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Especially RUK & ATR, give it a break lads, there’s still nearly 3 months to go and you’ve been at it for that length of time already. Do we really need race by race updates? The average punter in the street doesn’t give a monkeys, just look at any racing forum such as this for evidence.
I think the issue is not the average punter in the bookies. They are already interested in racing and their priority as you rightly say is not the jockey’s championship. They will still be in the bookies whatever happens!
However; for people who are not regular gamblers the sport has other interesting factors: whether that be horses, stables or jockeys that they follow or become interested in. Many of us get ‘hooked’ on racing by following a horse or jockey not studying form. Mine was Poker de Sivola! I follow a few jockeys too! Last year people not that interested in racing locked on to Richard Hughes dedication in trying to close the gap; and Paul Hanagan’s ‘accessibility’ as champion jockey. I think it is interesting for anybody interested in sport generally; whereas individual races may not be. It is important for continuity – particularly on the flat where the horses don’t go on for years like the jumps horses. So the jockeys become important.So I imagine the media want to see another close battle this year with perhaps several jockeys closing; and that scenario will likely attract people to have a look at the sport. A battle over weeks or months always has an advantage for both media and public and the prospect of a title race has sustainable excitement.
It’s important. It brings a different edge to each upcoming race as the gap changes. I like it. I think ATR should show the new table EVERY Morning at 9am.
Probably driven for by Racing for Change, they think the casual fan needs to be aware of championships, constant competition etc.
I imagine yes it may be partly driven by RFC.
I know many hard core betting enthusiasts are cynical about this kind of thing; but Racing’s future health depends on bringing new people into the sport – particularly when the hardcore ‘punter’ is perhaps going racing less often these days due to betfair etc.
So championship battles sustain interest and get people curious in the first place.
And yes Speedfiguremaker I would like to see the status updated every day at 9am too!!
The saturation level in August is near insufferable for a championship of dubious sporting merit.
Next year Dixon’s merry band of Horsemen, courtesy of mouthpiece Alan Morcombe, will destroy official jockeys/trainers championships with their rival "tariff" versions, thus ending any enthusiasm anyone has for it.
The championship is won four years out of five by the jockey that has had the most rides. They might as well just count up each jockey’s shell clubcard points and frequent flyer miles and hand the one that’s clocked up the most by season’s end a set of steak knives.
It’s really quite worrying that RFC consider this contest, that could have been devised by Samuel Beckett, to be something to focus on.
Meanwhile we often remain in the dark, until they’re loading up, about who is actually riding a horse every time someone chasing this title gets stuck in traffic or is grounded by high winds.
If RFC consider jockeys important why don’t they take steps to keep us informed of who they actually are?
On this occasion RFC not to blame I’m afraid as the same has occurred in previous seasons and they’re hardly likely to have much impact with ATR & RUK on the issue anyway.
Eliza, your thinking may have had some merit if nearly all the overkill on the matter did not take place on the 2 specialist racing channels, why would you expect that to have some impact on people with not much interest in the sport? They will not be watching ATR & RUK in the first place.
The fact is they’re at it as soon as season starts and don’t let up, why I do not know.
Look on any racing forum, Betfair, Talking Horses, Punters Lounge, Here, etc and see how many threads you see discussing the jockeys championship, the general public are just not interested, particularly months before the end of the season.They’re trying to attract football fans and football fans love a league table.
Although I’m actually interested this year, been following De Sousa for ages.
I find the contest interesting from a punting perspective as it doesn’t require specialist knowledge and is analysable statistically. My commentary is moderately popular on the big race section of this forum. However, I have to admit it’s a fairly meaningless contest and this is also recognised by the jockeys themselves. Last year was exceptional in being a close contest between two riders who were highly motivated. This year it looks like Hanagan will be far enough ahead by end September to prevent the other contenders from trying to catch him. However, injury or suspension might change this likelihood at any time.
I find the contest interesting from a punting perspective as it doesn’t require specialist knowledge and is analysable statistically. My commentary is moderately popular on the big race section of this forum. However, I have to admit it’s a fairly meaningless contest and this is also recognised by the jockeys themselves. Last year was exceptional in being a close contest between two riders who were highly motivated. This year it looks like Hanagan will be far enough ahead by end September to prevent the other contenders from trying to catch him. However, injury or suspension might change this likelihood at any time.
On this occasion RFC not to blame I’m afraid as the same has occurred in previous seasons and they’re hardly likely to have much impact with ATR & RUK on the issue anyway.
Eliza, your thinking may have had some merit if nearly all the overkill on the matter did not take place on the 2 specialist racing channels, why would you expect that to have some impact on people with not much interest in the sport? They will not be watching ATR & RUK in the first place.
The fact is they’re at it as soon as season starts and don’t let up, why I do not know.
Look on any racing forum, Betfair, Talking Horses, Punters Lounge, Here, etc and see how many threads you see discussing the jockeys championship, the general public are just not interested, particularly months before the end of the season.I think the specialist racing channels in fact do have a large amount of occasional viewers. They face the same problems as any other media: how to get people not to watch but watch regularly – so if they can sustain something ongoing they will. I mean I don’t know why on earth anyone would watch soap operas or Big Brother but they do because the drama is ongoing. As JJM said it is like the league tables with other sports. Eeven the Olympics has medal table tallies yet it doesn’t have much real meaning as competition as most countries will get few medals. Nevertheless; people like to see the ongoing sitiation and it keeps them tuning in. Not even everyone who has the racing channels is a day in day out punter.
