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Well we have genuine good ground that is probably even a little on the softer side of good (thanks to mother nature dumping 92.5mm of rain so far in this month compared to 24mm at the same time last year) and yet 4 of the 7 races have still failed to rustle up double digit field sizes.
I know it is early in the season but the other three races have attracted field sizes of 19, 19 and 16 respectively and we always hear trainers bemoan the fact that they don’t run horses because the ground is either too fast or too soft and that they are waiting for ‘better ground’ – well here it is chaps and the prize money on offer is £20k (4 runners with 1 from Ireland), £10k (9 runners with 3 from Ireland), £9k (9 runners – admittedley with 2 non runners but again 3 from Ireland) and £28k (8 runners with 1 from Ireland) to the winner.
They are all novice races, two of which are Class 2, one is a Class 3 (a Limited Handicap) and the other a Grade 2, which begs the question are there enough novice horses out there to populate these type of races in the first place and if it wasn’t for the Irish sending horses over the overall numbers would be even lower still.
The evidence is screaming we have too much racing and it seems a no brainer that less races equals bigger field sizes in the remaining races (less opportunity for ducking and diving to find an easier chance with less runners) and as a result of the bigger field sizes races look more attractive to have a bet in therefore the likelyhood of a bigger turnover comes into play instead of bettors tending to avoid betting on small runner fields.
Pretty certain that the BHA in conjunction with the bookies have the data to go through the fixture list and highlight a lot of the same type of races that continue to post low turnover amounts year on year due to low turnout and then maybe start to weed out those races from future fixture lists.
It certainly needs something more radically done then what the BHA has done so far with cutting fixtures. Clearly it is akin to pulling teeth and I know the bookies/racecourses will baulk at losing races but it is short term pain for long term gain and everyone will lose if we keep chugging alone the way we currently are.
Rant over – all comments/thoughts are welcomed.
That’s all a bit political for my liking 73 but keeping it to the action on the track even after 3 races on the opening day of the opening meeting it’s all looking a bit ominous for the British runners.
Yes the larger stables haven’t got much entered today but the Irish already look like having a tight hold on things again.
Back in the day, if you had an average performer on the flat the natural progression for some would be to continue their career in the National Hunt sphere. This source of equine competitors has been largely choked off by the ever increasing number of AW fixtures, where the lower grade horses can find opportunities.
Despite the widely held view in the industry that we have too much racing, even when mother nature helps and we get a few abandonments, the BHA insist on scheduling additional AW meetings.
....and you've got to look a long way back for anything else.
“This source of equine competitors has been largely choked off by the ever increasing number of AW fixtures”
As well as the increased number of horses being sold to race in Australia and the Far East.
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