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Had a horse break a shoulder at Folkestone a few years ago (an innocuous looking fall at the first fence in the home straight where strangely I’ve never seen a horse fall since) and the RP comment was exactly that — "fell 7th, dead". I didn’t mind that so much but what really made the whole experience even harder to bear was the fact that not a single member of the racecourse staff came to offer a word of sympathy. That , to my mind, was inexcusable.
Does anyone know how much higher the attrition rate is in summer jumping compared with winter? Or what rate might be considered unacceptable?<br>
Quote: from Nor1 on 4:14 pm on May 14, 2007[br] ‘fell x out, dead’ is brutal. <br>
It may be brutal but it’s no more than one of many traditional formbook-speak matter-of-fact phrases which the RP uses in its ‘comments in running’, all of which are designed to be – and need to be – succinct.
Don’t have the slightest problem with it myself but as has been mentioned I’d welcome a regular RP column giving lengthier appraisals and eulogies to all horses killed in action, providing connections’ agree to it. And in my opinion doing so may actually go someway to appeasing the ‘animal aid’ type extremists by showing that the racing fraternity actually cares about the noble horse, whereas the current policy of sweeping the inevitable deaths under the carpet achieves nothing and in all probability only succeeds in painting a still less rosy picture of racing to those on the ‘outside’.
Are you hiding something?
…"I’d welcome a regular RP column giving lengthier appraisals and eulogies to all horses killed in action, providing connections’ agree to it. And in my opinion doing so may actually go someway to appeasing the ‘animal aid’ type extremists by showing that the racing fraternity actually cares about the noble horse, whereas the current policy of sweeping the inevitable deaths under the carpet achieves nothing and in all probability only succeeds in painting a still less rosy picture of racing to those on the ‘outside’ ".
Precisely Drone.<br>
I agree completely. Acknowledging the fact that a horse has come to grief does bring attention to it, but it shows we care and is far better than sweeping it under the carpet which gives the impression that we don’t.
Quote: from Zorro on 5:58 pm on May 14, 2007[br]Does anyone know how much higher the attrition rate is in summer jumping compared with winter? Or what rate might be considered unacceptable?
<br>Pro rata I’d be surprised if it was hugely higher, on account of the aforementioned strictures in place to water jumps courses during June and July in the aim of providing fast but safe ground (and the automatic cancellation of any jumps meeting on hard) – however, some hard and fast (no pun intended) stats to that effect to confirm or contradict that belief would be handy.
gc<br>
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.
Paul, a couple of years back I was talking to a horse-ambulance driver and his thoughts were that summer jumping was a big source of casualties.
I don’t know if thatis still the case but he was quite certain at the time that it was the biggest cause of casualties and deaths.
Colin
Which course was that, Colin? If it were Stratford or Rasen, I could probably believe that.
One other thing to consider about summer jumping is that, with the exception of Hexham and Worcester, all participating tracks are sharp and speedy in nature. Speed kills at any time of the year as far as I’m concerned, and if the summer calendar contains a higher percentage of meetings around sharper tracks than the rest of the year, I wonder if this is furthering the idea – real or not (tbc) – that summer jumping is that bit more dangerous.
gc<br>
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.
(Edited by graysonscolumn at 9:45 am on May 16, 2007)
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.
Heres the stats on all horses that were reported "DEAD" in the official formbook for all jumps races in the UK from Jan 2000 to the present
Casualties by course
Coursename Count<br>CHELTENHAM35<br>WORCESTER28<br>SEDGEFIELD26<br>HUNTINGDON21<br>STRATFORD21<br>LUDLOW20<br>AINTREE17<br>MARKET RASEN17<br>NEWTON ABBOT16<br>PLUMPTON15<br>EXETER14<br>HAYDOCK14<br>WARWICK13<br>UTTOXETER12<br>BANGOR-ON-DEE11<br>CARLISLE11<br>FAKENHAM11<br>FOLKESTONE11<br>HEREFORD11<br>NEWCASTLE11<br>WINCANTON11<br>KELSO10<br>CHEPSTOW9<br>FONTWELL9<br>NEWBURY9<br>PERTH9<br>SOUTHWELL9<br>TAUNTON9<br>AYR8<br>CATTERICK8<br>KEMPTON7<br>WETHERBY7<br>ASCOT6<br>CARTMEL6<br>DONCASTER6<br>TOWCESTER6<br>HEXHAM4<br>LEICESTER4<br>SANDOWN4<br>MUSSELBURGH3<br>LINGFIELD2<br>WINDSOR1<br>TOTAL482<br>
By month of race….
month of raceCount<br>1-45<br>2-44<br>3-82<br>4-43<br>5-47<br>6-34<br>7-23<br>8-30<br>9-25<br>10-35<br>11-41<br>12-33<br>TOTAL-482<br>
By going….
goingCount<br>F-47<br>G-109<br>GF-114<br>GS-89<br>HD-25<br>HY-48<br>S-50<br>TOTAL-482
Fast ground tells its own story<br>
(Edited by Cavelino Rampante at 12:50 pm on May 16, 2007)
Those are certainly eye-opening stats, Cavelino. I also like how Animal Aid et al claim up to 300 deaths a year, when just under 500 in 7 years is the actual figure!
The stats regarding ground are indeed sad, especially when you consider the figures for firm compared with those for heavy. Very similar death rates, but (and I’m only guessing) there are far more meetings run on heavy than on firm.
On a side point, the one I find the most surprising is that hurdle races and chases provide very similar numbers of casualties. I think most people would assume chases are far more dangerous.
And by year…
yearCount<br>2000-59<br>2001-55<br>2002-66<br>2003-77<br>2004-61<br>2005-52<br>2006-78<br>2007-34<br>TOTAL-482<br>
Friggo, there are more hurdle races than chases and hurdle races have, on average, more runners than chases. CR’s figures are meaningless unless these factors are taken into account.
Quote: from Friggo on 1:47 pm on May 16, 2007[br]Those are certainly eye-opening stats, Cavelino. I also like how Animal Aid et al claim up to 300 deaths a year, when just under 500 in 7 years is the actual figure!
<br>
Friggo those figures dont include the numerous horses who are killed while training. But still wouldn’t come to the Animal Aid figures.
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