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Headline on the racing post website, but only available to paid-up members. Anyone got the whole story?
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Seems they think it’s good for all concerned but how logical a decision it actually is doesn’t seem to have gotten through to the racing public.
There idea is to move it to Ascot betwwen the Arc and the Breeder’s cup meeetings saying it won’t affect the meeting that usually hosts the Champion, but so far they are getting a bagful of negative resposes to the idea.
Obviously it affects members as they will no longer be able to see the race run at their course plus it’s a bit like saying let’s run the Champion Hurdle at Aintree but to a lesser degree. Things like this never sit well with the racing public but to be honest Ascot hosts much better races, has a lot more charachter than Newmarket and I think it’s will be a much better race for it.
- Total Posts 17716
It is indeed
very
like saying "let’s run the Champion Hurdle at Aintree". Fine, go ahead – but it would not be the Champion Hurdle any more, it would be another race entirely.
The same’s true here. Another poster (I forget whom) pointed out that this is the only 10F championship race in the world to be run over a straight course, and if you change that, and remove The Dip from calculations, then you have a race which is no longer the Champion Stakes, but another race entirely.
The strength of British Racing is its wondrous diversity. Ascot already has one championship race over 10F, and the Champion Stakes can only be weakened in significance by moving it there and making it an autumn clone of the Prince of Wales Stakes, with 3yo’s thrown in.
People of Newmarket, rise up! You are absolutely not alone in thinking this is nothing less than fatuous, wanton destruction by marketing suits who know nothing and care less.
I agree with Pinza over this.
Newmarket is absolutely unique, and 10 furlongs on a straight course poses a whole different proposition to Ascot on a round course with a relatively short straight.
In my view it should stay where it is.
I know races have changed courses previously but British racing is synonymous with variety, and should be left that way.Fist,
I can only assume your exile means you’ve not visited Ascot since the new stand was built. It has about as much character as a US shopping mall. Indeed, it looks so much like an airport terminal, that it was transformed into one for the making of this advert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cM4EOeJzHA
AP
I agree with the previous posters I think its bloody ridiculous. Its change for changes sake it’ll ruin the Champion Stakes and therfore is bad for the sport.
My friends Racing For Change AGAIN. Can’t somebody disband that idiotic group?
Also, what about the Cesarewitch on the same day. That wouldn`t be the same anywhere else. Also, the Dewhurst is on the same day. A true Champion`s day racing, and I for one hope it stays that way.
I shall look forward to making the long pilgrimage from South Wales this year.
What makes british racing great is its diversity why the hell cant they leave things alone if it aint broke dont fix it.
The intention is to shift the Newmarket meeting to one week earlier, so that the Dewhurst, Cesarewitch, Challenge Stakes, Rockfel, etc, would be run one week after the Cambridgeshire and six days after the Arc. Only the Champion Stakes would be shifted to Ascot.
The idea that hordes of new fans are going to descend on Ascot in mid October to watch an ‘end of season’ championship is laughable. And that’s leaving aside the fact that genuine racing fans know that the titles are decided elsewhere – i.e Longchamp and the Breeders Cup.
But if you pay consultants large sums of money to introduce change, change is what you get, regardless of what you want or what you need.
AP
There is not one good reason for switching this race to Ascot.
Prize money – the same, in all probability.
The runners – will be the same as in any other year for both numbers and quality.
Media interest in the race – the same as normal.What are these people (RFC) actually doing with their time?
I think it’s a mad idea as well. The race is fine at Newmarket, I can’t think of a single benefit of moving it, except of course to the coffers at Ascot. What next? Move the Dewhurst because it’s the champion 2yo race? That would be daft, it’s a pointer to the Guineas. What, move that as well??
I can’t understand why the Newmarket directors seem to be sitting back and taking this. It is unfairly restricting their trade, they should take the buggers to court over it!
What was the gist of that article on the post website? were the newmarket annual members revolting?
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The intention is to shift the Newmarket meeting to one week earlier…AP
So no more Autumn Double attempts or Middle Park- Dewhurst feats.
Well done, RFC. Two hundred years’ worth of history down the pan in one idiotic decision. Bravo.
Aji,
Here’s what the head man of Jockey Club Racecourses said back in May when interviewed by the Guardian :
Simon Bazalgette, the chairman of Jockey Club Racecourses, has insisted that plans to shift the Champion Stakes from the JCR track Newmarket to Ascot from 2011 will not have a negative impact on the annual membership at the "home of Flat racing".
The race is expected to be the centrepiece of a new end-of-season championship meeting between the Arc meeting in Paris in early October and the Breeders’ Cup in America in early November.
Describing the plan as a "win-win" for both Ascot and Newmarket, Bazalgette said he expected Newmarket’s large core of annual members to find the track’s 2011 programme "interesting and exciting", despite the loss of its "Champions Day" fixture and a Group One event that was first run in 1877.
Bazalgette was the name of the man that planned and built the major network of sewers around London in mid 19th century. Seems the family business still involves taking the piss …….
AP
if the champion stakes is still going to be run on the same saturday then whats the point of moving it and why did the european pattern commitee have to get involved?
theres more chance of it being run on soft ground and i doubt the crowd will be much bigger than newmarket get.
the last i read,there will be a large amount of cash chucked at the race and i think it will be a total waste.
far better for ascot to inject the money into the king george.- Total Posts 17716
Fist,
I can only assume your exile means you’ve not visited Ascot since the new stand was built. It has about as much character as a US shopping mall. Indeed, it looks so much like an airport terminal, that it was transformed into one for the making of this advert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cM4EOeJzHA
AP
Actually Pinza pointing out it’s the only 1m2f race run over a straight mile convinced me I was wrong before I got to your post.
Howver I was talking about the actual track not the wallpaper and paint but as I say I stand corrected.
I looked at it thinking theirs a huge difference between undlating Cheltenham and Aintree which is like a kiddies playground in comparison and thought the Ascot course would add something to the race but I was unaware of the fact pinza pointed out and it would be a shame to rob racing of something like that.
You are right it’s ben years since I’ve been to Ascot but I would loved to have been there to drop my phone when they made that advert.
The intention is to shift the Newmarket meeting to one week earlier, so that the Dewhurst, Cesarewitch, Challenge Stakes, Rockfel, etc, would be run one week after the Cambridgeshire and six days after the Arc. Only the Champion Stakes would be shifted to Ascot.
Presumably a strip of ground will have to be dolled off during the Cambridgeshire meeting to ensure a decent surface for the Pattern events the following Saturday.
Unless connections of all those blue-bloods who’ll be contesting said Pattern races will be happy to race on chewed – if wet poached – turf hastily filled and rolled; hence maybe loose
One week is hardly long enough for turf to re-establish roots in mid-summer, let alone October
Sad mad bad daft daft daft
What’s going to happen to the races at the existing mid-October Ascot meeting? Long been a nice little meet featuring the Cornwallis, Princess Royal, Hyperion and a fearsome handicap
October on the Flat: four days at Newmarket, two weeks intriguing hiatus, three days at Newmarket. Marvellous it was. Reduced to this. Shameful
Why have Newmarket gone along with this and why have Racing for Change decided that Ascot should be the venue?
Is it because Ascot has got so much more capacity for corporates, or that Newmarket lose too much money on the fixture? Or is it that RforC just need to justify their salaries by doing "something"
Be interesting if anyone knows. All I can say is that I will be contacting Newmarket to request a reduction in my annual membership fee.richard
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