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So whenever I talk to my non-horseracing enthusiast friends about racing the one question I always get asked is not "Why do they hit the horses so hard?" but "It’s all a big fix isn’t it?!" "No!!!" I reply indignantly. "Don’t believe all the rubbish you read in the papers. It’s no more crooked than any other sport."
Well today I was working from home. Well I say working, the nanny had called in sick so I was looking after my 2 year old twins who are Extreme Potty Training. This is a great idea of my wife’s and involves them not wearing nappies thereby forcing them to use the potty……it doesnt work. Anyway I finally had a moments respite from the mess and stress this afternoon when they went down for a nap and so I thought I’d watch the excellent card from Exeter.
Switching over for a minute to Racing UK I caught the Market Movers piece and saw that a horse had been backed in from 20-1 to 3-1! A huge gamble by any standards. Intrigued, I looked up his form and saw that he used to be quite a decent horse. I then watched the RP videos of his last 2 runs and saw how he was ridden. My money then went on.
Now call me a hypocrite by all means but there has to be something wrong here doesn’t there? His previous jockeys Neil Callan and James Doyle had him out the back and made minimal progress in the straight. Today Jim Crowley had him up with the pace throughout, sent him on at the top of the straight and never looked like getting caught.
All the furore about the whip debate but is this sort of thing not way more worrying? Will there be an enquiry into the previous runnings or should we not worry about it? Of course it has been happening for donkeys years and I don’t exactly feel too much sympathy for the bookies but it does smell a bit doesn’t it?
Anyway – woud be interested to read other thoughts when I have finished cleaning the floors.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Form the Stewards Room, BHA Website
The Stewards considered the apparent improvement in form of the winner, SHALAMBAR (IRE) ridden by Jim Crowley, and trained by Tony Carroll, compared with its previous run at Kempton on 12th October, where the gelding finished 10th of 12, beaten by 10 lengths. They noted the trainer’s explanation that the improvement was due to the drop in grade and the step up in trip. They ordered SHALAMBAR to be routine tested
Form the Stewards Room, BHA Website
The Stewards considered the apparent improvement in form of the winner, SHALAMBAR (IRE) ridden by Jim Crowley, and trained by Tony Carroll, compared with its previous run at Kempton on 12th October, where the gelding finished 10th of 12, beaten by 10 lengths. They noted the trainer’s explanation that the improvement was due to the drop in grade and the step up in trip. They ordered SHALAMBAR to be routine tested
Same old same old hey? Thanks Pompete
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
I don’t exactly feel too much sympathy for the bookies
It’s not the bookies that it hurts, it’s punters who have backed other horses in such a race.
I don’t exactly feel too much sympathy for the bookies
It’s not the bookies that it hurts, it’s punters who have backed other horses in such a race.
It would be more accurate to replace the word
punters
with
mugs
.
3/3 Gambles landed at Kempton.
best racing in the world eh?
Which other two Estonia, Lishane Bog? Both had to be high on any shortlist today! Shalambar is however can not be defended!!
Shalambar had been a pretty good racehorse as a three year old in Ireland, finishing a head second in a 60-100 1m4f (good ground) handicap off a mark of 82. Leading most of the way. Also beaten little over 2 lengths off 85 in a race worth £24,000 on his last start for Halford. And switched to Hurdles for Carroll.
Took time to win a couple of poor hurdle races early this year as a 5 year old. Then a dip in form and pulled up in March. Switched back to the flat and again disappointed in early May; 6th of seven. After which came a long lay off of 4 months. So there must have been something physically wrong.
Maybe needed the race (in mind as well as physically) and slowly away on return, again at 12 furlongs. Dropped in trip to 10 furlongs, again missed the break and not the pace to be competitive.
Both sire and dams sire Dalakhani and Khayasi are stamina influences and dam stayed 10 furlongs herself. So every indication stamina would be Shalambar’s strong suit.
