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IMO that’s the most valid objection you’ve raised and I totally get that.
But in the meantime, we increasingly race on watered ground, which may have its own hazards, and we are simply catering for future generations of cripples, because hardiness seems to be being systematically eliminated from the breed.
Too much inbreeding for speed prioritised over conformation and constitution, yet ironically racing get conducted on watered slop, meaning these fragile speed machines ironically clock slower times.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Thanks… I think.
Overwatering can be a problem in itself, Ian. Am certainly not for that.
Don’t want overwatering to affect grass growth.
Don’t want patchy ground.
Don’t want it slippery.
But those are instances of poor watering.
Not watering – jump racing on a firmish, solid surface – would bring many more injuries than those combined.I do think they overwatered after Cheltenham’s first day, but – I agree with you – Constitution Hill’s once in a lifetime time probably made the Clerk believe it was firmer than actually was on Tuesday… And the decision wasn’t as bad anyway after more rain than forecast.
tbh Don’t think speed breeding affects Jumps breeding. Jumps breeding will always be focussed primarily on flat middle-distance stayers.
As I said, watering is such an inexact science that it’s very difficult for Clerks to get spot on right. ie Not the Clerk’s fault but aiming for officially “good-soft” often ends up with genuine good ground anyway. As indeed there was for the start of Cheltenham. So it is not as if horses who prefer a sound surface will never get their preferred going on the big day. When Clerks do aim for good-soft it seems as though they rarely get it on the softer side unless there’s late rain and often late strong winds dry the going to good.
Value Is EverythingTopham by Racing Post Standard only 2.89 seconds slow. So unless they water overnight the Grand National will be run on good going.
Value Is EverythingI agree with that analysis.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Ffs.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"It is a nice sunny evening. Get half an inch of water on the track now. Must get that “unsafe” good out of the ground!
I’m in a state of shock.
They’ve gone from not wanting the word “Firm” in the going description any more to insisting on the word “Soft” being present in the description.
“Good” isn’t good any more – “Soft” is the new good!
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I’d describe the Mildmay times yesterday as good-soft but drying. Race times on the Mildmay course today are generally a fair bit slower than yesterday. So significant watering has meant softer ground today than yesterday.
Yesterday’s time of the Grand National’s course was definitely a good ground time. Just 2.89 seconds slower than RP Standard. Have they put on enough watering on the National course to maintain that surface? Or is it now genuine good-soft?
Value Is EverythingI’d say the watering left it slightly slower over hurdles than yesterday, but still Good to Soft.
Gentleman Du Mee has done a stand-out time over fences on the Mildmay Course where I’d say it’s borderline Good/Good to Soft.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"My eyes! Read that as 13 seconds slow, 3.57 is different.
Yes, stand out Ian, may be most have been slower run.I agree with your analysis, Ian.
Still have faith in good ground for the National.
Value Is Everything
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