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Racing must have a lot spare cash if they can keep giving freebies for walkovers .
Maybe they need to delete more races if entries below say 6 , or decrease prizemoney by percentages below a certain amount of runners .
Ironically I was at the meeting 3 years ago and it got canned after 4 races as the course was flooded .Same Sandown meeting – 2024, 51 runners – 2023, 50 runners – 2021 – 51 runners.
Ironically in 2022, the meeting was abandoned after three races when heavy rain left the course waterlogged.
“Too much racing for the horse population” or ‘Not enough rain for the horse population’. Ffos Las today, soft ground, 58 runners.
On plus side Sandown were happy to refund half my entrance no problem that day ,I was at Moonie Valley last year , similar thing , i enquired and it was a no way . Didnt moan both times just a polite ask and two different results . Normally after 1 race run its over for refunds but Sandown were excellent . Hadnt been there for 25 years , half fences bypassed and as soon as meeting canned glorious sunshine .J remember standing on Esher station looking across to empty stand thinking you couldnt make this up .
Helcat,
How much did it cost to get into Moonee Valley and how much did it cost to get into Sandown though? Had a quick look at the MV website and it looked like its about a fiver for general admission.
Add the entire meeting at Taunton this coming Thursday
Secret Trix who ‘won’ today’s walkover at Kempton had in his previous 3 Beginners/Novice chase races faced a grand total of just 5 rivals.
Yeats ,
It was 20 to get into Sandown , lot cheaper into MV , I think it was 20 bucks that night so just over a tenner UK so tbh the refusal didn’t break the bank but was walking past ticket office on way out and every bit helps .
The price of getting on course is a lot in UK , most time I go racing it’s free , Randwick in March for 2 group ones was about 15 quid when converted . Huge air conditioned saddling area and tie up area to get close to the horses too .
Moonie Valley getting a total rebuild , will be a brand new track in 2 years .Lots of good points already made, so there is nothing much to add. Although the main point deserves reiterating: there is simply far too much racing and most of it is dross.
A good example was about two weeks ago when there were Monday night cards at both Newcastle and Wolverhampton. Was it really necessary to have two poor, all weather floodlit cards on the same evening? Neither card would have existed not too long ago.
Another factor is the cost of racing. It has too often stopped being value for money. As an example, I could have attended my local track Aintree on 8th November. However, I looked at the card (a race over the National fences, supported by six undistinguished contests) and decided I didn’t want to spend £30 on something so ordinary. To put it into context, I have already spent the same amount when I bought my ticket in advance for the Thursday of the National meeting – but that is great value as there are four Grade 1s.
I also figured that the weather would make low sun an issue at Aintree (which it was for at least one of the races I saw on television). I don’t really want to pay to watch horses slalom between obstacles they are meant to be jumping!
There are also other costs to consider. I could have taken up RTV’s offer of free admission to the likes of York, Warwick and Ludlow – but train fares are so expensive now, even when booking in advance.
I don’t quite agree that racing will become “niche”. It is still a popular day out. However, I can only see betting on the sport going into decline and that will inevitably affect the sport’s finances.
Another factor is the cost of racing. It has too often stopped being value for money.
This is especially true for those whose main motivation is betting rather than a day out/socialising/post-meeting concerts etc.
Pre-exchanges/tax free off course betting/comprehensive video replays, the cost of entry could be offset against:
a) 10% deductions
b) the almost certain expectation of beating SP/getting the best ring price available
c) the ability to “notebook” horses running well that anyone not on course wouldn’t have seen.Now none of those advantages exist, why bother?
Everyone here says the same thing; there is too much racing and most of it is dross. Why do we need three all-weather flat meetings in November. The previous poster especially made sone very salient points. In the good old days when bookmakers had varying opinions it was possible to go round the ring and often beat SP. That was the fun of going racing. Nowadays, bookmakers price up Betfair odds (adjustibg downwards to take account of Betfair margins) and virtually all bookmakers are showing the same odds. From a punters’ perspective there is no competition
Why go racing to watch dross when there is no incentive to do so? On-course bookmakers are ‘retail’ and as we can see elsewhere this method of selling cannot compete with on-line suppliers.
What makes matters worse is that nothing makes sense anymore. At one time it was possible to ascertain when the Tote would beat SP (outsiders in large fields) but nowadays they are the same in most races. It the Tote was taking a fixed deduction there is no way the Tote dividend in a three runner race with a 6/4 winner would pay £2.50. So obviously the advantage in large fields has been taken away as one is subsidising the other.
In other words, it used to be fun to work out what was likely to win. Expertise was needed. Nowadays in every respect it is a lottery so what is the point?
“Three jumps fixtures and two all weather meetings on a Monday in November. :wacko:”
They do even better on Wednesday and it’s not a one off, two jumps meetings but three all weather (all with 9 races) and throw in another all weather at Dundalk. The leaders of this sport have a lot to answer for. The BHA will always be the villains of the year for me.
It’s ridiculous. And it’s the same on Thursday, three jumps meetings and two all weather evening fixtures.
After all the complaints, let’s celebrate something good.
I read elsewhere that Hexham has left its prices unchanged for the 11th consecutive year. Annual membership for 2026 is only £155 and a day ticket for the paddock enclosure is a snip at £12. The membership also includes plenty of reciprocal days on other racecourses.
That is outstanding value, so well done to Hexham. A beautiful, proper jumps track and well worth a visit.
In the November edition of ‘The Kingsley Klarion’ Mark Johnston, one of our leading trainers, wrote “IF my call for an upgrading of British racing – rather than the current downgrading – for the long benefit for our racing and breeding industries insults (anybody) then so be it”
He quotes the case where he trained a lower grade horse rated 35 to go on to win seven more handicaps. He then goes on to say he has plenty of owners with much better horses that have won half as much money.
I think the point he is making is that there is decent prize money at the lower end and at the top end (Group 1 horses) but for all other races the prize money is extremely poor.
If the powers that be won’t listen to Mark Johnston there is no hope for the rest of us.
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