If connections knew what ailed him earlier in the season was sorted – And if the jockey could get out quickly (best form racing prominently) – 20/1 would look brilliant value on what he’d done before. Shalambar did not need to "improve" at this grade to win easily. May be they’d done work at home to get him to break better than had been the case recently.
Of course it’s possible there was some skulduggery, but also good reasons why Shalambar was a very well backed winner.
Value Is EverythingShalambar had been a pretty good racehorse as a three year old in Ireland, finishing a head second in a 60-100 1m4f (good ground) handicap off a mark of 82. Leading most of the way. Also beaten little over 2 lengths off 85 in a race worth £24,000 on his last start for Halford. And switched to Hurdles for Carroll.
That form would have won the contests he disputed previous to so why no money then? They wanted to make sure he was in the basement so no chance of losing
Took time to win a couple of poor hurdle races early this year as a 5 year old. Then a dip in form and pulled up in March. Switched back to the flat and again disappointed in early May; 6th of seven. After which came a long lay off of 4 months. So there must have been something physically wrong.
Was set up for his handicap debut
Maybe needed the race (in mind as well as physically) and slowly away on return, again at 12 furlongs. Dropped in trip to 10 furlongs, again missed the break and not the pace to be competitive.
This horse has been a prominent going horse his whole life since his first two races in maidens and has never been one to miss the break too often he only knows one way of racing. His latest two races stink.
Both sire and dams sire Dalakhani and Khayasi are stamina influences and dam stayed 10 furlongs herself. So every indication stamina would be Shalambar’s strong suit.
If connections knew what ailed him earlier in the season was sorted – And if the jockey could get out quickly (best form racing prominently) – 20/1 would look brilliant value on what he’d done before. Shalambar did not need to "improve" at this grade to win easily. May be they’d done work at home to get him to break better than had been the case recently.
Lack of fitness is easily ailed when it’s worth it. Of course 20/1 would look great on past form but as a punter you can not go back and expect every horse to run on past form, Gallagher would be an even money shot in every handicap he disputes otherwise
Of course it’s possible there was some skulduggery, but also good reasons why Shalambar was a very well backed winner.
To be fair Ginger I think you’re being very naive, Barney Curley would have proud of this one. Take your barrister hat off for just one day!
It stinks to high heaven when they are blatantly allowed to get away with it. The handicappers are as much to blame as connections as they play just as vital a part in it all by allowing the horse to drop 10lb for a couple of ‘nothing’ runs.
When you get rewarded for three consecutive ‘always in rear’ performances then that says everything you need to know about the handicap system and how open it is to abuse.
Maybe Tony Carroll borrowed a magic set of starting stalls from the Quinlans….the same ones that brought a miraculous difference to
Bishopbriggs
the day that horse was punted off the boards and helped land a monster double for the yard, leaving behind a string of slow starts and ‘always in rear’ performances to just about make all to win and never see another horse doing so….
Other than watching the markets, how else are punters to know whether a horse will be held up in rear and never be a factor, or whether they will be run on their merits and try to lead?
He didnt miss the break either time Ginge. Both times the jockey took a pull and settled him in rear.
Lack of fitness and shorter trip might explain his comeback run but not his second three weeks later over just a furlong shorter than today.
Sorry Ginge but this was blatant.
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
Form the Stewards Room, BHA Website
The Stewards considered the apparent improvement in form of the winner, SHALAMBAR (IRE) ridden by Jim Crowley, and trained by Tony Carroll, compared with its previous run at Kempton on 12th October, where the gelding finished 10th of 12, beaten by 10 lengths. They
noted the trainer’s explanation
that the improvement was due to the drop in grade and the step up in trip. They ordered SHALAMBAR to be routine tested
Loosely translated "we don’t believe you but we can’t prove otherwise". I think this is what they call "an old fashioned gamble", followed by something along the lines of "old xxxxx is shrewd b****r isn’t he?".
We could, I suppose, have a rule that says any horse beaten a certain distance last time isn’t allowed to win…, or something.
