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Only the one AW meeting, what were they thinking – all it needs is a bit of rain and all those sub-100 things won’t be able to plod round slowly, distances apart, before falling tiredly at the last or second last and we don’t want to lose all those wonderful bumper races do we, just because the weather might get a bit moody?
Cancel some of the lesser races at the jumps meetings, restricting them to 6 races and chop the number of bumpers in half and instead of poor quality card (or stocking) fillers we could have had a meet at Lingfield and Southwell as well.
I’m pretty sure it’s not that simple, Simon. My understanding, and others may know a little better than I, is that the courses have to pay or bid pretty big money for their Boxing Day meetings, but plenty won’t entertain the idea for fear of not recouping the outlay.
It may lay contrary to the business models of Lingers, Great Leighs and Southwell to throw the sort of sums of money likely to be involved at a December 26th fixture (Wolvo’s fixture, conversely, has been long established, as far back as its pre-AW NH days, I think I’m right in saying).
Towcester were able to acquire Newton Abbot’s flood-blighted fixture a few years ago, but then I suppose they thought that was a gamble worth taking judged on buoyant attendance figures for their other meetings post-refurbishment. The pictures of the Northamptonshire venue absolutely groaning with Boxing Day racegoers since then suggest they got it just about right.
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.
I know what you’re saying gc but even a quick scan through the cards shows enough races that could be trimmed to provide another AW meet and let’s face it, people start leaving after the fifth race these days, surely not many wouldracegoers would either notice or miss those poor quality div2 bumper races or the odd plating stayer obstacle race?
Can’t imagine it affecting gate money or on-course spending much either.
Someone bring a few horses up to the sands at St. Andrews, we can have a ‘Laytown style’ meeting when the tide goes out.
Don’t worry too much Simon – you can always pop into Laddies, Bill Hill or any other betting shop and watch some cartoon racing.
It is just as an "exciting" spectacle to watch
You can also console yourself with the thought you have at least one sandpit race meeting every racing day between Boxing Day and the end of February – sometimes two a day.
I’m sure if bad weather was predicted they would have an AW card or two on the back burner like they have in the past. Guessing because its not predicted there was no need but only takes 3 days or so to get meeting up and running at Southwell or Lingfield.
Cartoon racing is a much better spectacle than 75 runner fit-ups in Ireland or dodgy NH flat races that nobody stays to watch – if you’re at a meet on Friday Paul, have a look at the car park on the way back from the parade ring before the bumpers – if you’re not driving out of it you’ll see hundreds who are.
Is my memory playing up, but didn’t Towcester agree to pay £30,000 per annum to Newtown Abbot for ten years for their Boxing day fixture?
I guess that Abbot knew at that stage that they would be moving towards summer-only racing.
Does anyone else recall the Boxing Day fiasco at Wincanton almost a decade ago when, despite a frosty Christmas, no inspection was called, racing was rather optimistically delayed for 30 minutes in the hope that accelerated global warming would suddenly occur, and then they called it off with well over 10,000 spectators in the course?
Luckily, my car was in pole position and I was able to set off home like a spectacularly quick 5 furlonger. I imagine some people were still queueing to get out while Epiphany celebrations were going on in local churches.
Happy Christmas to all, by the way…
Cartoon racing is a much better spectacle than 75 runner fit-ups in Ireland or dodgy NH flat races that nobody stays to watch – if you’re at a meet on Friday Paul, have a look at the car park on the way back from the parade ring before the bumpers – if you’re not driving out of it you’ll see hundreds who are.
At least you will see cars in the car parks unlike at all weather meetings where most cars will be found in the owners and trainers car parks.I’m actually doing an AW double header next week (Great Leighs Monday and Wolves on Tuesday) so I will make a point of counting the cars. Although if it turns out to be a typical Wolves mid-week meeting counting the punters would probably be quicker.
Speaking selfishly I am happy to see racegoers departing before the last race – it means I have fewer to battle with when I depart half an hour after the last.
I’m no lover of bumpers but I just accept them as being the Yang to the Ying of the events over obstacles.
Is my memory playing up, but didn’t Towcester agree to pay £30,000 per annum to Newtown Abbot for ten years for their Boxing day fixture?
I guess that Abbot knew at that stage that they would be moving towards summer-only racing.
That figure sounds about right. When the fixture was put up on offer by Abbot, I certainly remember Pat Masterson at Abbot being at pains to point out how much money they’d thrown at it year in, year out, only to have witnessed its near-annual cancellation.
Abbot was already mostly summer jumping-oriented by that stage (it joined the summer roster in the late 90s), but that was one fixture outwith the spring and summer months that they kept onto a while longer. Indirectly, I guess the money saved on Boxing Day might well have be going towards boosting the prizemoney during their very good Lord Mildmay two-day August meeting since then.
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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