- This topic has 49 replies, 27 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 4 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I digress a little but Racing is lost on the hamster wheel in so many respects, but particularly with regard Race Planning and the Fixture List. Rather than slowing down to see where it is (and wants to get to) it spins faster and faster until it eventually spirals out of control. Similarly the audience get bored and stop watching. Is that not where Racing is at right now?
Back on topic I believe most owners strive for what could be described as the "Saturday horse", one which is good enough to compete for good prize money and can take them to the better courses.
Unfortunately this isn’t the case for all and then the decision is whether they want to keep a horse for lower grades. No doubt that some individuals prefer the lower grade stuff and each to their own. However a lot of owners do maintain loyalty to their horses and trainers as they come to the conclusion that their little star is no superstar and is destined for competing for £2k or less.
Call it blind loyalty but that’s the way it is and too many bodies in racing are taking advantage of this good grace and this is reflected in the current Fixture List and Prize Money situation.
With regard the so called bigger yards like Johnston and Hannon I ask where else are they to run their horses? They surely don’t want to have their stable charges racing against each other if they can help it. Racing is all about winners on the board and the likes of M Johnston need to find opportunities for their charges. No one remembers who came 2nd in a race and trainers need winners to gain publicity and generate the feel good factor for their yard. If that means heading down the All weather route then so be it. I have nothing against that. I would just like to see some more thought put into Race Planning.
I’m a firm believer there is too much racing in the UK but I’d also argue that Race Planning needs a complete overhaul.
This Sunday (9/9) there is an all-aged 1m2f handicap at York for horses rated 66-80. According to the Programme Book the next 1m2f handicap in the North, for older horses in the same ratings bracket, (well actually 61-75), is at Redcar on the 29/9 – nearly 3 weeks apart.
Unsurprisingly Sunday’s race at York has attracted 45 entries but the Safety Limit is 20 meaning a fair few horses will miss the cut and not get a run.
So if you have an older horse trained in the North of the country rated in the 70+ where do you run him in September? In theory you could go a whole month without a run, with a horse that is at peak fitness & ready to run. Or else you travel further afield to the likes of Sandown and Newbury which can turn out to be an expensive exercise considering the prize money that is on offer.
I appreciate it’s difficult to keep everyone happy but it would be good to see some of the All Weather racing cut back and more focus put on the middle tier say for horses rated in the 70-90 category.
Couldn’t agree more.
Connections need to be provided with a reasonable number of opportunities to choose from.
There is quite enough all weather for my pallet already.
The programme should be changed in my view.More AW bashing it seems. If it is the scourge of racing as we know it then why do a good percentage of our top trainers keep having runners.
Over the past 5 years 25% of Mark Johnstons runners have been on the AW. Richard Hannon nearly 22%, John Gosden nearly 23%, Saeed Bin Suroor 19%, Richard Fahey nearly 19%, and even the two Sirs, Henry Cecil and Michael Stoute have managed 17% and over 13% respectively. They obviously don’t know what they’re doing.
Not all weather bashing at all, it is simply not my own personal favourite. As Oasisdreamer and Tuffers have pointed out, there is a glut of a/w racing that seems to target lower rated horses, and certainly class 5 and below events , for horses rated sub mid 70s.
Whilst respecting the need for such events, I merely think that it seems that each a/w card seems full of such fare. It must be a nightmare to place other , better quality performers, (with all due respect), and this seems inherently unfair to me.
Perhaps it is my own preconceived bias , but I find most of the form unreliable, and therefore leave it well alone.
Each to their own though.No AW today but still far too much racing. Five meetings, all on the flat and all on turf, comprising of seemingly interminable low-grade handicaps, with the odd maiden race thrown in to change things up a little.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this deluge of low-grade fare is at the behest of the bookies: the less punters think about their racing, and treat betting on it like playing the FOBTs (ie just pick a lucky number and hope for the best), the better it is for the bookies.
Agreed , a low grade day , dross and drivel on show
Tuesdays should be blank , let punters have some respite from the eternal stream of bookie fodder
Will this happen ….you must be joking , bookies rule racing , what they want they get
I am a bit mystified how they did not cram in a meeting in southwell or wolves just to have the icing on the cake
imo
An excellent day’s racing.
Loads of runners all over the UK – quite literally north, south, east and west today! – providing plenty of opportunity for smaller trainers and lesser-light jockeys to earn money from the game. And a day for the genuine small-time owner who loves the sport.
