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I find myself wondering what the future of jumps racing is at Leafy. Of the few fixtures they retain, they seem to lose plenty. I don’t think it’s ever really recovered since the AW was built. Would it be sensible for them to focus more on early/late season or even summer jumping?
I do remember Lingfield holding a Sat eve meeting one summer over the jumps.
If they did that again then i would consider going down as it could be a good evening racing and maybe chuck in a 3m4f Chase and call it the Surrey National then it would get a big crowd.
I find myself wondering what the future of jumps racing is at Leafy. Of the few fixtures they retain, they seem to lose plenty. I don’t think it’s ever really recovered since the AW was built. Would it be sensible for them to focus more on early/late season or even summer jumping?
The number of jumps fixtures at Leafy has slowly increased again in the last few years after temporarily dropping to nil, and they seem reasonably committed to retaining them given the one or two Graded contests hosted there during the Winter, so I don’t think a complete realignment of their programme to, say, summer jumping is going to be considered any time soon.
A shame, as the South East has to rely on Fontwell for any summer jumping fixtures, and even then there is a two-month hiatus between mid-June and mid-August there. A gap could certainly be filled.
Neil – Surrey National? Good God yes, bring it on! We were discussing on the radio last Sunday the feasibility of introducing some sort of Satellite National Championship series, wherein the horse attaining the best portfolio of finishes in a predetermined series of 0-130 3m4f+ handicap chases over the season would win a significant cash prize for its owner and trainer. At the same time, the series would provide the platform to give young staying / marathon chasers the opportunity to progress up the handicap in these races one year, with the intention of graduating to the major Nationals the next.
The more I think of the idea, the more I like it. I’m guessing I wouldn’t need to persuade you too long and hard about the merits of it either, Neil, would I?
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
With Wye closed, the Kent National will have to be held at Folkestone. (The Scottish GN winner came 3rd in a Mdn Chase here last season, you know.)
There are TWO Kent Nationals at present! Folkestone re-introduced one under Rules either last season or the season before, but there has been a 4m Open point-to-point run under that name at Detling for a while longer.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
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Lingfield is one of the most beautful racecourses for me bar Newmarket. Would love to see it get this problem sorted out, a very much under rated racecourse.
I find myself wondering what the future of jumps racing is at Leafy. Of the few fixtures they retain, they seem to lose plenty. I don’t think it’s ever really recovered since the AW was built. Would it be sensible for them to focus more on early/late season or even summer jumping?
The number of jumps fixtures at Leafy has slowly increased again in the last few years after temporarily dropping to nil, and they seem reasonably committed to retaining them given the one or two Graded contests hosted there during the Winter, so I don’t think a complete realignment of their programme to, say, summer jumping is going to be considered any time soon.
A shame, as the South East has to rely on Fontwell for any summer jumping fixtures, and even then there is a two-month hiatus between mid-June and mid-August there. A gap could certainly be filled.
Neil – Surrey National? Good God yes, bring it on! We were discussing on the radio last Sunday the feasibility of introducing some sort of Satellite National Championship series, wherein the horse attaining the best portfolio of finishes in a predetermined series of 0-130 3m4f+ handicap chases over the season would win a significant cash prize for its owner and trainer. At the same time, the series would provide the platform to give young staying / marathon chasers the opportunity to progress up the handicap in these races one year, with the intention of graduating to the major Nationals the next.
The more I think of the idea, the more I like it. I’m guessing I wouldn’t need to persuade you too long and hard about the merits of it either, Neil, would I?
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)So long as it was run on a Saturday Evening meeting i would be their like a shot.
Im a huge fan of the Satelitte National as they help give the slightly lower rated staying chaser a chance to earn a decent prize and give their owners a day to remember.
It is worrying when meetings at places such as Sedgefield,Uttoxeter,Fontwell,Hereford (bit of a trend developing,wonder what it is) seem intent on having races from 2m to 2m6f only.
Sprinters are catered for quite well so why not the staying chaser.
Aswell as Surrey, when will we have the Cambridgshire National at Huntingdon and the South Yorkshire National at Doncaster.
Huntingdon is one of the courses that has wimped out where marathon chases are concerned in recent years.
There was a 3m6f handicap chase on Peterborough Chase day for a few years earlier this decade, as well as a hunters’ chase over the same C&D at the all hunter-chase / amateur riders’ hurdle meeting in May.
The latter fixture reverted to a more conventional one with just one (3m) hunter in 2007, though, one or two years after the handicap had been discontinued. Knackers.
All that’s standing between Doncaster and a South Yorkshire National is a little rebranding, given that one of their February meetings reintroduced a 4m handicap two years ago ** for the first time since the Grimthorpe was reduced to 3m2f. Encouragingly, last year’s renewal of the four-miler there attracted a field just shy of 20 runners!
