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…..if fractions are anachronistic, then so are race distances in Imperial measurements. Would you want to do away with them too?
Why not?
I would be surprised if even 5% of those aged under 30 knew how far a furlong was.
At the very least race distances should be described in both Imperial and Metric distances.
I stand to be corrected on this one but currently the only course I am aware of who routinely include Imperial and Metric race distances in their racecards is Ascot.
At the very least race distances should be described in both Imperial and Metric distances.
That seems fair enough to me, though given the historical record is in Imperial measures, the form book might take a while to update.
At the very least race distances should be described in both Imperial and Metric distances.
That seems fair enough to me, though given the historical record is in Imperial measures, the form book might take a while to update.
Fair comment – but then again some of the Imperial distances in the form book are works of fiction
Is this Racing for Change some sort of Comedic Joke?
1 Change odds to Decimal?
WTF how is that going to get more people coming through the gates of Southwell on a wet Wednesday. Next thing they change the furlong markers to something else. Beggars Belief.
2 "Ask" Bookmakers to use fair e/w
Ask the bookmakers….jesus they guys are jokers. Explain the rule 4….and make sure they e/w terms become standard in all racing. Not just Askl bloody well do it
3 Race names to be simplified and racecourse announcements to be modernised.
Are the horse racing public stupid people?…know they are probaly more educated than most yet why do we need this stupid idea. Modern Announcements?…..wtf is that, some guys standing in a box with central heating and state of the art coffee making facilites making announcements.
4 All jockeys and trainers to be listed on race cards by their first names and surnames.
First idea that makes some sort of sense yet they need a year to get this idea in writing
5 A central PR campaign from January to promote racing more effectively to a wider audience.
Weetabix has done more for racing than the BHA
6 A new website launched to promote horse racing to new and novice customers.
Wow…….that still doesnt bring down prices or increase the levy.
7 Funded media training for jockeys and trainers, together with an appearance fee budget set aside for non-racing media work.
Where will this happen on racing broadcasts i assume….maybe try and get someone like Dettori to become the sportsman for Horse Racing in England. Invite him to question of sport/lotto draws/Johnathon Ross etc etc
8 The outcome of photo finishes to be displayed on screen at the same moment as the judge’s announcement. Saddlecloth numbers will be larger to improve visibility.
Brilliant….Great Idea all they forgot is that we most of the racegoers dont bring Binoculars and have premium seats to watch the horses running.
"If you have a teenager in the house, try asking how they feel about placing a bet at odds of 13/8 on a horse carrying eight stone ten pounds, running over seven furlongs, having been purchased for 5,000 guineas. I think you’ll find a deal of translation is required before you reach a level of understanding."
Decimal odds eh – nice to see racing for change is getting to grips with revolutionary ideas.
That quote above – it’s something I wrote in an article for Odds On ten years ago ……..
Wallace,
The ‘modernised announcements’ mainly relates to the ridiculous format of the Rule 4 message that is broadcast after a non runner – the one that fails to tell novice racegoers that they can get their money back if their horse didn’t go into the stalls for example.
Oddly enough I wrote about that only eleven years ago …
AP
I cannot understand how a horse can keep a race when the rules have been broken. eg jockey gets a whip ban, keeps the race and prizemoney. Surely the horse should be disqualified once the jockey has been found to be in breach of the rules? It’s a bit like fitting an illegal engine in a F1 car and saying it wasn’t the cars fault.
Nonsense happy, does a football team lose the match if it gives a penalty away or has a player sent off?
In any case whether a jockey has broken the rules is very subjective, do you really want your punting decided by clueless faceless stewards?
Have your rules and punters would turn away from racing in their droves.The modernisation of announcements, as well as explaining Rule 4, as pointed out by AP (although how anybody would have been able to explain the Rule 4’s at Cheltenham on Friday is beyond me), are also intended to do away with some of the more "technical" expressions used in racing.
For example how many novice racegoers know what is happening when the commentator says a horse is, for example, "off the bridle"?
From RP Website from a certain member
"young punters prefer betting on other sports because they see racing as corrupt, we all know that trainers exploit the system in handicaps so sort that out. Racing needs a root and branch job not a bit of slap "
Probaly right….i am only 20 but i love horseracing because i live in the basin of it at the Curragh. Tell them to some guy in Belfast or the North of England they prob have no interest in AOB 2yr olds or Willie Mullins top Novices.
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Wallace,The ‘modernised announcements’ mainly relates to the ridiculous format of the Rule 4 message that is broadcast after a non runner – the one that fails to tell novice racegoers that they can get their money back if their horse didn’t go into the stalls for example.
Oddly enough I wrote about that only eleven years ago …
AP
…and hopefully a change from the automaton
"The Trainer states that xxxx will not run"
to
"xxxx is a non-runner because …….. "
From experience I’ve only known Wolverhampton to announce the reason a horse isn’t running.
Rob
The re-standardisation of each-way terms, if it can be enforced, is bad news for punters and a backward step.