What I noticed last year as someone who have a large amount of occasional or even non racing fans on my facebook is that there WAS great interest in the jockeys championship. Beware of seeing the ‘general public’ as form studying punters that take part in Racing Forums: they aren’t. But many do follow jockeys especially on the flat. While McCoy is always streets clear over the jumps the flat championship is generally more compeititive and certainly was last year. I doubt very much whether most of the general public knew who Richard Hughes and Paul Hanagan were until last year. Now at least some do- the championship race got a lot of coverage in the non racing press precisely because the racing media got feverish about it.
I think generally one of the problems with racing having a wider attraction is that the ‘enthusiasts’ can be a bit ‘cliquey’ and scornful of change and the reasons why others come into the sport: whether it be for reasons of social, fashion, general horse interest or following Dettori since his magnificent seven etc.
I really enjoy racing as a day out. I really love the spectacle and the horses. I am not in the least bit interested in reading pages of ‘prediction’ in the racing media discussing who has the best form to win; yet little sustainable interest following what may have been an epic spectacle of a race. The Bet 365 was a case in point. I found little about Poker de Sivola (my favourite horse) in the run up to the race; yet the race itself offered a phenomenal spectacle. People I had told to bet it who had never been racing before I think are now pretty ‘hooked’!! But like me that doesn’t mean they are going to become students of form and hardcore punters. But they will follow him; they will go racing because of the excitement they witnessed from the character horse with the grey tail that made impossible ground to go from last to first!
Horses are not machines; studying form is not a guarantee of winning; and in the long run we don’t need newcomers to become hardcore studying ‘punters’ necessarily. Attracting families for example is important and to children the prospect of a tussle between jockeys for a championship is better than a bouncy castle for long term interest in the Sport!! And the amount of children interested in last year’s championship was high. The other aspect of Racing I think we don’t make enough of but will in time is the international aspect. Ascot made quite a big thing of the international element of racing there this year and people do find it interesting especially if they are not necessarily ‘students of form’. And we have to look at for example when we consider ‘general public’ that the Hungarian wonder horse ‘Overdose’ has 10 800 Facebook fans Europe wide. To the student of form he was of little interest as his previous run wasn’t promising; but the public love him; and he ran a blinder
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Overdose/39936848399 .
So what interests the public is not necessarily what interests the punter. So we need to think about jockeys championships and international compeition because of the wider appeal. And oh yes; sorry I know many of the ‘hardcore’ don’t like it but fashion at the races too!!
Look on any racing forum, Betfair, Talking Horses, Punters Lounge, Here, etc and see how many threads you see discussing the jockeys championship, the general public are just not interested, particularly months before the end of the season.
In fact Eddie we may both be wrong re this:
Big Races Forum here:
2011 Flat Jockeys Championship
by kasparov » 10 Jan 2011 09:28 Last post by kasparov
15 Aug 2011 22:311817 Views 58 Replies
Wouldn’t call that ‘no interest’
I don’t have the slightest problem with the jockey’s championship. It has been a regular feature of the racing calendar for many decades now, lest we forget. I remember back in 1982 when John Francome gave up the remainder of his rides after drawing level with Peter Scudamore on 120, so that the injured Scud ( who had been ahead before injury ) was then able to share the title with him. Now that is sportmanship of the highest order. That brought a fair bit of outside media attention, and rightly so.
Overall, I view it in the same way as I view the Premiership’s top goal scorer contest; a side attraction to the main event.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Look on any racing forum, Betfair, Talking Horses, Punters Lounge, Here, etc and see how many threads you see discussing the jockeys championship, the general public are just not interested, particularly months before the end of the season.
In fact Eddie we may both be wrong re this:
Big Races Forum here:
2011 Flat Jockeys Championship
by kasparov » 10 Jan 2011 09:28 Last post by kasparov
15 Aug 2011 22:311817 Views 58 Replies
Wouldn’t call that ‘no interest’
Never look on there Eliza
That’s the one thread then with the driving force of Mr Kasparov contributing about 66% of the posts and probably views to the subject
Looks like we right after all Eliza
Look on any racing forum, Betfair, Talking Horses, Punters Lounge, Here, etc and see how many threads you see discussing the jockeys championship, the general public are just not interested, particularly months before the end of the season.
In fact Eddie we may both be wrong re this:
Big Races Forum here:
2011 Flat Jockeys Championship
by kasparov » 10 Jan 2011 09:28 Last post by kasparov
15 Aug 2011 22:311817 Views 58 Replies
Wouldn’t call that ‘no interest’
Never look on there Eliza
That’s the one thread then with the driving force of Mr Kasparov contributing about 66% of the posts and probably views to the subject Looks like we right after all Eliza
Wouldn’t explain the high hits. I am sure that regular ‘punters’ probably aren’t as interested as the general public – but Racing presents a far bigger portential spectator sport than just punters. And they like the jockeys championship – as do I. x
Completely over the top, they can’t stop talking about it yet the racing man in the street has absolutely no interest in it.
How many people have talked to you about it?
How many posts on here about it?
What is the fascination for journalists, presenters, pundits and commentators?
Somebody should inform them that Hughes is 1/20
This is one thing where Ryan Moore is absolutely spot on and gives the subject the recognition it deserves.
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