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)(** owing to Doncaster’s refurbishment, the first running of this 4m contest actually took place at Stratford rather than the South Yorkshire venue).
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
There are TWO Kent Nationals at present! Folkestone re-introduced one under Rules either last season or the season before, but there has been a 4m Open point-to-point run under that name at Detling for a while longer.
gc
2009 Kent National at Detling is Saturday 14th March. Yes the day after the Gold Cup. Should be a fine contrast from the frenzy of Cheltenham which I will try and get time off work to watch on the telly, but I will be on the 333 bus from Maidstone to Detling (2 stops after the Kent Showground ask for Yelstead corner and be careful on the main road on the way home) for the point to point.
Are you going to be at the Detling meeting on Sunday, January 18th as well, Bob?
I’ve set aside that date for race-reading if I’m needed, and will get sent where I get sent, if you know what I mean; if I’m not needed, though, I’ll take myself there on a jolly, having ruled out the other three meetings that day (have done Ampton and Black Forest Lodge before, and an evening engagement to get to rules out Sheriff Hutton).
Send me a PM nearer the time if you fancy a meet-up.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Are you going to be at the Detling meeting on Sunday, January 18th as well, Bob?
I’ve set aside that date for race-reading if I’m needed, and will get sent where I get sent, if you know what I mean; if I’m not needed, though, I’ll take myself there on a jolly, having ruled out the other three meetings that day (have done Ampton and Black Forest Lodge before, and an evening engagement to get to rules out Sheriff Hutton).
Send me a PM nearer the time if you fancy a meet-up.
gc
No Jeremy I try and restrict my sunday meetings to a couple a year. I am an active churchman and have commitments. It is also one of the few days when my wife and me can really sit down to a good meal together. She is non-horsey but very understanding. However I do have to be fair to her and spend quality time together as well. She is fine with me clearing off on Saturdays but I don’t want to push it. I will do the first Charing which is a Sunday and possibly the last Kingston Blount. I intend to look at the Horseheath fixture – bus from Cambridge- on 31 January as my start to the season and then take it from ther mainly in the South East. Be pleased to meet-up during the season though.
Ach yes – I’d forgotten from a Jumping For Fun chat we had a while back that you enjoy a rewarding relationship with the big guy upstairs (I’m afraid he and I lost numbers 15 years ago when I converted to Pantheism). Possibly insensitive of me to push you overly on the subject of Sunday activities, therefore – sorry, Bob.
I’ve already put in for some radio work on the 31st, so Horseheath won’t be happening if I get that. I did go to the corresponding fixture last year with Happy Jack and Sal, however, and can recommend the place with very few reservations if you haven’t already been – excellent viewing, decent-size fields, proper fences and a sizeable parade area.
It’s the only place in my life where I’ve ever been served a cappuccino with a dollop of cream and Smarties on it, though, so you may want to avoid the catering van from whence that came unless you fancy something equally random.
Most of my pointing outings in the next couple of months – working or otherwise – are going to be on Sundays, by the looks of it, so if the Charing meeting you mean is the one on February 22nd, I’ll try to meet you down there (one of many South East area courses I’ve not done yet), if not somewhere else earlier.
Cheers,
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
I had a very nice Saturday evening at Lingfield once. I think it was the same day as the Northumberland Plate. Couple of winners, plus another one at Doncaster. But what I liked most of all was drinking in a conservatory-style room with a massive grapevine growing in it. Does that still exist, or has it been redeveloped?
Ach yes – I’d forgotten from a Jumping For Fun chat we had a while back that you enjoy a rewarding relationship with the big guy upstairs (I’m afraid he and I lost numbers 15 years ago when I converted to Pantheism). Possibly insensitive of me to push you overly on the subject of Sunday activities, therefore – sorry, Bob.
I’ve already put in for some radio work on the 31st, so Horseheath won’t be happening if I get that. I did go to the corresponding fixture last year with Happy Jack and Sal, however, and can recommend the place with very few reservations if you haven’t already been – excellent viewing, decent-size fields, proper fences and a sizeable parade area.
It’s the only place in my life where I’ve ever been served a cappuccino with a dollop of cream and Smarties on it, though, so you may want to avoid the catering van from whence that came unless you fancy something equally random. 8)
Most of my pointing outings in the next couple of months – working or otherwise – are going to be on Sundays, by the looks of it, so if the Charing meeting you mean is the one on February 22nd, I’ll try to meet you down there (one of many South East area courses I’ve not done yet), if not somewhere else earlier.
Cheers,
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)That Charing meeting is the one on February 22 indeed so I will see you there. Charing is a lovely track with two long straights and a short finishing straight with an very short run-in. Best place to view is the bank above the parade ring. I will post the train time from Victoria on here and the Jumping For Fun site nearer the time.
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