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Having read a few threads on the forum I believe there are some who still think the game is shall we say "almost" straight so here’s the chance to vote, let’s see what the Racing Forum members think!
NO inbetweens either vote Bent or NOT bent!
This may be interesting so take time to cast your vote!
<br>No need to post a reply just click the vote button!
I would say that racing is about 30% bent, but given the choice of votes I will have to go with the 70%
I would say that possibly 70% of us think the game is about 30% bent. I think we will all agree that there are problems to be addressed, but also that most aspects of the game are fairly clean cut. Is this assessment about right? That’s my opinion anyway.
Bent! Bent!…How can P narama even think of suggesting such a thing. Before we know where we are they will be telling us that the leaders of our, ‘democracy’ are devious.
What, Tony’s Cronies? Surely not! :laugh:
Actually Panarama had absolutely no bearing on my opinion. I don’t think anyone would assume a sport involving billions of pounds of revenue to be totally clean. There is always a corrupt element around where money is involved. It’s just human nature.
I voted "not bent" on the grounds that it must be less than 50% bent! Think you need to refine your question, Jim.
ian," bent" as i understand means dishonest,so my thred should be is horse racing dishonest[bent,crooked,fiddle,a twist ,corrupt,dodgy etc}
I don’t think that racing as a collective whole is ‘bent’ – however common sense and intellegance will tell you that there is a small number of people who do cheat the system. Individuals who are bent do not mean that the entire industry should be branded in the same way!
Hi Alsoran, firstly, my poll was only for my benefit as I wanted to see how many on the forum actually believed racing to be straight as I know most think it is bent as I do, I just wanted to see how the voting would go, and to be honest it’s gone the way I thought it would, my opinion is that racing is probably about 35% bent but it doesn’t stop me from doing what I do on a daily basis, I love the game bent or not but the corruption in racing (and there is some corruption whatever way you look at it) is why I keep my bets to a minimum.
Secondly, I’m not sure I can be offended by anything that is said as I give as good as I get, coming from Glasgow you grow up this way ;) ……. anyway your poll idea sound good so why not start it and see how it goes?
ps. thanks for your kind words in your p.s. ;)
here was my last post–<br>yes it is bent no horse always runs on its merits the trainer the owner etc have to make money for lesser horses this means bringing down its rating increasing its starting price and paying for the horses oats and also that backhander  i forgot to mention schooling getting the horse a run or a few runs to acclimatise whether for gates ,track ,hurdles etc etc many many factors we all know about but simply where theres a financial gain theres always going to be cheating im not saying everyones bent but i know of a few who are ive received info just like many others sometimes its good and sometimes its bad but we all know the story <br>this was from a similar thread i only made the above comment to show where my vote was cast.ive always maintained where theres money theres crooks at scams or plots to make more money some are slight benders from lets say the truth some take it a lot further for larger financial gains and that unfair advantage.<br>As for the rules ,any rules wont be effective if there not acted on or taken to the letter of the law the recent tv programme has shown this i feel more stronghand tactics more enforcement is needed eg.hit the culprits where it hurts in the pockets by fines,suspension of racing and bans for life for serious offenders for jockeys not just the few so far but theres evidence already just because your a household name if your a cheat or caught doing it your punished as for trainers a similar penalty a ban from allowing runners for a certain period ,fines and a lifetime ban for serious or continuous<br>perpitraitors this is the problem here its brushed under the carpet ,also secuirity at certain race courses is a problem which needs to be tightened problems here is obviuosly financial but if the trainers/owners where made responsible for their own horses this would make a start to a serious problem surely stable lasses and lads posted beside there own horses might make a start to better secuirity i dont know just an idea im not from this side and not qualified to answer there are some rules which can be doctored up a bit but why o why is the jockey club full of upper class twats surely if youve belonged in the racing game have a knowledge of the game and had experience ie like ex trainers,punters,jockeys,corrspondents,bookmakers etctec these would make a better team a diverse range of knowledge more know how and get rid of this upper class heirachy that know didddlysquat just an idea again im full of them i dont know the answer but rules will always be broken despite changes to them a greater control mainly enforcement and removal of a heirachy will be a good start
cheating or corruption can never totally be removed from racing where money is cheating is
(Edited by spideymansbluff at 12:20 pm on Oct. 19, 2002)
I made my opinion clear on the other thread that I dont think racing is bent, and I think Spideymansbluff’s latest comments explain why it isnt.
It’s difficult to know for certain what exactly drives his opinion, however I think his slightly "utopian" view of what racing should be is unrealistic.
I hear where he comes from and I share some of his concerens, however I stand my my initial comments that there are a lot of punters who appear to ignore the psyche of the horse, when considering their wagers has a limited knowledge of the horse, yet have unrealistic expectations about how horses perform, and cry foul when things go wrong
Sort out the ridiclous whip rules, so that it allows jockeys to ride finishes and at the same time protects the horse.
Create a realistic "NON triers rules" i.e. it catches the genuine cheat and doesnt pander to the whim of punters who feel they didnt get a real run for a money, mainly because of a poor ride, or bad tactics from teh trainers
thats OK by me, however at the same times I do think you have to be reallistic about the animals we love to watch race. End of season two year old races are for mainly backward two year olds. Does spideymansbluff seriously suggest that these types of horse should have the gun put to their head, resultinmg in ruining them longterm.
A horse’s pedigree and more importantly historical trends tell you what type of horses trainers like to buy and it is very easy to work out the 2yo horses in their care that are likely to race more competitively next term. If trainers want to give them a run to see where they stand – i can’t see the harm.
As for national hunt horses. Sires can tell you when horses were likely to win. I can vouch for this. I’ve done horses to follow lists dor myself/ my website for the last ten years , and I will always include horses that are bred to steeplechase, who I know ill leave their hurdles form behind – Benson was one of them yesterday.
racing isnt an exact science. then again neither is any sport. I think it is unrealistic to expect perefection .. that isnt a reson to condemn it. <br>
fair comment mr rook we all have our opinions i know not all racing is bent but there are those out there who cheat theres no doubts about that i wouldnt want a 2yr old to be floggged simply to win a race thats not what im saying all im saying is this old sport of racing it and has been proved time and time again that cheats are out there and it simply wont dissappear your points are valid and i agree with some of them but all i was doing is putting some of my thoughts and suggestions they may be wrong or right im not an expert and never will be as nobody out there is unless connected to the particular stable or connections nobody can solely pick winner after winner but it is frustrating old game yep your right various conditions are required and other factors come into things which we sometimes can only guess or predict but thats part of racing
im not saying all racing is bent but some of it sure is
i get your point a play on words i think ok partly totally crooked is that a little better im not the smartest button;) ;) ;)  but in some ways it is  in some slightly around about way you bend the truth a bit to get that handicap rating down maybe run it to get the horse fit;) ;)  i think you know where im coming from id better explain myself in the future to you so in some ways yes it is totally bent in some respects but i get your point<br>:grouphug: mr alsoran you can have a conversation argument discussion anytime i can admit my wording was wrongly put thats why im not einstein just mr plain joe punter no problems i still think i have some valid points everyone is entitled to their point of view they all wont be the same.
(Edited by spideymansbluff at 11:28 pm on Oct. 19, 2002)
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