Mike
An excellent day’s racing.
One Class 3 race- a 0-90 handicap
Four Class 4 races
Twenty-four Class 5 races
Seven Class 6 racesDazzling fare, indeed.
5 Flat meetings = 28 "Colour" Horses = 7 Lucky 15s + 6 Reverse F/Cs + 1 Combi T/C & F/C for my "System"
A poor days racing but plenty of interest on my part
I’m having a week off this week, won’t bother with a bet again until Saturday. I just can’t be bothered trawling through a load of low class dross this week so will take a break to recharge my batteries (and wallet).
There’s always a demand for more high class racing, but where is the supply to be found?
There’s always a demand for more high class racing, but where is the supply to be found?
Exactly Joe, there are enough high class races as it is – if anything too many. Allowing too much choice for connections to avoid the better horses or avoid running against their stable companions. Certainly don’t want even more good races, to weaken competitiveness still further.
However, apart from the "Festival" meetings… With so much higher grade stuff squashed on to a Saturday, it is difficult to find many races to be enthusiastic about mid-week. The good stuff is getting harder to spot in amongst the pile of dross, which gives the appearance of even fewer good races than there actually are.
Value Is EverythingThis Tuesday in May used to be Predominate day at Goodwood with Beverley the sole away meeting. Two-meeting Tuesdays were until quite recently the norm and a welcome interlude from the Spring-Summer multi-meeting bandwagon; and Tuesday being the neither-one-thing-or-the-other nondescript kinda day of the week above all seemed an eminently suitable choice as a ‘quiet’ day
The three-day midweek Goodwood meeting that followed the midweek three-dayers at Chester and York were what made May such an entertaining and intriguing month to be treading the Flat turf. This time-honoured and engrossing, enthralling pattern has long gone, more’s the pity
I’ve no problem with low-grade racing; after all my favourite races betting-wise are what some would consider "dross" handicap chases but five run-of-the mill meets on the same day is really too much
Ginger is right , too much squashed into a saturday , means dross for early and midweek
This was something Street and his fellow band of idiots attacked with zeal , the rulers stood idly by and now its a feast or a famine
Saturday is the day , jam packed with quality , competitive to the nth degree , in short a challenge for the recreational punters , to lose their cash and keep racing afloat
This week begins on Thursday with Goodwood , but its the exception
will it be changed
nope
why
cos the bookies say so ….so phug off racing fans , we decide what you see and when …..
yep its good to be bad
In my opinion of course
Ginger is right , too much squashed into a saturday , means dross for early and midweek
I can understand putting most of the good stuff on a weekend so the working public can see the very best racing. Sundays should have a few more good races too. Presumably helps to keep the levy higher too?
…But they’ve overdone Saturdays now, to the detriment of week days.Value Is EverythingThis week begins on Thursday with Goodwood , but its the exception
On a brighter note, anyone else going to Goodwood this week? Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
…And it will be "bright".
Value Is EverythingI’ve no problem with low-grade racing; after all my favourite races betting-wise are what some would consider "dross" handicap chases but five run-of-the mill meets on the same day is really too much
Too much for whom?
If you take a gander at today’s field sizes, they are the best we’ve had for many a month (I thought some of this season’s jumps turnouts were positively worrying).
Today’s races may not be an ideal betting medium for the cognoscenti on these boards (
what ever is?
Ed) , but somebody sure as hell is supporting them!
Too much racing…too much fine wine…too many beautiful women etc etc
Mike
Too much racing…too much fine wine…too many beautiful women etc etc
The current racing situation is more akin to too much KwikSave Liebfraumilch and too many chain-smoking, muffin-topped, single mothers with Croydon facelifts, though.
Unless that’s your idea of fine wine and beautiful women….
I’ve picked out some shock winners from around the country, this is the kind of day that hidden talent comes to the fore.
3.40 Bath Caledonia Laird 16/1 btn 71 l last 4 runs
4.50 Newc King Torus 25/1 btn 21 l last 3 runs
5.20 Newc RunFatLassRun 8/1 btn 35 l last4 runs
2.30 Nott Captain Myles 16/1 btn 30 l last 3 runs
3.00 Nott Hallstatt 6/ 1 (10/1 avail early ) btn 30 l last 3
5.45 War Climaxfortackle 25/1 btn 32 l last 3 runs.There were other big priced winners that were not completely stuffed in their latest outings.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.