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Some important new rules being brought in by BHA –
From official BHA press release –
REVISED STALLS NUMBERING TO TAKE EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY 30TH MARCH 2011
Numbering to change at courses classified as right-handed
Palpable non-runner rule also to take effect on same date
Other starting initiatives to come into force on same dateFrom Wednesday, 30th March 2011, starting stalls at racecourses that have been classified as right-handed tracks will be numbered in ascending order from right to left if you look through the stalls from behind. Previously, starting stalls at all tracks were numbered from left to right from behind the stalls.
The change in practice will be effective for all races, including those run on a straight course, at these racecourses. The Clerk of the Course at each of these courses will continue to adopt their current practices in where they position the starting stalls on the track for races run over a straight course. Key publications which make available draw statistics have been consulted and advise that they will have amended their existing statistics so as they will maintain their accuracy.
Consultation has also taken place with the Racecourse Association, National Trainers Federation and Professional Jockeys Association, who have all expressed their support for this change in the numbering of the starting stalls.
The courses affected by this change are:
Ascot – first meeting Wednesday 27th April
Beverley – first meeting Wednesday 6th April
Carlisle – first meeting Monday 23rd May
Folkestone – first meeting Monday 4th April
Goodwood – first meeting Saturday 30th April
Hamilton – first meeting Sunday 1st May
Kempton – first meeting Saturday 2nd April
Leicester – first meeting Thursday 31st March
Musselburgh – first meeting Friday 1st April
Newmarket Rowley Mile and July Courses – first meeting Wednesday 13th April (Rowley Mile)
Ripon – first meeting Thursday 7th April
Salisbury – first meeting Sunday 1st May
Sandown – first meeting Saturday 23rd April
Windsor– first meeting Monday 4th AprilAlso coming into effect on 30 March is a new Rule of Racing that gives power to the Raceday Stewards to declare a horse a non-runner after the race has been run. This provision will only apply to Flat races and only in certain circumstances. Examples are when starting stalls do not open but false start isn’t called, or if a jockey is not on the horse when the stalls are released.
Consequently, bets on such horse(s) which have palpably lost all chance at the start will be fully refunded to punters and, where applicable, Rule 4 deductions would apply to all other bets.
As the Rules of Racing currently stand, all horses in the stalls are deemed runners as soon as the Starter starts a race, unless a) a false start is called or b) there is then a void race for whatever reason.
This new provision will not apply in cases where:
a) The gates open properly but the horse chooses to plant at the start, be fractious or refuse to race; or
b) The gates open a split second after the rest of the field – an existing protocol exists for such circumstances.Other initiatives which will also come into effect fully from 30 March:
1. Loading Horses Riderless into Starting Stalls
2. Loading Certain Horses by Reversing into Stalls or with Front Gate Open
3. Leaving a Starting Stall Closest to Rail Vacant Where Possible
4. Permitting flexibility on Number of Stalls Handlers in Exceptional Raceday CircumstancesJamie Stier, Director of Raceday Operations and Regulation, said:
“These initiatives can only be positive for British Racing. I appreciate there was concern over the renumbering but it makes sense to have all stalls numbered in the same manner and, with the help from key publications, we will have ensured that draw statistics will retain their accuracy and relevance.
“The palpable non-runner Rule is only fair and good news to punters and the other starting initiatives will hopefully ensure less stress at the start for horses and fewer withdrawals.”