A bookie offering 12/1 at sixth odds is offering a better deal than one offering 10/1 to a fifth, particularly to win only punters. This is largely what is happening at the moment. That’s why Donoghue wants SP taken from those who bet to standard terms – their odds are worse.
I know there are one or two that offer reduced place terms when they aren’t warranted and don’t display these clearly, but these are seperate issues that don’t require the re-standardisation of each-way terms.
Why do the BHA have this obsession with the ‘young’? They generally don’t have a pot to piss in, and are more likely to spend any disposable on alcopops at the track, rather than bumping the Levy with their £1 each-way Tote bets?
Why are there not more inducements to the 30+ age bracket? Or families?
Drone, if fractions are anachronistic, then so are race distances in Imperial measurements. Would you want to do away with them too?
A little different GH, the mile is still an ‘official’ Imperial measure cf. road signs, though admittedly few have considered furlongs outside of a racecourse since the 19th century. 1000 metres to the kilometre (kilometer?) still seems rather alien whereas 100 pence to the pound doesn’t.
Whatever next, a longing for the return of 100/6 100/8 100/12 etc?
I’m trying my best to consider what is best for the sport, and wouldn’t share your sweeping cynical dismissal of all the young as broke piss-artists, though admit that most disposable income lies with the now greying baby-boomers who once – when young – wore loon pants and listened to Jefferson Airplane whilst high on narcotics and barley wine: each and every one of us of course
Young people eh? I dunno
…and hopefully a change from the automaton
"The Trainer states that xxxx will not run"
to
"xxxx is a non-runner because …….. "
From experience I’ve only known Wolverhampton to announce the reason a horse isn’t running.
Rob
Absolutely agree on that one – there is absolutely no excuse not to give the reason.
It is very hit and miss, more miss, in this country.
Yet when I go racing in Ireland it seems to be routine to give the reason, I can only think of a handful of occasions where the reason has not been given
Yet when I go racing in Ireland it seems to be routine to give the reason, I can only think of a handful of occasions where the reason has not been given
Also in Ireland, no matter how late the withdrawal it is immediately announced over the tannoy even if it means butting into Dessie Scahills commentary. Here we are often left in the dark till after the race, having retrospective withdrawals of horses at the disgression of the starter after they’ve lined up cannot help.
The sentiment that under 30’s have no money is complete tosh. I would say that the 25-35 age bracket has more disposable income than the 35-45 yr olds because people have kids later these days and so more of their money is their own to spend. It’s certainly true of me and my friends (I’m 29). Unfortunately most of my friends punt on football and not racing, mostly because they have no grasp of form, race conditions and all the other factors that a reasonable form student would understand. They also have no inclination to try and understand unless i sit and explain it to them.
Quite why people assume that making things easier to understand is an affront to current racing public is beyond me.
Also in Ireland, no matter how late the withdrawal it is immediately announced over the tannoy even if it means butting into Dessie Scahills commentary. Here we are often left in the dark till after the race, having retrospective withdrawals of horses at the disgression of the starter after they’ve lined up cannot help.
Yeats – this shouldn’t happen here anymore. If it is stil happening please let me know.
The sentiment that under 30’s have no money is complete tosh. I would say that the 25-35 age bracket has more disposable income than the 35-45 yr olds because people have kids later these days and so more of their money is their own to spend. It’s certainly true of me and my friends (I’m 29). Unfortunately most of my friends punt on football and not racing, mostly because they have no grasp of form, race conditions and all the other factors that a reasonable form student would understand. They also have no inclination to try and understand unless i sit and explain it to them.
Quite why people assume that making things easier to understand is an affront to current racing public is beyond me.
Totally agree Aragorn.
I am 28 and know that most of my mates have more than enough money to splash out on leisure (ie a day at the racing).
The problem is they choose to spend that cash on a trip to the football, or the shopping centre, or on a weekend in Barcelona. No amount of tinkering with racing will make them interested in the sport. In fact, how many members of Joe Public actually realise there is a Racing for Change initiative?
I’m not saying we shouldn’t try getting people interested in the sport. Something needs done. But to have people from "the inside" producing these things means we have no idea what people from "the outside" of the sport actually think! All memebers of this forum are people I’d regard as "inside" as we are already interested. Most of my mates really have no interest in racing, they just dont care at all.
So you can throw all the marketing money at it you want fact is you are either interested or you’re not. And surely racing should be concentrating on improving things for those already involved, those already bitten by the bug, than wasting time (and more importantly money) trying to convert the un-convertible.
I’m 18 and likewise, very few of my friends are interested in the sport.
A very small handful have started to show an interest in betting. I have shown them the basics and how to read the form – but their interest comes from the idea that there is ‘easy money’ to be made. They lap up the punting strategies but when I say ‘look at this great finish’ or ‘check out Kauto’s latest win’, they yawn.
The £ signs and the flashing numbers are more attractive to them than the product itself. Some have placed bets without ever watching live racing!
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