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Racing Post just the three days behind the TRF debate on this occasion – good effort, they’re catching up!
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"The Post still don’t seem to have noticed that the sprints on Saturday were run on the stands side course – this is from their report:
“The Racing Post notes course records for the inner and outer track, with the Sprint Cup taking place on the inner”
That’s quite clearly wrong when you watch the replay as the double rail that separates the two courses is on the far side for the Sprint Cup.
I’d be the first to admit my postings on this thread have not aged well and Minzaal’s retirement today due to injury is a blow to those of us who maintain there is too much watering in racing and Firm-ground horses are systematically being eliminated from the breed.
But expect even more of it going forwards after this – in future, when in doubt the taps will surely be turned on after this.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Minzaal must be a fragile horse though really
Injured twice now
Wasn’t really much the clerk of the course could’ve done as rain was forecast and didn’t arrive
Shame really as the horse was just starting to hit a high level, gradually improving each run
2 major injuries won’t do his stallion fee any good
Agree ID. I expect that is the last time a Group 1 will take place with “firm in places” in the going description.
Horses will be bred to be faster and faster but only allowed to race on good or slow ground.
“Horses will be bred to be faster and faster but only allowed to race on good or slow ground.”
The great racing irony of our times perfectly summarised in a single sentence.
Breeding for speed yet ironically clocking slower times as the word “Firm” steadily gets watered out of the game.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I don’t see why the ground could be blamed as with all the watering done these days (outside of Bath racecourse) its not as if the good to firm ground would have been jarringly unsafe. If he was going to fracture his knee not sure it would have mattered if the ground was good to firm or good (if the rain had come in time) and with 3 of his 4 career wins all having been on good to firm ground (the other was good) it was not as if he was being risked to run on a surface he hadn’t already successfully done before.
According to connections the plan was always going to be retirement after the sprint on Champions Day so we will have only missed him for one race – his fee will likely take into account an issue with soundness but even if he hadn’t had them, I am not sure he would have commanded a big fee as a winner of one G1, one G2 & one G3 race.
What was Minzaal’s actual “cause” of his injury? Was it due to the condition of the ground? Who can say with 100% certainty?
It would be very useful to look at empirical data that clearly shows injuries sustained by horses over the years by surface type. I’m yet to see one shroud of conclusive, scientific evidence that shows “firm” surface “causes” more injuries sustained by horses than any other types of surface, combined…
For as long as I can remember, the media has been blowing things out of proportion with discussion centering around types of racing surface in the context of safety: dirt vs turf vs synthetic; firm vs soft vs heavy; fast vs muddy ; etc. etc…..but no scientific evidence to back it up.
I am sure a meeting at Towcester once took place on hard ground.
Henderson did not have any runners, obviously.
Coming from a country where firm turf is the norm and most tracks will take flat races off turf entirely after heavy rains (to save the course from getting ripped up) the argument that firm ground is unsuitable for racing seems a bit absurd. From what I can tell British courses water more heavily than anywhere else but I’m not sure horses are that much safer than Japan or Australia or the USA.
100% agree.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“I am sure a meeting at Towcester once took place on hard ground.”
Both Devon & Exeter (as was) and Newton Abbot frequently held meetings on hard ground, back in the Pipe/Scudamore days.
I attended both on family summer holidays in the late 70s and as an adult in the 80s.
Hard ground, and frequently yellow parched grass at Devon & Exeter, particularly on the 3m1f summer chute.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“I’d be the first to admit my postings on this thread have not aged well and Minzaal’s retirement today due to injury is a blow to those of us who maintain there is too much watering in racing and Firm-ground horses are systematically being eliminated from the breed.”
If you’re not careful Ian, you’ll be in danger of giving credibility to Gingertipster’s ramblings.
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