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Greyhounds are weighed so that they fall within an acceptable range, 3lbs up or down from last run. Anything outside that range they are not allowed to run. I doubt many punters pay much attention to whether a dog is +1lb or -2lbs.
One of the main reasons for this weighing is that you can very obviously slow a dog down by feeding him a couple of big porterhouse steaks before the race, which he will willingly devour, yet the dog will still look fit as a fiddle.
I can’t see anyone feeding a horse a 50lbs (the equivalent in % body weight) bag of oats pre race.1. Stop horses from going to stud until age 5. We would then get another 2 years of Sea The Stars.
2. Have 2 festivals a year at Cheltenham, A winter and Summer Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle
3. Introduce 1/4 mile sprints and 1 mile /1.5 mile hurdle races.
4. Build some new jumps courses that are a mile round where you can actually see all the action, You’d be amazed at the number of people who go to the races and actually watch on tv there.
5. Do what they do at the greyhound tracks. Say for a tenner you get admission to any area of the course, a £10 tote betting voucher, a voucher for a meal and 2 drinks, a racecard and a racing post.
6. Make Timeform put a selection on their race cards.
7. Get rid of all the snobbishness like members enclosures.
8. Have a new pool bet with 6 handicap races with a maximum of 8 runners in each where you have to find a loser in each race.
- Total Posts 17716
Greyhounds are weighed so that they fall within an acceptable range, 3lbs up or down from last run. Anything outside that range they are not allowed to run. I doubt many punters pay much attention to whether a dog is +1lb or -2lbs.
Now that rule, pro rata, really would be a massive boon to horseracing!
No messy updates, no call for bookmakers to hide the figures, just plain straightforward ‘send it unfit and it won’t be running’.
Simples.Adrian has the winner for me so far.
I’m sure there are plenty of ex racehorses who would happily stand & get fussed over for a day.
I also like the idea of having a Lottery style scale of prizes for the Scoop6.
Greyhounds are weighed so that they fall within an acceptable range, 3lbs up or down from last run. Anything outside that range they are not allowed to run. I doubt many punters pay much attention to whether a dog is +1lb or -2lbs.
Now that rule, pro rata, really would be a massive boon to horseracing!
No messy updates, no call for bookmakers to hide the figures, just plain straightforward ‘send it unfit and it won’t be running’.
Simples.So what’s the acceptable range for a horse?
Unfit horses can be overweight or underweight. Not to mention how problematic it would for horses under the age of 4yo, or even under 5yo.Horseracing should mainly be about the participants, horses, jockeys, trainers and owners.
How many parents do not want their children to participate in this sport when all they hear through the media is a constant prattle about betting. It’s enough to put off a visit to the track.
The idea of having a retired racehorse on site is brilliant. A jockey giving a chat about riding might also generate interest.
The focus on betting has put off many people. Generating an income from other sources, and not the levy, is a must.- Total Posts 17716
Greyhounds are weighed so that they fall within an acceptable range, 3lbs up or down from last run. Anything outside that range they are not allowed to run. I doubt many punters pay much attention to whether a dog is +1lb or -2lbs.
Now that rule, pro rata, really would be a massive boon to horseracing!
No messy updates, no call for bookmakers to hide the figures, just plain straightforward ‘send it unfit and it won’t be running’.
Simples.So what’s the acceptable range for a horse?
Unfit horses can be overweight or underweight. Not to mention how problematic it would for horses under the age of 4yo, or even under 5yo.I’ve no idea what would be an acceptable range, doesn’t mean that one can’t be drawn up though. All horses outside that range should be deemed non-runners, whether under or over.
I’ll grant you horses that are still growing would be problematical, but I’d bet it doesn’t stop them being weighed by trainers who already use weight as a guideline.
As you indicated in your earlier post, greyhounds are weighed to prevent fraud – so why shouldn’t horseracing be equally diligent?Greyhounds are weighed so that they fall within an acceptable range, 3lbs up or down from last run. Anything outside that range they are not allowed to run. I doubt many punters pay much attention to whether a dog is +1lb or -2lbs.
Now that rule, pro rata, really would be a massive boon to horseracing!
No messy updates, no call for bookmakers to hide the figures, just plain straightforward ‘send it unfit and it won’t be running’.
Simples.So what’s the acceptable range for a horse?
