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The Shergar Cup is not a race meeting I enjoy at all. The format is convoluted and I don’t think horse racing lends itself to a team format at all well. What we get seems more akin to It’s A Knockout, only without the cackling sausage rustler and paedophile doing the commentary.
How about scrapping this meeting and replacing it with a meeting to honour the memory of the late legend of racing, Sir Henry Cecil?
I am sure most would agree that Henry did a lot more for racing than Shergar and he surely deserves a day set aside each year. Hopefully it would be one with a better quality of racing than a meaningless joke that does nothing whatever to prove who the best jockeys are.
That’s my view anyway, any thoughts?
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
I used to agree with you Steve but I’m now a great fan.
Yes it’s a novelty event and racing is not a team sport, but it’s a fun afternoon and with, usually, a big concert after racing and it attracts a large crowd, many of them first time racegoers.
There are plenty of "behind the scenes" activities and the jockeys are easily accessible to the racegoers.
Yes it’s an anathema to the purists but it may just pull in some new racegoers.
Ultimately it is only one race meeting a year and there is plenty of other "proper" race meetings the same day for those who want their fix.
Nobody is forced to watch it, nobody is forced to bet on it – it’s just plain, harmless fun which has attracted around 30,000 on-course racegoers every year.
I dont like the Shergar Cup, i would be happy to see the last of it, as with horseracing in general today, its another case of something to try and capture a new audience, with little regard for the established long standing punter. They are trying to make a team sport out of something that cannot be a team sport, i really dont get it!!!
I find it quite upsetting and worrying now that on the big racing Saturdays a lot of the ‘old’ regular genuine racing punters are staying away from the racecourses, and the crowd are now made up of party goers mainly interested in drinking and not interested in racing, and racing is something that is happening in the background, rather than be the main attraction.
Totally agree racing is not a team game and can’t match what is seen on the football pitch for creating entertainment. Have a big money fixture where all prize money and entrance fees etc goes to charity.
I think it’s good stuff, something a bit different. And so do plenty of others (look at the comparative attendance in 2005 when it wasn’t held!):
07/08/2004
22,472
06/08/2005
5,840
12/08/200620,989
11/08/2007
27,004
09/08/2008
33,115
08/08/2009
27,772
07/08/2010
28,953
06/08/2011
30,856
11/08/2012
30,062
Mike
Although accepting that its "each to his own", the whole fiasco simply disinterests me.
Although I know it is nearly always good to try and attract new racegoers, I agree with Eyecatcher , that we seem to be pandering to the lowest common denominator, in the beer monster set.
I have witnessed appalling behaviour in front of female friends that means that I will no longer frequent such tracks as Haydock for certain meetings.
Racing is not a team game – apart from Ballydoyle runners and their pacemakers perhaps ?!?.I fail to see who would benefit from it not taking place, the event is perfectly acceptable once a year. I even have no objection to reserves coming in on the day although that would be farcical for day to day British racing.
With Haydock & Newmarket on the same day I wonder whether the whole event would fit much better on the Sunday with the likelihood of getting the better Brit jockeys and it being the top flat meeting of the day.
Although it wouldn’t have C4 coverage, is that essential as it will be covered in full by RUK starting next year.
If C4 coverage is essential maybe they need to increase the quality of the handicaps and the prize money substantially.It would be quite a boost if they can get Frankie this year.
I think it’s good stuff, something a bit different. And so do plenty of others (look at the comparative attendance in 2005 when it wasn’t held!):
07/08/2004
22,472
06/08/2005
5,840
12/08/200620,989
11/08/2007
27,004
09/08/2008
33,115
08/08/2009
27,772
07/08/2010
28,953
06/08/2011
30,856
11/08/2012
30,062
Mike
As it didn’t take place and Ascot didn’t race on the day where did you get your 06/08/2005 attendance from?
eddie
According to the HBLB attendance database, Ascot did race on that day with an attendacne as given. However, checking Racing Post results, I suspect the meeting that day was moved to Windsor as Ascot was being re-built at the time.
On that basis the fixture doesn’t serve much purpose for comparison. That being said, regardless of opinion on the Shergar Cup, the attendances have been consistently decent over the years. Not necessarily my cup of tea, but there’s a market out there and racing needs to tap into it.
Rob
and Stuart Hall shouting "Britain are playing their Joker, it’s double points hahahahaha"
Slightly tasteless remark there Steve considering what we know about Stuart Hall now
It is one of the best attended meetings at Ascot during the year as has been previous stated – bigger than the King George in terms of attendance and revenue to the track.
Ascot pays great prize money through the year and needs money spinners like this and the Royal Meeting to balance the books.
It is a one-off and, regardless of your views on the "teams" does introduce the British public to racing stars from around the world.
This year particularly look out for the first British appearances by Rosie Napravnick – the young girl who is taking American racing by storm – and Joao Moreira who sets unbelievable records in Singapore and won the Hong Kong Jockeys Competition last December.
Of course we’re also welcoming back the ever-popular Gary Stevens as ROW team captain as well.
It is proven that to get good Ascot attendances the meeting has to be on a Saturday. This has the added bonus of all races being on Channel 4/More 4 which attracts sponsorship from the likes of Dubai Duty Free.
It actually isn’t a It’s A Knockout style fun day. The jockeys take it seriously – with good prizes for success – but yes they are more accessible that usual and there is a feel good factor to the day.
Slightly tasteless remark there Steve considering what we know about Stuart Hall now
Post deleted.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
I just had a look at Saturday’s Shergar Cup, and using my speed figures I put the jockeys and teams into ranking order to see who would come out on top.
Top Jockey:
James Doyle
Top Team:
Rest Of the World
I just had a look at Saturday’s Shergar Cup, and using my speed figures I put the jockeys and teams into ranking order to see who would come out on top.
Top Jockey:
James Doyle
Top Team:
Rest Of the World
I have a prior engagement watching gloss paint drying this Saturday. However, I’ve heard good tips for Cleethorpes in the water buckets over the assault course contest (get that measuring stick out Arthur) and Bournemouth have been clocking good times in the grossly over-sized costume three-legged race event.
Enjoy!!
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
I’ve still not heard a good reason why there aren’t 12 runners in each race and jockeys get to ride in every race.
Seem to recall someone mumbling they had 10 runners in each race in case a jockey got ill or injured
Yeats,
There are a few reasons.
1. Mainly because, as you say, if a jockey was ill or injured (which happened to Mirco Demuro a few years ago) it means that there is always a spare jockey to ride. If you had 12 runners in every race you could end up with a horse with no jockey having to be scratched which would not be good for the owners or public. There are no spare jockeys on site.
2. It allows the jockeys to watch one race each – allowing them time to spend with the various media outlets and to enjoy the day.
Remember most jockeys competitions around the world aren’t as intense as this. They only ride 3 races in Hong Kong, for example, so 5 rides is felt to be a good number.3. It is quite hard to fill the fields with 10 runners – despite the good prize money – at this busy time of year so getting 12 runners, with reserves would be even harder.
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