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And there’s the second one.
The well backed 5/2F at Chepstow having started at 33/1, 100/1, 100/1 and 80/1 in its previous starts at distances well short of its best to earn the h’cap mark.
Perhaps needign written into rule book on flat – ‘no horse to start at a distance in excess of 2 furlongs greater or less than previous runs first two runs in handicaps’ ?
They’re not dead certs though are they? Memory Lane and Pizzetti both had similar profiles in the last couple of days (maidens dramatically upped in trip,) and both were turned over Pizzetti being favourite for his race.
The well backed 5/2F at Chepstow having started at 33/1, 100/1, 100/1 and 80/1 in its previous starts at distances well short of its best to earn the h’cap mark.
And you failed to mention that it was beaten an accumulative total of nearly 100L in those four flat runs.
The stewards enquired into the improved form, to which Sir Mark’s assistant replied that the horse was "big and backward" in its previous runs and has now been gelded. So what is it now then? Big and forward?
I really can’t get my head round this. In a day and age where the sport is having its integrity constantly questioned, here we have a trainer running a horse four times in quick succession at trips at a mile and less (getting beat 22L, 27L, 31L and 16.5L), only to run it again six months later where it wins easily over 12 furlongs; and connections offer ‘big & backward’ and ‘gelded’ as the reasons for improvement.
The underlining reson for the ‘massive’ improvement is the considerable step up in trip after the horse received a low handicap mark for finishing talied off in four flat races six months ago. At least have the balls to admit it Sir Mark (or the connections who represented you today). After all, there’s nothing in the rules to say you have done anything wrong… which is laughable in itself.
Re Prescotts ‘improvers’: Instead of moaning, maybe punters should use it as an angle to make money? We all know the score. The next time the two that won today reappear, they’ll be running over further again. Make sure you’re on.
I know an old fella who always seems to know when the time’s right. No doubt he’s rotten drunk right now, the bugger.
Well said onthesteal, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you cannot read the game don’t play!
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There are too many rules in Racing, theres something that feels so right about having it far from perfect, it enables trainers to develop characteristics and evolve the sports increasing variety of different training concepts.
I for one, wish the BHA would stop silly changes and leave the sport a lone for those like Prescott to manipulate in a legit mannor but crack down on those who are using the sport illegally for monetry gains.
The well backed 5/2F at Chepstow having started at 33/1, 100/1, 100/1 and 80/1 in its previous starts at distances well short of its best to earn the h’cap mark.
That’s ridiculously unfair. The horse ran over a mile as a 2yo. There are very few races for 2yo over further than a mile and as far as I know there are no 2yo races at all over 1m4f. What’s the trainer supposed to do? Not run the horse because he thinks it’s a stayer? I’m sure the horse ran on its merits on every occasion it ran as a 2yo.
In addition, the horse is likely to have developed physically from 2 to 3 so any improvement is likely to have been as a result of a combination of factors.
Re Prescotts ‘improvers’: Instead of moaning, maybe punters should use it as an angle to make money? We all know the score. The next time the two that won today reappear, they’ll be running over further again. Make sure you’re on.
I know an old fella who always seems to know when the time’s right. No doubt he’s rotten drunk right now, the bugger.
Absolute feeble.
What about people who don’t punt?
What about people who are being attracted to the game? People who go into a betting shop or to a racecourse for the first time and have a bet on a Sir Mark horse because they like the name or look of it.
How do they feel when five minutes after the race someone like you tells them, "Well actually, that had no chance of winning because it was running over the wrong trip, but come back in six months and back it when it’s 11/8 favourite over 14 furlongs".
Stop using this garbage, lame, "turn it to your advantage", excuse for SMP doing what he does. Not everyone gambles you know, some people enjoy the game as a sport.
How do they feel when five minutes after the race someone like you tells them, "Well actually, that had no chance of winning because it was running over the wrong trip, but come back in six months and back it when it’s 11/8 favourite over 14 furlongs".
Stop using this garbage, lame, "turn it to your advantage", excuse for SMP doing what he does. Not everyone gambles you know, some people enjoy the game as a sport.
None of the horses in that race yesterday had run over further than 1m as 2yos. What’s so special about the Mark Prescott one?
I wish people would stop whining and grizzling.
As long as a horse is ridden on its merits, then there’s no problem as far as I can see.
What do people want, a committee to examine every unraced horse’s pedigree in order to officially determine what its best distance is going to be?
Then debarring its connections from running it more than (say) 10% over or under that trip?
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OneEye you’re sounding a lot like a punter that never backs Prescott on the right day or a bookie that always lays them at the wrong time. Which is it mate?
Seriously though none of your arguments hold much water. It’s a game of skill to win at training or gambling. You talk as if a newbie is entitled to walk right up to a betting shop and know all that needs to be known. In what business or sport is this a reality?
I’ve spent many years learning the nuances of racing and breeding. I’ve paid my dues. Why shouldn’t I or anyone like me have an advantage?
At this point I’ll politely ask you to pull the other one sir.
I’d tend to agree. The modus operandi is hardly a secret and Phil Smith refuses point blank to profile trainer methods when it comes to awarding handicap marks.
This was well flagged up to anyone who puts a bit of work in. Also Chris Cook gave it a big pre-race mention in the Talking Horses blog at the Guardian website.
The runner-up at Chepstow also ran three times in maidens as a 2-y-old over 7F and 8F, finishing 14th, 7th and 7th.
Presumably it would have been OK if that one had won, because the trainer of Tanjung Agas isn’t called Prescott.
AP
Personally I’ve no problem with Prescott. If you follow racing his modus operandi is in the public arena and you know what you are going to get.
Horses with middle distance pedigree run in back end 2 year old races over distances well short of their best. Outpaced and totally unbacked they clock up the mandatory three duck eggs to get a favourable h’cap mark. The ones with unexposed potential are gelded and kept in training for the following season. Reappearing mid season over the correct distance with stones in hand they will be backed off the boards and expertly placed to run up a sequence (not as easy as once was due to changes in h’cap reassessing).
End of season, h’cap mark gone. Off to the sales to be sold to one of the jumps boys.
This may be a puzzle to the casual racegoer but I’d rather this than have a Curley runner in a race.
Reet Hard,
You miss the point big time. The reason it is a few years ago is a) never again had a runner in such a lowly rated flat race and b) being older and wiser I now know (in conjunction with trainers) which jocks not to put on an odds on favourite.Having said that, it is my experience and understanding that the number of flat jocks that will take money to throw a race (or communicate info for profit that a horse is not going to win on that day) is a small minority of those riding and because of the HRA actions that number is smaller than it was a few years ago. But there are some still riding and it would be better for horseracing if they were not – assumimg a due and proper investigation and hearing. Get rid of the jocks that are prepared to do these things and the criminals who would have bribed them are out of business.
richard
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