- This topic has 27 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 8 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
well what an absolute shambles at Wolverhampton. Unless any one is not aware, the 5.45 descended into chaos today after Sheilas bond, a 4YO mare trained by John Flint, broke down on the first circuit, and was still being attended when the runners were coming around again on the 2nd circuit.
May i start off to say condolences to connections, a sad sight that i am sure no one wants to see.
Ok, now let’s get on to what a completely shambolic farce this turned into.
I have several points and ways of looking at it,1. If the horse was stricken and prostate on the track, so that the runners could not safely negotiate the course,then surely the race should have been stopped and void. As it was not yellow flagged,Could they have negotiated safely,and as the chequered flag implied just slow down and steered clear of the stricken horse? Surely in situations such as this it has to be a yellow flag and stop and void race for safety sake? If so did the course official not know his job, and not familiarise himself with the BHA race rulings. If this is the case surely the BHA and or racecourse are to be held accountable.
2. If it was clearly a chequered flag and not a yellow, and was just a warning to slow down , as has been implied, should the jockeys involved not receive a ban? As clearly they had not ridden to BHA race guideline rules. They were obviously not familiar with the guidelines, which is surely part and parcel of their job to be so is it not? The rules are clear:
PART 4 – THE RACE – (B)45 to (B)59
48. Emergency procedures48.1 Where a yellow stop race flag indicating that it is unsafe to proceed is waved at any time in the course of a race by racecourse personnel
48.1.1 each Rider who has not passed the flag must pull up, and
48.1.2 the race shall be void.
After all, if a formula one driver ignores a waved flag whether or not he misinterprets it, he is penalised, it is the drivers responsibility to know the correct flags, meanings and procedures in emergency situations.
So do we blame the jockeys?Well, here’s a thought. Why didn’t the race course stewards show a bit of common sense and void the damn race!? BHA spokesman Paul Struthers said: "The stewards could not void the race because there were finishers and the stop-race procedure wasn’t called correctly." Come on! what tosh.
I don’t think there would have been too many people objecting in these circumstances do you? COMMON SENSE…don’t think it is used much nowadays.. as Kevin Bloody Wilson sang(common sense aint that common anymore)- check it out on you tube if you don’t know it.. very true.
Had they void the race it would have at least meant punters getting there money back. I did not bet on the race, but i would have felt pretty aggrieved had i done so and lost my money in these circumstances.
Rules are rules yes, but in certain situations, instances such as this, it doesn’t take Einstein to work out the correct call surely? and show a bit of initiative and grow some balls.
SO.. who do we blame? who will carry the can.. it’s pass the buck time!And What of the punters? Crapped on again from a great height. Most bookmakers have paid out on the winner and refunded all other bets, which is very commendable i think, as in a situation such as this I would think they don’t have to. I would expect them to return all stakes yes, but to pay out as well on the winner is a more than fair gesture(ok maybe a good PR stunt for the cynics out there).
But what about the course bookmakers? And shame on Totesport, who said all bets would stand! outrageous…
It just isn’t cricket!…Working at the time, Coral refunded all bets on the race and honoured winning bets on it.
If the bookmakers pay out on the winner I don’t see why they need to void the other bets. It was unusually generous I think. However, tote and William Hill didn’t give concessions.
The sport can look so amateurish at times, what the feck does "the stop race procedure wasn’t called correctly" mean?
The jockeys stopped riding after whistles were blown and they were told to stop, ATR stopped broadcasting the race, Betfair stopped betting on it and the commentator stopped commentating, it’s ridiculous.
On the stewards report, every Tom, Dick and Harry was interviewed but no mention of flagmen, one of them was leaning over the rails with a black & white flag in one hand and a yellow one in his other then started running down the track, it’s all quite obvious really.
Any chance of getting flagmen on the track in front of the obstacle with the correct flag only in his hand rather than leaning over rails with two flags?
They usually waste no time banning jockeys if they go the wrong way, why no bans here?
Paul Struthers added "The stewards did not find any of the jockeys in breach due to the understandable confusion".
Unbelievable!This sort of thing makes me wonder, if they can’t run a horse race, how can they run the Horseracing industry?
- Total Posts 17716
This sort of thread makes me wonder why people huff and puff about such rare and understandable mix-ups as this. Watch what happened, people, and maybe you’ll understand how it came about. Then move on, get on with your lives.
The only worthwhile point of comment is the sad fate of the mare Sheila’s Bond, fairly pointed out by the original poster. The rest should have been silence.
