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Drone, I first started watching racing during the 1991 Cheltenham Festival. But with the Jumps ready to tail off, and the Flat starting to crank-up, I naturally followed Flat racing during that summer.
Indeed, I persevered with Flat racing for another season or two (up to Erhaab’s Derby I reckon – or around that time anyway), but I increasingly felt that I was watching something which paled into insignificance alongside the Jumps, in terms of the enjoyment I got from watching the animals in action.
Thereafter, I had an increasingly dwindling interest in the level, and my betting on it dropped markedly over the next few years. It came to an almost complete stop – save for the occassional Arc or Ascot Gold Cup bet – around 1996 or 1997.
Naturally, I’ve had the odd ‘bored summer Saturday’ bet here and there over the years, if I found myself in front of C4 Racing with a day away from family commitments, but these would be £2 Quixote jobs on three digit rags, rather than the outcome of any study or form knowledge. My summer punting has been pretty much confined to Formula 1 (perhaps TRF’s most hated sport
) and Summer Jumps, for the last 8 or 9 years.Flat racing and I parted on good terms all those years ago; both of us acknowledging that the brief experiment was worthwhilein terms of us finding that we were ultimately incompatible.
I don’t consider her to be a foul mistress, but she isn’t the kind of girl I’d be looking to line one of my mates up with either, if you know what I mean. There is no vehement dislike on my part – other than what I play for laughs (not that we’ve had many on this thread!) on this website and a couple of others.
My position is that I’m completely and utterly indifferent to it – which as any true romantic will tell you, is even worse than hating it.
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Heres a special trivia question guys and girls from your boy Wilson,
Name me the horse that has raced 28 times in 2009 including 3 wins at Chester, Leicester and Bath?
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Carcinetto, Mr Wilson?
Didnt take you long to get that Maxilon, are you a mind reader or just clever
Neither.
She ran in some quite nice races too – same stable had Madame Jones who ran a similar number of times (winning 11?), and ran Star Rover 16 times this season.Flat racing and I parted on good terms all those years ago; both of us acknowledging that the brief experiment was worthwhilein terms of us finding that we were ultimately incompatible.
Thanks for the comprehensive reply GH
I’ve long had a shaky theory – based admittedly on no more than my own experience – that for perhaps a significant majority the Flat serves an entry level role when first developing an interest in racing and betting. The ostensible similarity with track athletics and motorsport, viz the simple and obvious goal of winning a race by being quickest between points a and b, makes it initially the more accessible of the two racing codes.
The novice believes that having horses jump obstacles in their races is an unnecessary and unwanted complication that only renders the race ‘impure’ and makes it more of a lottery.
Later, once suitably acquainted with and enjoying the Flat does that time arrive when you take a look one cold winter’s day at those strange hurdlers and chasers doing their thing and find that this distinct form of horse racing is as engrossing as its Flat cousin but demands a subtly different mindset be employed in order to reap the rewards it has to offer to the full, and find too that the emotions aroused by it are subtly different.
Then the realisation dawns that far from the obstacles ‘getting in the way’ they render the races more open to objective analysis as the name of the game is jumping and that is easier to quantify in terms of an individual horse’s ability than is the ability of individuals involved in the raw pace and ever-changing shape of Flat races.
Anyway that’s the direction in which the learning curve tended for me.
And last but certainly by no means least is the sheer visceral pleasure gained by watching noble steeds leap fences; an intense sometimes lip-quivering pleasure that once experienced does take the gloss off that once keenly anticipated return of Town Moor in March
Each to their own – or both – though
NH and Flat are essentially different sports related only by them both employing large quadrupeds and small men
"aaronizneez":15uqd62e wrote:
Dig all you want. FWIW I much prefer the spectacle of NH over flat. There is nothing quite like the sight of a thoroughbred sailing over a fence at speed but I can at least appreciate the majesty of a Sea The Stars as well. I find it a little puzzling that with the stars of the show being the horses that you can’t.
Anyway I’ll let it lie and leave you to drool over the 3 runner spectacle at Huntingdon.
I am with you on this. A died in the wool jumping fan as you all know, but I have always enjoyed the champs on the Flat. I was growing up in the era of Sir Ivor, Nyjinsky, Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard. I fell in love with Oh So Sharp and Pebbles and this year thought the ride Mick Kinane gave Sea the Stars to win the Arc was first class.
I haven’t been flat racing for years, but used to greatly enjoy a night out at Hamilton Park and one of the dullest race meetings I ever went to was over jumps at the old Carholme point to point track on hard ground. I think less than ten horses turned up for six races. I was bored silly and was glad when they stopped racing there.
Both sports have their place, just some of us prefer one above the other that’s all
I was actually born naturally, none of that test tube stuff.
I would not resort to violence if we met and in fact, if I had a runner at Sandown I would do my utmost to obtain a badge for you.
Glad we’re all pals again, Happy.
Interesting theory, Drone, and a reasonably accurate reflection of the journey I went through myself, though I ‘came out the other side’ quicker than most perhaps.
I’m not sure I’d agree with the suggestion that Jumps is ‘easier to quantify’, but I would conceded that the addition of obstacles makes ‘solving the puzzl’e more interesting (imo at least).
Add the ‘visceral pleasure’ factor, and I quickly came to realise that there was little about the Flat which interested me, when set alongside the Jumps – and once the candle started to flicker, it wasn’t long before it was snuffed-out entirely.
I’m not sure I’d agree with the suggestion that Jumps is ‘easier to quantify’, but I would conceded that the addition of obstacles makes ‘solving the puzzl’e more interesting (imo at least). .
Remiss of me not to pepper my post with a liberal sprinkling of IMOs too.
It does read as rather pompous fact rather than the airy-fairy hypothesis it was intended to be.
Back to the Flat
I was on-course at York once this year: International day, as Sea The Stars managed for a fleeting few hours to rid even me of tweed and flatcap, and into blazer and panama.
A top-notch horse is a top-notch horse and those few warm minutes around the winner’s enclosure when humanity roared with happiness were invigorating.
the candle snuffed to a barely-glowing ember by suffocation can still flicker brightly granted a blast of rarefied oxygen
"Time for a well earned rest"?
What a fantastic thread Tom,it reminds me of the days when Me and Fist used to swing our handbags!Problem with us though was we would have loved Fistycuffs!Now i just take his head off with my tipping!He did give me a black eye yesterday mind!In fact its "Deep Purple" today!!
…well I’m learning something every day.
This idea of it being two sports, if it wasn’t perpetuated by respected and esteemed members here, I think it would be laughed off the forum. It should be in my opinion.
Horse Racing – inc. Flat/NH, Bumpers and PTP – all share the same bed.
For different sports with horses I would suggest
Show Jumping/Eventing/Dressage and Trotting.My summer punting has been pretty much confined to Formula 1 (perhaps TRF’s most hated sport
) and Summer Jumps, for the last 8 or 9 years.Please don’t tell me you sit and watch an F1 race all the way through, it is a flat race after all
My summer punting has been pretty much confined to Formula 1 (perhaps TRF’s most hated sport
) and Summer Jumps, for the last 8 or 9 years.Please don’t tell me you sit and watch an F1 race all the way through, it is a flat race after all
Maybe if you stuck a few ramps and water splashes in F1, I might start watching it!!
PS:- Funny how this thread has been hijacked by another Flat Vs Jumps debate!
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