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Now I’m really confused.
I thought there was a rule in Ireland that if the topweight was a non-runner, even on the day of the race, the weights were raised so that the second-top weight carried at least 11-7, if he were set to carry less.
It’s a rule I hate, but at least it stops connections declaring one to keep the weights down for a more fancied runner, I thought.
Mossbank of Ml. Hourigan’s was a non today about an hour before the first, so I acted on the basis that the weights would go up 6lbs, putting his other runner Dancing Tornado on 11-7. Then reading the forums tonight and looking at the result I find the weights didn’t rise.
The mind boggles here- at what point does the rule operate or not operate? If it is arbitrary, as it seems to be, then how do punters know what weight will be carried? Most importantly of all how does it discourage people from manipulating the weights in valuable handicaps? I’m certain the weights for the Pierse Hurdle went up at a similarly late stage a couple of years ago.
Is it that Noel O’Brien says "that Hourigan is a genuine fella and wouldn’t have done this deliberately?"
Lastly, this is not pocket talk as I backed the winner (and Dancing Tornado) and tipped it up on the purple. I would just like to get the facts right before I write another letter about this to the Irish Field.I think the reason the weights didn’t go up today is because unlike the Newmill situation in the Pierse a few years back, the Munster National is not a rated handicap. The Pierse is (0-145 I think).
It’s stipulated in the rules of the Pierse that the top weight has to carry 11st10 IIRC.
Donn McClean had a good article explaining it in the Sunday Times a while ago. It might still be up on his website.
I think the cut-off time to raise the weights for the top-weight coming out is up to one hour before the race, so the actual time of the withdrawal maybe the reason the weights did not go up.
Also, there is a minimum rating the top weight has to be for the weights to go up, not sure what it is and would have a thought Mossbank would meet it, but that also may be the reason.
http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/leopardstown-leopardstown-alternative-handicap-rule-explained-by-turf-club/83182/
http://donnmcclean.com/2009/01/18/alternative-handicap-rule-2/
As clear as mud!
The rating thing doesn’t fly Pompete as Mossbank is rated 152, which must be higher than Newmill ina 0-145. If it is a time thing it is a nonsense, as connections can simply wait until after the deadline. I doubt this though as Mossbank was pulled out well before the first race today.
In neither of those articles IC (and thanks for the links) does it say that this rule is confined to rated handicaps, merely that in a rated handicap the weights must rise to 11-10.
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From the RP website:
MOSSBANK will miss the Ladbrokes.com Munster National due to the good ground, trainer Michael Hourigan confirmed on sunday afternoon, and now has the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 7 as his target.
Third reserve Royal Blood will run at Limerick, ridden by Eddie O’Connell.
Senior Irish handicapper Noel O’Brien said that the weights for the race, in which Mossbank was set to carry top weight of 11st 10lb, will not rise, although Royal Blood is 7lb out of the handicap, because Agus A Vic, original bottom weight, runs off his correct mark.
When declared on Friday, the official description for Limerick was good, good to yielding in places and showers were forecast.
However, the rain did not materialise and course manager Russell Ferris gave the ground as good on all courses on Sunday morning.
Hourigan, trainer of Mossbank and likely favourite Dancing Tornado, had warned that Mossbank, who has not run since April 2008, would not be risked if the ground was deemed to be too quick.
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