I agree with the above – a most unusual situation and with the best will in the world people only tried to do their best with very little time to act. VERY sorry for all concerned with the poor horse.
- Total Posts 17716
This sort of thread makes me wonder why people huff and puff about such rare and understandable mix-ups as this. Watch what happened, people, and maybe you’ll understand how it came about. Then move on, get on with your lives.
The only worthwhile point of comment is the sad fate of the mare Sheila’s Bond, fairly pointed out by the original poster. The rest should have been silence.
Let’s just be glad the race wasn’t sponsored by 32Red; there’d have been hell to pay then.
This sort of thread makes me wonder why people huff and puff about such rare and understandable mix-ups as this. Watch what happened, people, and maybe you’ll understand how it came about. Then move on, get on with your lives.
The only worthwhile point of comment is the sad fate of the mare Sheila’s Bond, fairly pointed out by the original poster. The rest should have been silence.
Let’s just be glad the race wasn’t sponsored by 32Red; there’d have been hell to pay then.
- Total Posts 17716
I agree with the above – a most unusual situation and with the best will in the world people only tried to do their best with very little time to act. VERY sorry for all concerned with the poor horse.
Well put. "Doing their best" is all we ought to expect from anyone, especially in such difficult circumstances.
I just watched the race and the b+w v yellow flag caused the confusion. Yes, it was farcical and the race should have been void.
05 Mar 2011 11:36
This sort of thread makes me wonder why people huff and puff about such rare and understandable mix-ups as this. Watch what happened, people, and maybe you’ll understand how it came about. Then move on, get on with your lives.Really? I don’t think that would be the general consensus if this had happened in a high profile race at say the cheltenham festival. Would that be your attitude if this had been the champion hurdle….
I don’t think so. With the whole world watching, this would be seen to be the way that the UK racing industry operated.I also don’t think you are grasping the concept of the contempt as to which the punter is being held. Without the punters there would be no horse racing industry existing as it does in it’s current form. Not every punter got there money back.. a high profile proffesional industry is being put in the hands of bungling amateurs, and this is not right.Really? I don’t think that would be the general consensus if this had happened in a high profile race at say the cheltenham festival. Would that be your attitude if this had been the champion hurdle….
I don’t think so.The difference for me is that stricken horses on the track are a more common occurance in jumps racing & they tend to be on the landing side of a fence or hurdle which can be dolled off.
I doubt it happens very often in flat racing & at Wolves where they only go around once more often than not, I’d bet that it had never happened before.
I’ve no opinion on whether the race should have been voided or not. I think more importantly we should ask what the jockeys were doing. Did they stop dead because they don’t know the rules or did they stop dead because someone told them to? Questions to be answered that I don’t think are going to be.
- Total Posts 17716
The demise of Sheila’s Bond was obviously tragic and our thoughts, of course, go out to her connections, but her death should not be used to dismiss what was an appalling lack of judgement as the stewards ‘trying their best’.
Paul Struthers’s statement yesterday evening made specific mention of the "stop-race procedure", indicating that there are guidelines in place to deal with situations involving stricken horses. Unless the horse in question breaks down when a runaway leader, stewards and associated staff are always going to have the time it takes to complete a full circuit of the track to both make a decision with regard to the continuation of the race and to act upon that decision if necessary.
It’s fair to say then that, in this case, the stewards had the maximum time possible to implement the aforementioned stop-race procedure.
With that in mind, can subsequent events be deemed anything other than farcical? With procedures in hand and as much time as they’re ever going to have, did the stewards act quickly and appropriately?
If it can be determined that events weren’t farcical and that matters were handled correctly, then the jockeys involved have to be punished for not knowing the rules. If the opposite is true, however, then the stewards have to be held accountable.
Either way, someone hasn’t tried very hard at all and the BHA just aren’t capable of dealing with it.
- Total Posts 17716
AJ
– If the actions of the Stewards, the on-course staff or the jockeys are causing you sleepless nights, or raising your blood pressure, why not write to the BHA about it?
"Doing their best" is not good enough for you, I can see that. Why not lobby for a full public enquiry? Public-spirited Guardian of the Game that you are, why not also consider funding it? I’ll be delighted to toss something appropriate into your begging cap.
By the time the poor distressed horse had been brought to a standstill the rest of the field had galloped on a good way. By the time the vet was with her I should think the field would have been getting very close … try and consider what else could have been done in such a short time …
Isn’t "hindsight" a wonderful thing?
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.