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I am not one usually to get too annoyed by things. I am a laid back kind of person and take the good and the bad generally in my stride.
However, today I learn that Newmarket are watering ahead of the Guineas meeting. I find this disgraceful.
I wish to see no horse injured and given the likelihood of a firm and unsafe surface I can understand the need to irrigate. There is though no chance of a hard surface at Newmarket this weekend so that leaves me to ask why they are watering? There is and never has been any problem with good to firm flat racing ground, now I read Newmarket want to start the meeting with ground on the good side of good.
The only reason I can think of is to ensure the participation and also optimise the chances of Kingman. This isn’t near to being race fixing, of course not, however it surely is manipulating the conditions to favour one horse.
However it’s spun, this is WRONG!!!!
Yeah, Gosden done well with his after race comments.
On a par with Moaninho and Ferguson.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Amazing how a trainer can make a comment and hey presto they water the ground. Not fair on the likes of war command who looks to have a great chance on good to firm going.
I spoke to the groundsmen at the County Ground Taunton and he’s going to let me borrow the machine the sucks up the water all I need is a few fellow TRF’ers to distract the clerk at Newmarket and it’s game on…
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Is it good-to-firm and watering to maintain on the Levels yet Nathan?
Seriously, as the residual damage caused by the winter floods seems to have been ignored by the media, has all the flooding gone and what state are the fields in? I have this vision of silted-brown barren fields where once there was green grass. Is Muchelney still an island parish?
I gather all has settled down, but the damage will surely be enough to last a lifetime for some. Like you say the news is not very forth coming and myself living in my own little bubble cant add a lot. We did have a very nice spell of sunshine which lasted about a week or so but plenty more rain this week has landed.
I’ve got lush green grass in the garden ready to do battle with step-son although if his bowling has got any quicker than I might need to purchase an elbow guard as those orange wind balls do leave a bruise after consistent battering.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Our ground looks a picture, although the firm crust on top of the wicket gives way to plenty of residual softness – a bit like a
creme brulee
really.
Quite frankly, I expect the ball to go in, out, and indeed over the surface and to do all sorts of things on a good length (fill in your Graham Norton-style comment here…)
In summary, I wouldn’t like to be facing me on this.
And yeah, Newmarket, shocking etc.
Mike
What’s wrong with fast ground for flat racing?
There seems to be an obsession with clerks of the courses these days to produce perfect ground if it doesn’t rain but what do they do to produce perfect ground if it rains a lot?
Fast ground horses should get their chance if it doesn’t rain.
Officially Good-firm, good in places.
I suppose they’re watering to keep it from reaching "firm". Which is fair enough and I’d applaud their decision –
if
that’s what’s really happening…
But that doesn’t stop the ground accidentally riding "good" even if officially "good-firm"… Especially when the favourite doesn’t want it on the firm side.
Value Is EverythingI live in Newmarket and it’s probably hard for people who don’t live here to understand just how dry it’s been. Whilst most of the country was suffering with flooding earlier this year we have hardly had any at all. For the last couple of months I can barely remember it raining.
We’ve fields for our ponies and the ground is all cracked from the lack of moisture. The ground round here is very quick drying.
I’m sure it would have been really quick if Michael hadn’t put some water on occasionally and of course it needs this water for the grass to grow and thicken.
He put 5 mils on it on Monday but then left it alone and we did get a decent (planned) drenching of rain last night (2.2Mils). It’s been up to 19 degrees this week although cooler today.
Dry again today and forecast to continue over the weekend.
The official figures from the Cambridge weather station supplied by the Met Office confirm your impression Adrian.
They show just 33mm of rainfall in total for March and April, compared to 165mm in January and February. That’s the driest two month spell since Mar/April 2011.
And significantly different from other areas in the South, such as Heathrow (86mm), Oxford (100mm) and Hurn, near Bournemouth (166mm) over the same two month period.
Going on Guineas day 2013 – Good to Firm – Going stick 9.0
Going yesterday prior to the minimal rain – Good to Firm – Going stick 7.9
Going after minimal rain Good to Firm, good in places – Going stick 7.7
So a going stick reading of 9.0 last year was good to firm and a going stick reading of 7.9 this year is also good to firm
Looking at the times now it looks more good – soft than soft.
Well done Newmarket – what a total cock up!
Thankfully, for the good of integrity the horse that was accommodated didn’t win.
Going on Guineas day 2013 – Good to Firm – Going stick 9.0
Going yesterday prior to the minimal rain – Good to Firm – Going stick 7.9
Going after minimal rain Good to Firm, good in places – Going stick 7.7
So a going stick reading of 9.0 last year was good to firm and a going stick reading of 7.9 this year is also good to firm
Racing Post today – "The time of the opening contest was 3.55 seconds slower than last year’s race, when the ground was described as good to firm, while the following contest,the Palace House, was the best part of two seconds slower than 12 months ago, suggesting conditions were not that quick".
These times combined with the going stick readings above show the track was overwatered, it’s disgusting the BHA allow it and there is even an attempt at deception by sticking the good in places in brackets after good to firm. It would have been more accurate and honest for Newmarket to describe it as Good (overwatered)
The overwatering probably also contributed to the racing in two groups.Since when did going stick readings of less than 8.0 equate to good to firm ground?
According to the BHA website going stick readings of between 9.0 and 10.9 are required for good to firm ground as it was last year.They gave the hosepipes at York a good flushing the other day, so be prepared
Incidentally, there’ll be a new pre-parade ring this season, immediately next to the existing parade ring where the old saddling boxes and wash-down area were situated
Should be a good, up-close-and-personal experience as its perimeter is lined with new saddling boxes
There’s also a new weighing room complex behind it but that’s not going to be used until 2015, so I believe
although it is a bit small I guess.- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.