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Whatever happened to both the early Classic trials, the Masaka Stakes (for fillies) and the Easter Stakes (for colts)? I recall both races being run under different names (both sponsored by BetFred) last year, but they’ve completely disappeared this year, as has the Queen’s Prize, that venerable stayers’ handicap.
I thought that all three races might have been moved to Tuesday’s card at the same course but, alas, this isn’t the case. Where are the missing races?
They’re all totally pointless anyway classic trials run on polytrack are a waste of space and should have been taken away from Kempton. There should be no AW racing once the grass flat season has started
The Kempton trials were struggling before the introduction of the all-weather surface and I suspect would have disappeared. In general the quality of the early season Classic Trials has dipped in recent times anyway.
Quite why there should be no all-weather racing once the turf has started I don’t understand. They provide a good consistent surface to race on and the four all-weather tracks are different styles and layouts of tracks. If the problem is that the quality of the racing isn’t very good then that’s a different matter.
Rob
They supply a good alternative in winter against bad weather but the flat is season is for grass allowing the AW to continue is just a distraction and provides another whole load of mixed up form,. My really pet hate is Lingfield with great grass track insisting on mixing in the dreaded polytrack races. It was really great last year to have a 6 race meeting there entirely on grass because they were relaying the polytrack. No doubt this will revert this year.DO YOU HEAR ME ARENA!!!
Whatever happened to both the early Classic trials, the Masaka Stakes (for fillies) and the Easter Stakes (for colts)? I recall both races being run under different names (both sponsored by BetFred) last year, but they’ve completely disappeared this year, as has the Queen’s Prize, that venerable stayers’ handicap.
The traditional two day Kempton Easter meeting has been broken up with the Magnolia and Rosebery being run last Saturday and, as far as I’m aware based on last year, the Queen’s Prize, Snowdrop and rebranded, watered-down Easter & Masaka due to be run on Saturday 13th April
Kempton’s meeting on 13 April is the same day as a meeting at Doncaster and would be the perfect opportunity to launch the new flat season instead of how its done now.
The traditional two day Kempton Easter meeting has been broken up with the Magnolia and Rosebery being run last Saturday and, as far as I’m aware based on last year, the Queen’s Prize, Snowdrop and rebranded, watered-down Easter & Masaka due to be run on Saturday 13th April
Thanks for the response, Drone. It’s a pity that the early Classic trials have withered so badly over the last couple of decades, but switching them to the artificial surface can’t have helped.
Here we go 2 AW meetings no grass today, tomorrow joy of joys three AW meetings no grass and Thursday 2 AW.no grass Why bother with the flat at all this earlier. Total rubbish ‘racing for change’ more like ‘racing for the dustbin’!!
re Lingfield’s mixed turf and AW meetings
There are turf only meetings during the day
There are also AW only meetings (plenty)
A number of members complained about the mixed AW and turf meetings on Sat evenings. Response they got was that the bend is considered potentially slippery and dangerous once dew begins to form on it. Therefore evening races round the bend need to be run on AW .
Regards,
Ian
Quite why there should be no all-weather racing once the turf has started I don’t understand.
The most obvious reason is because the already meagre levy funding has to be stretched even further to subsidise these meetings, with their pitiful attendance levels.
Hi Ian
Interesting explanation from Lingfield which leads me to wonder how Epsom and Brighton manage night meetings on grass with similarly configured courses.
Also what happens at Lingfield in the event of some drizzle during daytime racing on grass very similar to dew but I haven’t noticed them cancelling any racing on the basis slippery bends?
I think this is a case of ‘pull the other one’they simply only want to race on the polytrack no doubt there’s some financial benefit to Arena in doing so it’s all that motivates them
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