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Question 16 (from forum member stevedg)
Why does Scotland get so few group races? With approx 10% of the UK population, it would be fair to suggest that Scotland contributes roughly 10% of levy income. So, why not 10% of the G1s, G2s, G3s?
The answer can’t be “tradition” as tradition didn’t stop the Derby being moved to a Saturday or a 4th day being added to the Cheltenham festival etc
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… And there are plenty of group races at Ascot, Newmarket etc that were only introduced in recent years.The only thing that’s “traditional” about those races is that they were given to those courses that traditionally get their hands on a disproportionate share of the levy.
I can see the point you are trying to make regarding levy generation, but I am not sure it is a valid one regarding the distribution of Pattern races. Scotland punters may in fact contribute a higher percentage of the levy per capita, but that is not to say that is on Scottish racing (ie racing at Scottish racecourses does not necessarily generate a disproportionate share of the Levy.
Not that this argument is particularly relevant to Pattern races. On the Flat, the ground rules for the promotion and creation of races are governed by the European Pattern Committee. The Committee aims to assist the provision of a co-ordinated programme of quality races in each age, sex and distance category within the member countries, and also aims to achieve a balance of Group races within the European Pattern, so that there are more Group 3 races than Group 2 and more Group 2 races than Group 1, and the total number of Group 3 races exceeds the total combined number of Group 1 and Group 2 races.
Every race in the European Pattern must justify its grouping by the quality of its runners, assessed primarily by its Pattern Race Rating, and I suppose the key extracts from the Ground Rules are as follows:
(a) Upgrading of Existing Pattern Races and the Creation of New Pattern Races
To qualify for upgrading or admission to the Pattern a race must have been run with similar race conditions, comparable prize money and on the same date for at least the last three years. (Note: a change in venue and/or surface is acceptable).
…A race shall be eligible for promotion if the race in question achieves both a Pattern Race Rating and an Annual Rating for the last year in excess of the applicable parameter.
…Equally, there are rules covering the downgrading of races that are failing to justify their inclusion in the Pattern.
In terms of Jump races, there is no over-arching body as such, but a similar system applies regarding the upgrading and creation of races. Racecourses were invited to apply to stage the new Mares only additions to the Jump Pattern, for instance.
Please do get in touch should you wish to obtain a full copy of the Ground Rules under separate cover. The European Pattern Book itself is available through Weatherbys.
but that is not to say that is on Scottish racing (ie racing at Scottish racecourses
That’s a catch-22 argument.
The fact the showcase races are kept to England (or, more specifically, to certain courses in England), mean punters all over the country tend to bet on races at those courses.
However, that doesn’t mean that those punters are "voting for those courses". Instead, it simply means those are the sorts of races punters are typically most interested in.
But, the fact you’re bringing this up as an explanation suggests you’re using this as a justification to continue to give the best races to the courses that are already overly favoured.
But, as this rule shows, there’s no reason why you need to do that:
To qualify for upgrading or admission to the Pattern a race must have been run with similar race conditions, comparable prize money and on the same date for at least the last three years. (Note: a change in venue and/or surface is acceptable).
So, it would be easy enough to give the next few brand new group races to the Scottish courses.
But, I suspect the reality is that the BHA has no interest in geographic balance and will continue to give the cream to that handful of courses they seem to have an incestuous relationship with.
Steve
I feel you are missing the point here Steve. Any racecourse, Scottish or otherwise would be free to put on a conditions race with decent prize money. After three years, the racecourse could apply to the pattern committee to have the race upgraded to Group status, provided it had attracted a sufficient quality of horse in the three years.
It is not an anti-Scottish bias at work, simply that Scottish racecourses and sponsors choose not to put on the type of race which merits inclusion in the pattern. The other factor is, of course, that trainers will be less willing to travel their horses further – i.e. an identical race at Newmarket will probably attract more/better entries than one at Musselburgh, all things being equal, because of the proximity of so many horses.
Levy is a separate point, as races with a high betting turnover don’t necessarily correspond with those holding the highest status (i.e position in the pattern).
I would be interested to hear anybody else’s views on the above, as perhaps it is me that’s got the wrong end of the stick?!
Benny,
Here’s a question: how is prize money determined for races?
Is it a case of "the course finds money and the BHA contributes an amount that’s directly related to it" – i.e. there’s a factor P where the BHA adds P x the course’s money to each race?
Or, is there money given according to the nature of the race. So, every class 2 handicap would receive £x from the BHA (i.e. the levy)?
How does it work? How does the BHA distribute the levy income to courses?
Steve
The basics are or were – they keep changing:
Merit Table
The primary system whereby the Levy Board decides its prize money allocation to individual racecourses. It is based on the contributions to prize money by the racecourse executive and sponsors over a three year period.
Meritocracy Bands
Method of classifying races to replace minimum values (introduced in 2004 for Flat racing) where all races must be run at a value within the monetary range stipulated for that Class of race. For Jumping this was introduced in January 2006.