Notes to Editors
Background information on the four other starting initiatives
1. Loading Horses Riderless into Starting Stalls – trial commences 1 January 2011
Previously, the Rule stated that horses could not be loaded unless they were mounted. However, Starters – at their sole discretion – and at any point during a normal load will now have flexibility to attempt to load a horse riderless. The rider would dismount, go to their stall and mount the dividing partition, ready to take control of the horse as it is led in;2. Loading Certain Horses by Reversing into Stalls or with Front Gate Open – trial commences 1 January 2011
Previously the Rule did not allow for a horse to be loaded with the front gate open. However, a horse (in specific circumstances) may now be reversed into a Stall, or loaded as normal but with the front gate open. The specific circumstances are:
– Prior arrangement with Starter;
– Horse is one “Starter’s Report” away from a 6 month ban;
– Horse has shown the ability to load as above through a previous Stalls Test;
– Trainer or representative is at start to carry out the process;
– Horse will be loaded first.3. Leaving a Starting Stall Closest to Rail Vacant Where Possible – trial commences 1 January 2011
This has a number of practical benefits at starts where there are no knock-on logistical/operational impacts. Benefits include: easier to load horse in stall number 1 and less likelihood of horse drawn 1 being squeezed against rail if bumped on leaving the stall.4. Permitting flexibility on Number of Stalls Handlers in Exceptional Raceday Circumstances – trail commences 1 January 2011
The previous BHA General Instructions stipulated a minimum of 11 stalls handlers and if, for whatever reason, this minimum number was not available a “flip” or flag start would be used instead. However, there will now be scope for the raceday Stewards (with consultation) to authorise the retention of the stalls using fewer than 11 stalls handlers in exceptional circumstances e.g. adverse weather, handler injury, major traffic incident.The protocol for voiding races where there have been issues at the start
Problems at the Start – voiding races
3. Stewards must be aware of the provisions of Schedule (B)5 and also the requirements of Rule (B)10.4. This Rule enables Stewards to declare a race void if:
a) a Start has been affected due to a faulty action of the Starting Stalls,and;
b) the Starter has not declared a False Start under the provisions of Rule (B)38.1, and;
c) the faulty action of the Starting Stalls has, in their opinion, materially prejudiced the chances of a sufficient number of the horses running in the race to justify declaring the race void.Video evidence should be used to confirm the above points. However, with regard to paragraph a), if any premature or delayed opening of the Starting Stalls is not obvious to the naked eye (that is, without recourse to video slow motion replay), this falls within acceptable tolerance levels and consequently an Enquiry should not be called. In addition, the BHA advises Stewards that the chances of at least 33% of the runners should be ‘materially prejudiced’ for the race to be declared void.
This is all good news I would say, albeit probably take a bit of getting used fancying low drawn horses at Beverley! It is logical though. The weirdest thing will probably be straight races where the draw has now flipped over (ie Ascot). Horses drawn high used to be far side and will now be on the stands rail.
The starting stall rule changes are also good – cant remember name of horse but I suffered from one where jockey stayed in the stall at Newbury last season (may have been a horse of Ralph Beckett if memory serves).
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A non runner is normally when the stewards scratch him.
Many years ago I have witnessed one or two that stayed behind due to door malfunction and he was not declared non runner, because it was not noticed in time in the race replay.There are all shorts of horses that remain at the start or take wrong direction for a variety of reasons.
Bad temperament, pain, jockey forgets to take hood off, jockey falls.Sometimes we have premature opening too, leading to quarrel afterwards – if the race is not recalled.
A method used in Greece that I like is the horses running out of betting.
Such horses are those known to be very bad tempered and frequently staying behind.
If a horse cannot be wagered upon but wins, he gets the prize.
It’s up to the stewards to decide if a horse will be non-bet.
The rule for re-acceptance is one good start, with which I diaagree. It should be two good starts.- Total Posts 17716
Good luck to the few foreign punters that changing the draw will benefit, especially when figuring out where a horse ran from on what particular day. Kempton form, for instance, will be useless from a draw persepctive for all those who don’t recall an otherwise insignificant date.
To the millions of British and Irish punters that will have their major form databases corrupted in perpetuity – that’s progress.
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Draw effect is about when the horse runs any distance, is n’t it ?
