mare exclusive races will be included.
Yet 2 3yo exclusive races and a 4yo+ exclusive race.
Any very good 1m4f horse from the older generation has only 1 race to go for, yet any 1 miler from the older generation has 3 races to go for. A decent 1m2f horse from the older generation has 4 to go for and optimally you would want a horse who versatile in terms of trip but even then it is more balanced towards milers. It is neither balanced or remotely interesting looking IMO as it currently stands and needs reviewed.
They have the Global Sprint Challenge. Perhaps they could have a Global cup challenge, with the Ascot Gold Cup, Melbourne Cup etc in there.
I agree with Parlo that it should be international.
the winner, who will be acclaimed as Britain’s champion Flat racehorse
Surely that should be "England’s champion Flat racehorse" as only England is allowed to stage the races?
Anyway…
I think it’s a good idea in the sense that it’s better than nothing.
However, I’d have preferred them to get together with the Irish and French (and maybe the Germans and Italians)’ and created a series of "big weekend races" that would attract the best of Europe.
(by pooling the both the money and the horses from all these countries)
Steve
PS They’re right to leave out the Leger. It’s a terrible race for horses that are rarely up to G1 standard at any distance… and that’s not going to change any time in the forseeable future.
Problem with your second point David is that you’d be making more races open to 3yo fillies than any other combo. Although in reality of course it shouldn’t make any difference.
Lee
As far as weekends involving big racing festivals … come on – I think Royal Ascot, Arc weekend, Ebor meeting, Glorious Goodwood do enough justice as it is.
Leave tradition alone!
Unless it has been discontinued, there already is an International Series, called the Emirates World Series, a series of 12 Global races, namely
UAE: Dubai World Cup
UK: King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes
USA: Arlington Million
GER: Grosser Presi von Baden
IRL: Irish Champion Stakes
FRA: Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe
CAN: Canadian International
AUS: The Cox Plate
USA: Breeders Cup Classic
USA: Breeders Cup Turf
JAP: Japan Cup
HK: Hong Kong Cup
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