Minimum Values
These are set by the British Horseracing Authority each year and are the required minimum Total Prize Funds which a racecourse must meet for each classification of race. Also see Meritocracy Bands.
For the Perth meeting on 29th July, you can sponsor a race for £2,000.
You also get :-
A full page advertisement in the evening’s race program.
A race named after your company. With the race details printed on the programme page following your advert.
Your race announced over the PA system.
Brand exposure to approximately 5,000 racegoers and between 40,000 to 50,000 television viewers through Sky’s daily racing coverage.Backing two runners is the relentless pursuit of value. Backing each way is a shortcut to the poor house. Only 7% make a long term profit.
For the Perth meeting on 29th July, you can sponsor a race for £2,000.
You also get :-
A full page advertisement in the evening’s race program.
A race named after your company. With the race details printed on the programme page following your advert.
Your race announced over the PA system.
Brand exposure to approximately 5,000 racegoers and between 40,000 to 50,000 television viewers through Sky’s daily racing coverage.That is actually quite expensive – you can easily get a similar package for around £1,000 at a large number of courses – some can be negotiated even lower – the best deal I have managed in the past is £750 (plus VAT).
Add in the potential for entertaining clients at the course on the day of sponsorship and that makes race sponsorship a very attractive option.
For the Perth meeting on 29th July, you can sponsor a race for £2,000.
You also get :-
A full page advertisement in the evening’s race program.
A race named after your company. With the race details printed on the programme page following your advert.
Your race announced over the PA system.
Brand exposure to approximately 5,000 racegoers and between 40,000 to 50,000 television viewers through Sky’s daily racing coverage.That is actually quite expensive – you can easily get a similar package for around £1,000 at a large number of courses – some can be negotiated even lower – the best deal I have managed in the past is £750 (plus VAT).
Arguably the reason why Perth charges as much as it does it because it can!
There seems to be no shortage of companies or individuals prepared to sponsor a race at the Highland track – a quick bit of research indicates that apart from the odd bumper, and the few memorial races (for Stewart Catherwood, Bill and Bunny Cadogan, etc) each year, NO race at Perth has failed to find a sponsor for at least the last three years, and only penny numbers had failed to each year for the remainder of this decade.
All a bit of a contrast to 20 years ago, when only half of all races there attracted sponsors, and very few of these were outside of the April Festival – putting on cards in early October, where either desperately heavy or very fast ground would often result in two- and three-runner steeplechases, didn’t exactly help the course’s cause. Perth’s come a long way since then in many ways.
I don’t know off the top of my head, but I’d expect that Cartmel’s race sponsorship costs are somewhere in the same region as well, with demand for sponsoring there at least equalling, if not exceeding, supply in recent years.
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)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.
You can sponsor an Arab race for £550 if anyone is interested…
Atm racecourses are finding it incredibly find to get sponsors at the moment as the majority of companies have frozen their marketing budgets in light of the current economic situation. How much this will reflect in prize money I’m not sure but I imagine it is going to have some sort of effect.
Its a pity the Scottish Derby was axed as it complemented the Champion Hurdle and Grand National of Scotland and lets face it how many courses can say they hold a Derby,Champ Hurdle and National with exception of Wimbledon dogs probably.
What Scotland should try and do is have their own triple crown for slightly lesser rated horses.
Something like this
Scottish 1000 and 2000 GNS at Ayr both over 1m
Scottish Derby and Oaks at Musselburgh both over 1m3f
Scottish Leger at Hamilton over 1m5f
Have them as listed to begin with and have a bonus for horse who wins all 3 or can get placed in all of them.
Dont forget the Scottish Stewards Cup is now a Heritage Handicap aswell as the Ayr Gold Cup.
If the Scottish racing execs read this and wish to implement the idea then all i ask for in return in free entry to the meetings plus hotel and rail travel.
Scottish Derby and Oaks at Musselburgh both over 1m3f
Funny you should mention that- a daydream I had relating to this thread concluded that if the requisite sponsorship was put up in order to generate decent field sizes (unlikely, granted) then race organisers could do a lot worse than set up a ‘Musselburgh Festival’ during the summer, somewhere between Royal Ascot & Glorious Goodwood. Edinburgh is pretty busy at that time of year (just before the Edinburgh festival) and East Lothian itself is not unknown as a tourist destination, it would be a great chance to put more decent pattern races in Scotland with bumper crowds guaranteed (Scottish weather notwithstanding!).
Musselburgh festival of racing. Another fine idea.
Without consulting the fixture list I was wondering what would be to stop them having a Musselburgh festival of racing to coincide with the Edinburgh Festival itself. I’m very sure they could attract lots of performance artists to turn up/entertain for free if they ran, say, a Friday/ Saturday/Sunday ‘festival’ during the, er, festival. I’m also sure there would be lots of PR opportunities.
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