Unfit horses can be overweight or underweight. Not to mention how problematic it would for horses under the age of 4yo, or even under 5yo.I’ve no idea what would be an acceptable range, doesn’t mean that one can’t be drawn up though. All horses outside that range should be deemed non-runners, whether under or over.
I’ll grant you horses that are still growing would be problematical, but I’d bet it doesn’t stop them being weighed by trainers who already use weight as a guideline.
As you indicated in your earlier post, greyhounds are weighed to prevent fraud – so why shouldn’t horseracing be equally diligent?I remember Aidan O’Brien talking about weighing his horses a few years ago – mentioned that as a 2yo at Royal Ascot Russian Blue was one of his heaviest horses, heavier than a number of the 3yos – most notably the fillies.
ONE BIG idea?
I’ll repeat something I’ve mentioned on here every other year or so (in fact I believe my very first post was on this subject).
Move some of the best known Grade1 races from track to track each year. This would stimulate an interest in going racing in different parts of the country; maybe even get some new blood interested in racing. Take the best the product has to offer around the land, don’t keep it constipated in one corner.
Why should most of the G1 races in England be in the "Golden S.E. triangle" ?
Want to see a GP1 outside of the S.E.? Well tough, you’ll have to wait until Autumn for York.
Why not run the 1 & 2000 gns at a different course each year, returning to Newmarket say every 10 years?
Why must the King George & Q. Elizabeth Stakes ALWAYS be at Ascot? Why not Chester one year, then Bath, or Newcastle or Nottingham or Redcar?
Why do the Lockinge, Eclipse, Nassau, Dewhurst & Chevely Park Stakes ALWAYS have to be at the same track?
Why not let those in the provinces watch top horses locally instead a bit more often? Why does someone from Bolton or Newcastle have to pay an arm and a leg to travel to a far away course to see the very best the sport can offer?
Run the Coronation Cup at Chepstow one year, then (to keep the Scots happy) Ayr or Hamilton, then Warwick or Ffos Las; you get my drift? Let’s start MAKING history (a la the States with the Breeders’ Cup) rather than shackling ourselves to the past.
I’m not saying this would magically cure all racings problems; what would? But it can and should be done; even if it’s just to show people not currently engaged with racing that the sport IS trying to reach out to them.The Shergar Cup at least could be moved from course to course each year so racing fans can see world class jockeys at their doorstep.
All courses should provide raceday transport as some are just too far away, places such as Fakenham,Kelso,Bath,Catterick,Sedgefield,Market Rasen,Southwell,Towcester for example need a good supply of raceday buses and coaches which could be booked in advance for racegoers to use so they can travel by train to the nearest mainline station.
Group One races for older horses should be moved around but 3yo races should be kept at their ancestral homes.
Betting wise as i have probably said a few times before, The Tote should work with Camelot to allow Scoop 6 bets to be placed at their Lottery terminals for people who might not be able to get to a Betting Shop or dont want to go into a Betting Shop.
The Scoop 6 should be renamed the Saturday 6 which would have a more appealing name to non race fans.
The Shergar Cup at least could be moved from course to course each year so racing fans can see world class jockeys at their doorstep…
Group One races for older horses should be moved around but 3yo races should be kept at their ancestral homes.
The Shergar Cup? Wow how generous a "sacrifice". That’ll have the natives cancelling their holidays. The Shergar Cup is a dog-turd on the shoe of racings attempt to market itself.
And Neil why should 3yo races be sacrosanct?
Don’t give me all that "history" malarkey. If we always bent the knee to history, we’d never have allowed starting-stalls, or the Breeder’s Cup – er, or the Shergar Cup
Be an iconclast.I like Insomniac’s idea and am already eagerly envisaging the Derby being run at Towcester. Now that would be a sight to travel for.
Ascot at York was fun and we did have a St Leger run at Ayr in 1989.
Breeders Cup for Hamilton Park anyone?
Broadcast all races for free on the Internet. California tracks, Keeneland, and the Meadowlands already do this, and it does increase wagering from home. Right now I as an "international bettor" have to go through hell and high water just to watch the Grand National, let alone any "normal" race in the UK.
The Shergar Cup at least could be moved from course to course each year so racing fans can see world class jockeys at their doorstep…
Group One races for older horses should be moved around but 3yo races should be kept at their ancestral homes.
The Shergar Cup? Wow how generous a "sacrifice". That’ll have the natives cancelling their holidays.
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