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Seamus Buckley, Goodwood’s Clerk of the Course, said:
"…. Thanks to recent rain, with seven millimetres in the last 24 hours, the going at Goodwood is now good and we will endeavour to maintain that ground description during Glorious Goodwood.
Bad luck if you horse wants good-firm then. Bad luck if there is surprise rain as well.
Another question for the BHA, thought their directive was to produce good to firm with watering.
It’s all a load of tosh in my opinion.
By all means, strive to keep the ground safe (and by that I mean not rock hard so any water/rain would make it slippy), but for gods sake let nature take it’s course.
The ground at Goodwood is currently Good. If the wind dries it out and it becomes Good To Firm, or even Firm then so be it.
Horse racing is just one big turn off at the moment. I know it’s a phase I’m going through and I’ll get over it, but it’s not enjoyable at the moment
.I know, I know it does my bloody head in its utterly ridiculous.
Don’t hold your breath for the BHA to do anything worthwhile. Racing For Change will probably soon have horse racing on sand only anyway. (OK sarcasm but it puts me in that sort of mood).
This sport we love is so wonderful why do the people who run it have to keep pissing about with it and making people who love the sport miserable?
As long as it isn’t like a road LEAVE THE BLOODY GROUND ALONE!!!
I did mention that clown in a recent debate on this topic as someone who liked to maintain Good ground.
I have to agree as long as the ground is safe leave it alone its the height of summer there will be plenty of time for soft ground performers at some stage throughout the season.
As long as it isn’t like a road LEAVE THE BLOODY GROUND ALONE!!!
Well said Ian I could not agree more
Two horses slipped on the bend at Stratford on Sunday. Both were lucky not to get injured and neither brought down any other horses.
Now OK, Stratford have had no choice but to water, and extensively, otherwise they would have had no racing for the past few weeks. But for a flat course to be planning to water to keep good ground is ridiculous, regularly watered ground is NOT necessarily safe ground.
At Goodwood do not quite a few horses get jarred up on firm ground down the hill, leaving them sore ie Paco Boy? I don’t know, just a thought…
Crizzy
Only the moistener at Haydock is as liberal with the hose as Mr Buckley.
Despite a forecast which would have tickled an umbrella maker, Mr Buckley watered the ground on the Wednesday night before the 2007 Goodwood Cup in which Marcus Tregoning’s Rayhani, a then-fast improving colt who needed it like a road, was strongly fancied.
One of my more gruesome memories of that season was watching the horse skid like a car on a slick coming round that top bend, thick clods of mud spraying everywhere – he was so unsuited to the altered conditions he seemed to travel in all four directions at once at one point and jockey Martin Dwyer very nearly pulled him up. The highly regarded horse lost his confidence, never won again for Marcus, and now plies his trade as a low grade hurdler in ireland.
Advocates who promote the belief that watering is all about safety ought to watch that race. There was nothing safe about the ground Mr Buckley prepared that day.
At Goodwood do not quite a few horses get jarred up on firm ground down the hill, leaving them sore ie Paco Boy? I don’t know, just a thought…
Crizzy
Yes they do. I’d suggest the trainers of such horses avoid Goodwood when the going is likely to be firm; same goes for Epsom. NOT the clerk adjust the going to suit such horses, and thereby spoil the chances of other horses who like firm ground.
Pleasing to see the pro-drenching-racecourses-with-water merchants are absent from this thread.
Maybe the reality is finally hitting them.
Aji, I agree. I guess the courses want the stars and so cater for them. Not saying that’s right though..
Crizzy
Aji, I agree. I guess the courses want the stars and so cater for them. Not saying that’s right though..
Crizzy
Interesting you say that. The clerk of the course has some conflicting responsibilities, I think.
One is to produce ground that allows racing to take place without significant risk of injury to the horses; so for jumping that would be no drier than good-firm, for flat ?? who knows what they are trying to do.
The other responsibility is a commercial one to their shareholders – produce ground that will attract the best field and so encourage attendance.
I wonder how many would admit to putting the second above the first?
York’s clerk, William Derby is setting a good example at the moment. Pity there aren’t more like him.
Come on this is ridiculous.
Goodwood – Day One
Race one – 1m 1f 192y, 2m 5.55, slow by 1.25s according to RP. Course record is 2m 2.81s.Race two – 1m 4f, 2m 35.04s, slow by 1.04s. Course record is 2m 31.57s.
Race three – 7f, 1m 25.52s, slow by 1.32s. Course record is 1m 23.88s.
Race four – 5f, 58.49s. 2yo course record is 57.53s.
Race five – 1m, 1m 38.60s, slow by 1.60s. Course record is 1m 35.61s.
Race six – 6f, 1m 12.81s. 2yo course record is 1m 9.81s.
Race seven – 1m 6f, 3m 1.81s, slow by 2.51s. Course record is 2m 58.57s.
SELECTIVE watering was due to take place at Goodwood on Tuesday night after clerk of the course Seamus Buckley chose to water a short stretch inside the last mile.
After day one, when the going was good to firm, Buckley said: "We are going to put a little bit of water on the first two furlongs of the mile course. I’ve been delighted withthe way it has ridden today and the jockeys have spoken highly of it, but it’s just quickened up a bit there and I want to take the sting out of it."
Buckley added that there was "a possibility of a passing shower" later on Tuesday evening, but the forecast for the rest of the week was that it would remain predominantly dry. He will review the ground on Wednesday afternoon before deciding whether to water again after racing.
http://maps.turftrax.co.uk/courseservic … 10/956.jpg
We all know what selective watering does.
Pleasing to see the pro-drenching-racecourses-with-water merchants are absent from this thread.
Maybe the reality is finally hitting them.
Are you talking about me again BB?
I think we should judge every meeting seperately.
In my opinion Goodwood has over watered slightly.
Disapointed they’re watering tonight.As said on this thread, times indicate the ground is good, without many good-firm patches. I know Film Score sadly lost his life today, but the gound is safe.
I can only think they’re trying to keep it as real "good" at the moment, because they don’t want it to be too firm on the 5th day. As in, light watering now will probably mean only good-firm on saturday. But as said, I think they’ve overdone it.
Must be a difficult job to get the going right for a 5 day meeting.
I am a little confused what to do in the 5:10 tomorrow. If it is allowed to dry up to good-firm (like it should) I make it a two horse race. Dance East and Seasonal Debut. But if it’s genuinely good (or softer) Agony And Ecstasy and She’s In The Money come in to it.
Might have to wait until I get there and time the first two races.
Value Is Everything
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