Rob (exits stage left to have tongue surgically removed from cheek)
Shalambar had been a pretty good racehorse as a three year old in Ireland, finishing a head second in a 60-100 1m4f (good ground) handicap off a mark of 82. Leading most of the way. Also beaten little over 2 lengths off 85 in a race worth £24,000 on his last start for Halford. And switched to Hurdles for Carroll.
That form would have won the contests he disputed previous to so why no money then? They wanted to make sure he was in the basement so no chance of losing
Took time to win a couple of poor hurdle races early this year as a 5 year old. Then a dip in form and pulled up in March. Switched back to the flat and again disappointed in early May; 6th of seven. After which came a long lay off of 4 months. So there must have been something physically wrong.
Was set up for his handicap debut
Maybe needed the race (in mind as well as physically) and slowly away on return, again at 12 furlongs. Dropped in trip to 10 furlongs, again missed the break and not the pace to be competitive.
This horse has been a prominent going horse his whole life since his first two races in maidens and has never been one to miss the break too often he only knows one way of racing. His latest two races stink.
Both sire and dams sire Dalakhani and Khayasi are stamina influences and dam stayed 10 furlongs herself. So every indication stamina would be Shalambar’s strong suit.
If connections knew what ailed him earlier in the season was sorted – And if the jockey could get out quickly (best form racing prominently) – 20/1 would look brilliant value on what he’d done before. Shalambar did not need to "improve" at this grade to win easily. May be they’d done work at home to get him to break better than had been the case recently.
Lack of fitness is easily ailed when it’s worth it. Of course 20/1 would look great on past form but as a punter you can not go back and expect every horse to run on past form, Gallagher would be an even money shot in every handicap he disputes otherwise
Of course it’s possible there was some skulduggery, but also good reasons why Shalambar was a very well backed winner.
To be fair Ginger I think you’re being very naive, Barney Curley would have proud of this one. Take your barrister hat off for just one day!
Not naive TB, just trying to see the possibility of no skulduggery. Am not saying everything was AOK in this case. There was almost certainly something physical that kept him off the track for 4 months. Sometimes these things take time to rectify. The last run. when slowly away is hard to figure.
If this case was so bad, what about David Pipe’s handling of Buena Vista over the last couple of years? Leads all the way in two Pertemps Finals. By far his best form is when leading early. Were they "trying" when only "chased leaders"? Coincidence?
Value Is EverythingWe could, I suppose, have a rule that says any horse beaten a certain distance last time isn’t allowed to win…, or something.
…..or we could just simplify things and not drop a horse 5lb for a slowly away, always in rear ride when all the horses best previous performances have been from prominent position early in it’s races.
That way it won’t come across as though they are aiding and condoning cheating against other yards and horses running on their merits…
Don’t run your horse on it’s merits = no drop in handicap mark!
The handicappers are as much to blame as connections as they play just as vital a part in it all by allowing the horse to drop 10lb for a couple of ‘nothing’ runs.
When you get rewarded for three consecutive ‘always in rear’
Agreed Zamorston,
When a horse is ridden in a completely different way to his best form, or at a different trip / going (sometimes even course if it is a course specialist) – a horse should not be dropped significantly if at all.Value Is EverythingI’m not sure if a course has the power to act unilaterally, but in Greyhound Racing, if a trainer/owner pulls a stroke too often, they are invited to find another track to race their charges. If a course had the right to refuse entries, then it might help clean up the image of racing.
If this case was so bad, what about David Pipe’s handling of Buena Vista over the last couple of years? Leads all the way in two Pertemps Finals. By far his best form is when leading early. Were they "trying" when only "chased leaders"? Coincidence?
Completely agree Ginge. No difference at all but both very naughty as I say to the kiddies when they pee on the floor.
I wonder if David Pipe will have the nerve to do it again this year?!
"this perfect mix of poetry and destruction, this glory of rhythm, power and majesty: the undisputed champion of the world!!!"
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