I remember stall 10 was very difficult in my old race course. Only the pace makers could make it from stall 10 (and higher). The non sprinters were invariably involved in some sort of place duel midway and then faded out.- Total Posts 17716
Also my sectionals could predict who were going to be te front runners with near surgical accuracy.
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No x-button. I keep making silly double posts this morning. Something’s wrong with me …
Good luck to the few foreign punters that changing the draw will benefit, especially when figuring out where a horse ran from on what particular day. Kempton form, for instance, will be useless from a draw persepctive for all those who don’t recall an otherwise insignificant date.
To the millions of British and Irish punters that will have their major form databases corrupted in perpetuity – that’s progress."Consultation has also taken place with the Racecourse Association, National Trainers Federation and Professional Jockeys Association, who have all expressed their support for this change in the numbering of the starting stalls."
What benefit did they see that they supported this, one wonders?
How would it make a blind bit of difference to them?
Anyone?"Consultation has also taken place with the Racecourse Association, National Trainers Federation and Professional Jockeys Association, who have all expressed their support for this change in the numbering of the starting stalls."
What benefit did they see that they supported this, one wonders?
How would it make a blind bit of difference to them?
Anyone?What about the two sets of people who keep the show on the road? namely the punters and the owners.
Good luck to the few foreign punters that changing the draw will benefit, especially when figuring out where a horse ran from on what particular day. Kempton form, for instance, will be useless from a draw persepctive for all those who don’t recall an otherwise insignificant date.
To the millions of British and Irish punters that will have their major form databases corrupted in perpetuity – that’s progress."Consultation has also taken place with the Racecourse Association, National Trainers Federation and Professional Jockeys Association, who have all expressed their support for this change in the numbering of the starting stalls."
What benefit did they see that they supported this, one wonders?
How would it make a blind bit of difference to them?
Anyone?It is all standard mismanagement speak (ie despicable and downright lies that no one believes but deeply saddens this once honest talking country). Standard practice is always to consult those to whom it does not effect in the slightest, but to avoid like the plague asking those where it does.
If the consultees shrugged their shoulders, scratched their heads and wondered why ever is this twat asking me this – it is put down as "expressing support" ie they did not actually object, throw missiles nor burst out laughing.
If they had said "not over my dead body" it would be reported as "some minor issues were raised but "reflected upon" during the extensive period of our further considerations" ie totally ignored and we still went ahead anyway.
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Reversing the stall numbering has thrown out some statistics ?
There is a remedy though.
If you re-index your database retrospectively.
If it was mine I could do it.Robert99 – I was surmising something along those lines; thanks.
Froddo – if it’s just a question of ‘re-indexing’ then that would imply a dubious design … There won’t be too many letters of thanks from database users or maintainers.
I’m not one, anymore: too much flakey data at source & rather more investment than rewards (costing time spent & data costs.)
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Froddo – if it’s just a question of ‘re-indexing’ then that would imply a dubious design … There won’t be too many letters of thanks from database users or maintainers.
I know the feeling. You make a letter to august bodies and they reply to you after the end of the world. The reply says "yes we have no bananas".
I know the feeling. You make a letter to august bodies and they reply to you after the end of the world. The reply says "yes we have no bananas".
Surely it can’t be long before metres replace those silly old
furlongs and yards and kilograms those idiotic stones and pounds .I’m all in favour if it helps foreign punters to pick more
winners .Silvoir/Paul – if you’re looking in – were any indivdual or groups of punters consulted over these changes?
Well, Raceform Interactive aint making any changes :
"We are unable to change the data in users database to reflect the change around in the draw – we feel that in a lot of ways what has happened has happened, and regenerating all the data again to get things fully corrected for users would take a very long time, and the distribution of many CDs.
What we can now offer is in Statistic – Draw Analyser there is a new Adjust right-hand draw numbers, which will reflect the change around in the draw and give the correct draw statistics."
Backing two runners is the relentless pursuit of value. Backing each way is a shortcut to the poor house. Only 7% make a long term profit.
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