The home of intelligent horse racing discussion
The home of intelligent horse racing discussion

Half furlong poles

Home Forums Horse Racing Half furlong poles

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1648137
    Avatar photoCork All Star
    Participant
    • Total Posts 11041

    A young lad at Worcester has arguably just lost a race when he stopped riding after the half furlong pole.

    Why do some courses have these poles? It is not the first time a jockey has mistaken one for the winning post and I doubt it will be the last.

    Not every track has one, so presumably they are not required under the rules. Take them away and there will be no problems.

    #1648144
    Avatar photoEx RubyLight
    Participant
    • Total Posts 5282

    Sorry for double posting, Cork….. Maybe admin can add my first post to your thread, if you don’t mind

    #1648147
    Avatar photoCork All Star
    Participant
    • Total Posts 11041

    No problem Ruby.

    I backed the horse and it was obviously very frustrating!! All I can say in the lad’s defence is the last hurdle was omitted which might have confused him. If they had to jump the last, I doubt he would have made the mistake.

    It is his responsibility to know where the winning line is and he will have to take it on the chin. But I would just get rid of these half furlong poles. They serve no purpose and there is always a possibility they will cause confusion.

    Funnily enough, I stood by the half furlong pole at Wolverhampton to watch one of the races when I was there on Monday. The thought went through my mind that I hoped no one confused it with the winning post!

    #1648156
    Avatar photoMiss Woodford
    Participant
    • Total Posts 1700

    At American tracks there’s almost always a furlong (“eighth pole”)and a half-furlong (“sixteenth pole”) pole and I have never heard of a jockey here stop riding before the race was through. And Saratoga’s jumps course is just 7 furlongs so there’s a lot of chances for that to happen. I don’t understand why it seems to be so common in the UK.

    #1648157
    Avatar photoNathan Hughes
    Participant
    • Total Posts 34021

    I like them for viewing races on tv as its gives you the info of how far is left

    for jockey purposes agree they are not needed

    Charles Darwin to conquer the World

    #1648158
    Avatar photoCork All Star
    Participant
    • Total Posts 11041

    Here is another example:

    #1648164
    Avatar photoyeats
    Participant
    • Total Posts 3645

    “I like them for viewing races on tv as its gives you the info of how far is left”

    I agree, I notice they have them every 50 yds or so after the furlong pole in Ireland, a good thing. Jockeys have no excuse, how many times has Ryan Moore done it?

    #1648181
    Avatar photoCork All Star
    Participant
    • Total Posts 11041

    Joe Anderson got 10 days for his error of judgement today.

    I think he probably would have won if he had not stopped riding:

    #1648187
    Avatar photoEx RubyLight
    Participant
    • Total Posts 5282

    I think he would have won, Cork. He lost all momentum after Joe Anderson misjudged the half-furlong pole.
    But as you’ve already mentioned there is no need for such “information”. When you’re inside the final 220 yards you just ride out the finish and that’s it.

    #1648199
    Richard88
    Participant
    • Total Posts 3381

    Why not just make the finish pole (the actual pole, not just the circular sign at the top) a completely different colour to the distance markers? Another problem that shouldn’t exist solved across the entirety of British racing for the cost of 50-odd tins of paint at B&Q.

    It does also seem ridiculous that some tracks have half furlong poles and some not, either have them or don’t but make it standard across all tracks.

    The sport really doesn’t help itself sometimes.

    #1648205
    Avatar photoNathan Hughes
    Participant
    • Total Posts 34021

    could have a bell ringer at the half furlong pole

    Charles Darwin to conquer the World

    #1753093
    Avatar photoCork All Star
    Participant
    • Total Posts 11041

    Get rid of half furlong poles, 50 yard poles etc. There is no need for them.

    #1753104
    Avatar photoyeats
    Participant
    • Total Posts 3645

    As far as I know all Irish tracks have 50, 100 and 150 poles. They are a good guide to both participants and viewers inside the final furlong. There is no excuse and there is a big red jamstick on the winning post, not the 50 pole.

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.