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Just seen on Sky Sports News that Dandy is sending half a dozen of his string over to France for six weeks.
Seeing the recent interviews in the last couple of days on there really hits home the impact the current bad weather is having on the racing world.
Depending on how the Nicholls horses go over there, what sort of impact could this have in the future when he makes the point of the ridiculous difference in prize money on offer over there compared to here?
An interesting move though and I wish him good luck…
An interesting move indeed. One im sure he will be prosperous with too.
As you say the debate as to prize money on offer is probably likely to come up, but thats a good thing!
Suprised not more trainers have latched on to this. Run of the mill races in France appear be worth around 15K.
Also, been watching some of the French jumping action recently that Racing UK have been showing. Again, good prizemoney up for grabs. With so many British trained horses imported from France these days I find it strange that connections don’t have a tilt at some of these races.
I’m sure the sages of these pages will provide valid reasons against (competitiveness, travel costs etc…) – it just appears a very insular perspective – especially as British trainers may be scrabbling to get a run in a "Jumpers Bumper" if Kempton scraps the turf card.
Not to mention the hugely favourable Euro:Sterling rate at present! If I was an owner I’d be all for sending my horse to France Ireland if there was a suitable opportunity.
Katie,
I can give you three reasons why horses aren’t sent to France, and I’m sure there are others.
1. I do all my own entries in the UK using the online program book, but I have no idea how or where I could find the equivalent information for French racing. The big races can be entered via the UK system, but not the day to day provincial meetings. How far in advance do I have to enter, who do I contact, how do I know which races I’m eligible for (handicap ratings?), what are the rules on declarations etc etc?
2. One of the pleasures of ownership is seeing your horse run, either in person or on ATR/RUK. They don’t normally cover French provincial meetings.
3. For many owners, the ability to have a bet is paramount and you can’t easily do that on a minor French race.
AP
AP,
You could use our "Trainer’s Service" at International Racing Bureau like Dandy and most other trainers – such as Eoghan O’Neill before he got his French license.
The races are available on the France Galop site and our team take care of everything else, not only for France but other parts of Europe and worldwide.
This is an old potato, I can remember Charlie Nelson back in the 80’s running horses at CAGNES SUR MER with John Reid on board.
I cannot see the possible attraction or "fun" of owning horses in Britain if the only races you can run in are worth £2,000 or less.
yeats
I suggest you ask a point-to-point owner since there’s plenty of them running for pocket money for seven months a year. Clearly prize money isn’t the only attraction nor even the main attraction.
Rob
Not to mention the hugely favourable Euro:Sterling rate at present! If I was an owner I’d be all for sending my horse to France Ireland if there was a suitable opportunity.
Sorry you are wrong there – unless you win!!
We used to keep yearlings in Ireland, but due to the £/€ exchange rate it is now much more expensive. Statistically, expenses in Euros will outweigh prize money won, unless you are lucky. In general owners recover a percentage of their expenses; a higher percentage in France than England, but less than 100% in all cases.
This is an old potato, I can remember Charlie Nelson back in the 80’s running horses at CAGNES SUR MER with John Reid on board.
Quite correct – I was working for Charlie at the time and he loved having runners there. One of his elderly owners, Mrs Yarnold, lived in Monaco and liked to be able to see her horses run. Horses I remember running were Rock Chanteur and Gorgeous Strike who I think won a listed race over there.
Simon Dow used to send regular raiding parties over to Cagnes Su Mer as well If I recall.
AP,
You could use our "Trainer’s Service" at International Racing Bureau like Dandy and most other trainers – such as Eoghan O’Neill before he got his French license.
The races are available on the France Galop site and our team take care of everything else, not only for France but other parts of Europe and worldwide.
I wonder if some races in France are easier to aim a British horse at relatively on spec than others. I remember Dai Williams entered his stable stalwart Golly in two French chases during summer 2005 – presumably the gelding’s eligibility for the Grand Steeple-Chase de Dieppe required that bit more ratification than the workaday claiming chase in Granville he also took in subsequently?
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.
yeats
I suggest you ask a point-to-point owner since there’s plenty of them running for pocket money for seven months a year. Clearly prize money isn’t the only attraction nor even the main attraction.
Rob
(NAP).
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.
Surprised Jonathan Jay’s name has not been brought up as yet. Tidal Fury’s campaigning in French jumps races was, if I remember correctly, originally predicated on the fact the gelding wouldn’t enter stalls over here, but his effectiveness on easy or slower going became at least as much of a reason to persevere. And how!
I presume he’s still trying to repeat the feat with other animals now and then, though an attempt to do so with Tidal Fury’s half-brother Stoneacre Gareth quickly came to nought.
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.
yeats
I suggest you ask a point-to-point owner since there’s plenty of them running for pocket money for seven months a year. Clearly prize money isn’t the only attraction nor even the main attraction.
Rob
You don’t know then or are you keeping it secret
In any case I’m talking about the professional sport not the amateur version, don’t know enough about ptp to comment on it but would suspect the costs are seriously lower, eg would owners be paying 4 or 5 hundred pounds a week to a trainer to keep a horse in training, would travelling costs and jockeys fees etc be as much?
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