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I wouldn’t know the specific history, relating to this meeting, of the watering policy at Haydock Park but the basic fact is a UK race meeting has just been abandoned due to waterlogging in the month of August.
I would suggest this is global warming – which brings unpredictable and heavy rainfall – in action.
I would further suggest it’s the shape of future things to come.
My conclusion is that it renders a nationwide policy of artificial watering CLINICALLY INSANE and that policy simply has to cease.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I can recall a few dryer than normal winters a couple of decades back that were blamed on a changing climate. As a result of this, Kim Bailey, believing that this would be the norm, went out and stocked up on stores and pointers who would likely be best served by decent ground. Unfortunately for the trainer, the winters returned to norm and he was left with a yard full of horses, the majority of whom could not operate in genuinely soft ground. In fact, I think he actually cited this as one of the chief reasons for that sudden decline after that heady spell he had in the early to mid 90’s.
Mr Frisk stood out for me among Bailey’s many top-of-the-ground jumpers at the time.
I doubt we will ever see the Grand National run on ground that quick again.
That course record of eight minutes 47.8 seconds Mr Frisk recorded in 1990 won’t be broken in a hurry.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"The day Ballabriggs won was hot , they were desperate to get water over the finishers , when was the last GN ran in a bog
It’s impossible for Mr Frisk’s course record to be broken unless they change the distance back to what it was.
As I understood it – the part of the season that was harming Bailey was the three months from December to February as the main bread and butter of the yard would be just fair to decent horses, and these were the ones who were without options during the middle of winter.
Ahh memories,Mr Frisk – was on the mound the day he won and backed him too. Also remember seeing him in the flesh in the Fred Withington at Cheltenham with Alan Jones aboard – Playschool was travelling well in behind under Paul Nichols when he came down.
In 2008 the entire Ebor Meeting was abandoned due to waterlogging. The previous meeting, about three weeks earlier, was run on good-to-firm, firm in places
“It’s impossible for Mr Frisk’s course record to be broken unless they change the distance back to what it was.”
Technically correct, but tbh what with the current watering policy in UK racing I doubt we will see that time bettered even over the reduced race distance.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“In 2008 the entire Ebor Meeting was abandoned due to waterlogging. The previous meeting, about three weeks earlier, was run on good-to-firm, firm in places.”
Not being the biggest fan of the place, plus I moved “dahn sarf” in 1984, I’ve only been to York a handful of times and only walked the course once.
I noticed at the time that the Knavesmire is basically recovered marshland.
When it’s quick ground that really doesn’t matter but, when it turns from Good to Good to Soft, it can turn uniquely holding and sticky to the extent that even horses with form on Soft ground elsewhere often don’t handle it.
I remember Beldale Flutter in 1981 winning the Dante on such a surface then returning to win the now International Stakes on pretty much identical ground in August.
I also remember the guys at my early 1980s student summer job at Habbershaws bookmakers, who had a rails pitch at York, once saying the place was brutal on quick ground for bookies, but a licence to print money when it rained.
Funny old place, York.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"My twopenneth is how many summer meetings actually get cancelled? As a % I’m sure it’s pretty small. These things happen, they are normally short lived events. Coupled that forecasts are just that forecasts the decision if ground is suitable or not is up to nature itself and any watering or not is done on best endeavours trying to anticipate.
I think any policies in place now are sound on this one.I live not too far from Haydock. The rain has been almost relentless. It was very heavy on Friday morning before brightening up a little in the afternoon. It was awful for most of Saturday – not a single cricket match in the local league could be completed. And it is still hammering down today.
I do agree with the point about watering but the weather has been horrendous for at least 48 hours.
At least it suited Cold Stare yesterday to allow him to win his one race a year.
Im no global warming skeptic and it’s been a long time since such a wet summer but I thin’ it’s just an unlucky pattern. Mate assures me 2012 was just as bad
I suppose the unusual aspect is that it’s been so bad in London area which is just about driest part of the country (bar east essex/Suffolk)
You expect it to rain 365 days a year up north. That’s what the north is for
Stroke of luck for a freeview pauper like myself. Get to see a couple of Group races from Ireland on ITV – result!
BUY THE SUN
That York abandonment – I must still have had some real enthusiasm for the sport still left at the time. Flexied off work early the day before, drank a bottle of Red, in bed at teatime with alarm set for midnight,at which time I was up and changed, computer on and buzzing ready to do a study of the card through the night before leaving for York to arrive handy and have a few hours in that feelgood factor city before racing. Logged in aghast to see the meeting was in serious doubt with Betfair having a closely matched will they, won’t they, race market. That would of been the Juddmonte day that Duke of Marmalade would have started favourite as if memory serves New Approach had already been declared a non runner. May go on Juddmonte day this year but won’t be staying up all excited studying the card.
Mentions of Beldale Flutter ( one of the worst named high class horses – Beldale Homes house builders)- I was in the roof stand above Tatts on the day he won the Dante and took a photo of the final stages,looking down with one of those old Kodak Instamatic cameras, the same one I had taken a snap of Shergar with at Chester a week earlier. Use to love to do the Vase day/ Dante day double though don’t find the prospect so appealing anymore.
It was a glacial outflow lake until circa 5,000 years ago when, as lakes do eventually, it silted up. The resulting heavy silt/clay subsoil is the reason why the course can vary between very fast and a gluepot, though the drainage work carried out 15 or so years ago has helped, notably in the reduction of false ground which the back straight between the Dante start and the home turn was prone to
York city is situated on the terminal moraine of the glacier. Tadcaster Road to the west of t’mire and South Bank to the east are the lateral moraines: three of the few ‘hills’ in the Vale of York
Thanks, Drone, that’s fantastic – takes it to the next level.
Much appreciated.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"
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