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Given that the powers that be are very keen on fairness and ensuring that, for instance, r4 gives our bookmaking friends the chance to have a fair book, when are we going to see trainers taken to task for withdrawing the suspiciously large number of their charges taken out when drawn badly at Beverley (especially), Chester et al?
Ditto clerks and their clandestine non-even watering to counter supposed draw biases?
Chris
I don’t blame connections (or friendly vets) at all for withdrawing low draw horses in 5f handicaps at Beverley when there’s a decent-sized field.
I’d do the same.
Why spend hundreds of ££ boxing a horse to a meeting, where a couple of days before the race you find your pride and joy has effectively been given a 10lb penalty?
Why can’t ‘staggered’ stalls be built and used at courses such as Chester to counteract the bias of the draw.
I don’t blame connections (or friendly vets) at all for withdrawing low draw horses in 5f handicaps at Beverley when there’s a decent-sized field.
I’d do the same.
Why spend hundreds of ££ boxing a horse to a meeting, where a couple of days before the race you find your pride and joy has effectively been given a 10lb penalty?
Presumably when you enter your horse at Beverley or Chester, you know there is a chance you could get a bad draw.
I know this is a very dreamy stance, but horseracing purports to be a sport. Surely one of the fundamental principles of sport is that it is fair. Being drawn 12 of 12 at Chester is not fair. It may be unlucky, but it’s not fair.
If I owned a horse and it happened to me, I think I’d be considering what recourse I have. My horse has been dis-advantanged compared to the other competitors. Whether it is deliberate or accidental is imo irrelevent.
Surely the racing authorities have an obligation to treat all competitors fairly.
Surely the racing authorities have an obligation to treat all competitors fairly.
Why do we have handicaps then? If my horse is 10 lb better than your horse, surely it’s unfair that my horse has to carry 10 lb more than yours to compensate for that.
I know this is a very dreamy stance, but horseracing purports to be a sport. Surely one of the fundamental principles of sport is that it is fair. Being drawn 12 of 12 at Chester is not fair. It may be unlucky, but it’s not fair.
If I owned a horse and it happened to me, I think I’d be considering what recourse I have. My horse has been dis-advantanged compared to the other competitors. Whether it is deliberate or accidental is imo irrelevent.
Surely the racing authorities have an obligation to treat all competitors fairly.
But by entering a horse to run in a 5 furlong sprint at Chester you would know there is a risk of being drawn wide.
It is a chance you take – turning the argument round if you were drawn 1 in the same race would you be complaining because you had an unfair advantage?
Anyway if a horse is good enough it should be able to overcome the perceived disadvantage. If an owner has concerns about draw bias there are plenty of other courses where there is no bias.
I have very little sympathy for bleating connections who complain about the draw at courses like Chester and Beverley – you know the situation before you enter, If you don’t like it don’t enter.
From a punters point of view I think the draw bias can sometimes work in their favour. A good horse in the "wrong" draw can sometimes be overpriced as a result.
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