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Am I alone in being sick to the back teeth this week reading about how happy trainers are with their horses coming out of racecourse gallops. By allowing the horses to do this, it prevents them from taking part in legitimate races. Surely there is something wrong when Starluck’s connections are turning down the opportunity to run in the Adonis, where he would have absolutely ideal conditions because they would prefer a racecourse gallop at Newbury.
IMHO Starluck avoided the Adonis because of the competition in the Adonis, Fleming had stated ages ago that it would be his target, he was entered in the race at the five day dec stage and Fleming was making excuses saying that he would only run him if there was suitable ground, then pulled out him out at the 48 hour decs stage (despite the fact that there was suitable ground) stating that he didnt want to give him a hard race so close to the Triumph.
The way I see it is the Fleming yard is pretty much a one horse yard, and having a big talking horse for cheltenham is giving his yard plenty of well needed publicity, but in terms of collateral form, Starluck has been strategically campaigned to only meet 100-110 rated novices when he has everything in his favour, and has been giving them a complete drubbing.
Thus I think that actually putting him in a race where he is likely to meet Hebridean, a very similar type of horse who on the flat had already beaten Starluck, was not high on the priority list, as they would have wanted to get him to cheltenham with his big reputation in tact. Had Starluck have raced in the adonis I’d be quite confident he’d have either been beaten or just about scraped a win.
In this case I think the racecourse gallop is just a choice of "certain to be good" publicity over potentially bad publicty in the adonis.
This "going to Cheltenham fresh" malarkey is being seriously overdone, as always. Watching horses go around Leopardstown on ATR in semi-darkness at half-speed and seeing bookies shorten them for Cheltenham shows how stupid they think punters are.
Totally agree David, this type of thing encourages connections not to run their horses in proper races. Same on the flat, they don’t often run proper trials for the Guinees these days.
Mark
Value Is EverythingWhat a load of bollox. A piece of work is just that – a piece of work. There is a big difference between that and a race. The trainers only use the racecourses because they often don’t have the proper facilities themselves, after carving up their land with numerous all weathers.
This "going to Cheltenham fresh" malarkey is being seriously overdone, as always. Watching horses go around Leopardstown on ATR in semi-darkness at half-speed and seeing bookies shorten them for Cheltenham shows how stupid they think punters are.
Very well put!
If trainers want to have racecourse gallops fine. It gives them a chance to take a horse away to work and the change of routine etc can do it good. But they should never be before racing because thats unfair on owners and trainers who have paid entries and want the best possible conditions. What amazes me even more though are those who report on gallops whether they are racecourse or not. Unless they know all the instructions, what eight is being carried etc etc then its totally meaningless and they may as well not know which horse is which. I’m so surprised people take them seriously and bet as a result.
Not particularly interested in watching it myself but don’t have a problem with it, after all they don’t get prize money. The coverage on the racing channels is completely OTT though, what is the point of pundits trying to analyse it as they wouldn’t know how a horse such as Binocular normally works anyway and to give airtime to price changes from bookmakers based on the work is a joke.
I see that Sicilian Secret has been shortened to the head of the market for the bumper on Sunday, following a racecourse gallop at Leopardstown.
Shortening a horse following a racecourse gallop is ridiculous.
There’s already a serious problem with the NH season being overly dominated by one meeting only and racecourses continuing to allow their facilities to be used for training when connections shun the opportunity to race them is a bad thing.
I see that Sicilian Secret has been shortened to the head of the market for the bumper on Sunday, following a racecourse gallop at Leopardstown.
Shortening a horse following a racecourse gallop is ridiculous.
The Leopardstown gallops (while just gallops) are slightly different in that history has shown that impressive workers generally run with credit at Cheltenham.
Missed That being the obvious example, put in a sparkling workout after racing at Leopardstown, slashed across the boards and duely did the business at Cheltenham.
Sky’s The Limit is another one to impress at Leopardstown and then scoot up in the Coral Cup.
Moscow Flyer disappointed in his gallop and did the same at Cheltenham etc.
I dont see the problem with race course gallops. I think for many its just to get the horses a day out. I saw the Doncaster ones on saturday and didn’t look like they went nearly fast enought to warrant paying too much attention. I presume the other gallops over the weekend were the same. However, on a point davidjohnson made…like it or not the jumps season does revolve around one meeting. The reason being it is the best and therfore attracts the best every year. I love it!
Can`t have it that the NH year revolves around only one meeting. Sure its the championship but there are some great meetings at Kempton,Sandown, Chepstow ,Newbury ,Punchestown,Galway ( less so ) Ascot has some good races,Aintree of course.Pert,Ayr and Kelso in Scotland. Each have their own character. And of course there are some good races in the Summer these days. If youve bred or bought a NH horse all of these meetings are very important.
Re racecourse gallops,how do you get a young horse used to the track and conditions ? if your lucky enough to get on them they sharpen a young horse up nicely.Re racecourse gallops,how do you get a young horse used to the track and conditions ? if your lucky enough to get on them they sharpen a young horse up nicely.
By racing them IMO
I see that Sicilian Secret has been shortened to the head of the market for the bumper on Sunday, following a racecourse gallop at Leopardstown.
Shortening a horse following a racecourse gallop is ridiculous.
With all due respect, did this particular racecourse gallop not give an idea as to Mullins’ preference for the bumper?
In this case no because he left Quinola des Obeaux at home saying that he had already done enogh work on this one
Can`t have it that the NH year revolves around only one meeting. Sure its the championship but there are some great meetings at Kempton,Sandown, Chepstow ,Newbury ,Punchestown,Galway ( less so ) Ascot has some good races,Aintree of course.Pert,Ayr and Kelso in Scotland. Each have their own character. And of course there are some good races in the Summer these days. If youve bred or bought a NH horse all of these meetings are very important.
Back of the net, well said that man. Given how good they’ve been to you in recent seasons, I’m sure you meant to include Market Rasen’s Summer Plate and late September meetings inamongst that lot, too!
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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