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Worth it?
Does the guide include high-draw/low-draw stats among other handy information? Or just a pile of waffling propaganda?
i’ve not seen it, but will be interested to see if you get different answers than last year:
- Total Posts 17716
MD
Like Wit, I haven’t seen it, but I can tell you that the only
real
draw bias on the straight course is to be drawn near the pace – where-ever that is. Every year different scribes tell us it’s one side or the other, and every year they are proven wrong.
The round course follows the natural high number bias of most RH courses.Bernie Ford, Topdraw in the Racing Post and Raceform Update editor, covers the draw on page 9. It’s a cracking read for just the price of a pint and worth that for the picture on page 8 alone.
On the draw front, a bookmaker friend of mine has a theory about Ascot bias along the following lines….if the stands’ side is faster on day 1 the bias can swing the other way on day 2 if they water the track because the watered stands’ side is in the shadow of the grandstand, so doesn’t see as much sunlight and doesn’t dry out as quickly.
I wouldn’t get too hung up about any draw "bias" on the straight course – as has been previously suggested – look for where the pace is.
I have lost count of the number of times I thought I have cracked the draw only to have it totally disproven in the next race.
I recall a meeting last year where there were two big field six furlong sprints. In the first the first six home were all far side. Pretty conclusive you would think. However in the next the first five home were all stands side!!! Then later on in another race all the action was centre course.
Mounty’s bookmaker pal has a very good point and if you ever want a dramatic demonstration of the effect of the grandstand shadow then go early to an Ascot winter meeting after there has been a frost and you can see where half the course thaws easily and the other, shaded, half needs intensive work from the groundstaff.
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