Sectionals swop shop

[Prufrock]

I mentioned this idea a few years back and got some interest and again the other day but got little response this time.

In view of the demise of electronic sectionals provided by TurfTrax, is anyone interested in doing an exchange of hand-held sectionals in the months ahead?

The idea is that an individual would commit to covering an all-weather track, taking hand-timed sectionals at an agreed juncture(s) for all/most races at that track and deducing sectionals for each horse from them.

Anyone doing so would get access to such sectionals generated by others in the "scheme".

Many hands (or even TWO hands) make light work and all that.

Cormack has indicated that it may be possible to host the data on this site, with access granted only to those who help to make the thing work.

Please PM me if you are interested and I will gauge whether it seems to be a "goer".

Pru

[Prufrock]

Just in case the one or two of you who have not got round to PM-ing me managed to miss this first time round…

[sberry]

from tv replays ?

[Cav]

Can this be done for flat turf as well? Pattern and quality maiden races only.

[Colin Little]

Hi Prufrock,

I keep a lot of stats and ratings on the AW meetings at Lingfield, but have never taken any sectional times. Lack of time means I just couldn’t do every race. I do rate all of them now, but normally focus my study on the higher class ones during the winter (mainly class 4 & up & maidens). If that helps in any way it would be a natural progression for me as well.

I did really want to rate Great Leighs as well, but that’s still on the drawing board at the moment, as is Kempton.

[Prufrock]

Thanks for the feedback and PMs. I thought I’d jog this up to the top again and then take some action in a few days’ time.

Meanwhile, post below if you have any comments/observations or PM me if you are interested in getting involved.

The idea is for a simple data exchange rather than a sectional-timing symposium, as it were, but who knows where things could lead……?

[Prufrock]

I am waiting to hear back from a couple of people before deciding whether this is a goer. If it is, as I hope it will be, then the idea would be to have something up and running for September 1st, which is when the aw season picks up again. The time between now and then would be used to iron out procedures for gathering and sharing the info.

Thanks for your patience.

Pru

[Prufrock]

In answer to sberry: yes, it would be from tv replays. There is a margin of error compared with electronic sectionals, obviously, but it is not great with practice and providing you have a decent camera angle, about +/- 0.10 sec in my experience. Unlike when taking times from stalls (reaction time in region of 0.33 sec) you know when a horse is about to pass the point at which you will be taking the sectional.

This could be done for turf racing – indeed I have often done it for turf racing – but the precise state of the surface complicates matters and I feel it is best to target one manageable group of racing for the purposes of this project.

I seem to recall someone stating an interest in covering Dundalk but cannot find a record of it: please get in touch again if that is indeed the case.

I hope to set up an e-mail group shortly. Post below or PM me if you wish to be involved and have not declared that fact already.

[Author]

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