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Most of the races this flat season is seeing a disappointing turn out with 7 or fewer horses. Not only from punting perspective its not good but it also takes away the level of competition. Can anyone shed some light why such less turn out so far in almost every race this season?
@Yeats – But that is case every year. What is different this season?
Not sure if it is due to firm ground and most owners dont want to expose their horses (especially 2 & 3 year olds).
Where is the firm ground?
As Mark Johnston pointed out when Ripon were disappointed with the turnout the other week, which they put down to the “quick” ground.
It was good to firm, good in places. As Johnston said that is not quick for flat racing and it’s usually over-watered and slow there. The prize money was appalling.
I was surprised at some of the excuses put up by the pundits for the small fields at Newmarket last week. Simon Holt considered it must be the good to firm ground while Martin Dixon couldn’t understand why there were only 4 runners in the 6 furlong 0-100 3yo handicap with the prize money being so good (10 grand to the winner)
We all know the pandemic has affected prize money but it’s still a pittance.
Bangalore won more for winning the Chester Cup in 2000 than Falcon Eight got today.“Too much racing and poor prize money.”
Nail on head. There are 7 meetings in Britain tomorrow. Far too many. And aside from the impact on prize money, it is too much to follow closely as a punter – especially when you throw in 2 meetings in Ireland as well.
And just what is the problem trainers have with firm being in the going description? Flat racing should be on fast ground at this time of year.
When I first started properly watching racing, good to firm ground was commonplace and firm ground was not out of the ordinary. I can even remember racing taking place on hard ground at tracks like Brighton, Bath and Carlisle. I expect trainers today would faint with shock at the thought!
There are also too many cr** horses being put into racing. The fantastic nineties with the likes of Khalid Abdullah, Sheikh Mohammed, the two other Maktoums, Robert Sangster, George Strawbridge and so on introducing well-bred horses are long gone and won’t be coming back so fast.
The competition was different at that time and there were fewer meetings, the big stables took each other on at a very early stage and you couldn’t avoid each other that much.
Now, we just want too many meetings at any time of the year without thinking about the long-term of the sport. AW Racing at Wolves, Newcastle, Kempton, Leafy, Suvvel and at that grave-yard in Ireland have become regular practice nowadays. The quality is a lot poorer and the more the industry allows in-breeding the poorer it will remain.
Ruby, the in-breeding you mention – equine or human?
Is there a possibility that owners don’t want to run if they are not allowed in to watch?
I remember the days when you had two midweek afternoon meetings with six races at each and races every 15 minutes.
It felt like plenty.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"As an owner, I’m delighted to have a runner this afternoon (Lingfield 4:00) in a four runner race. In fact, the entry was only made when I could see that a small field was a possibility, and that there was a forecast for enough rain to provide safe ground for a 7-y-old with a dodgy knee. He was never going to run on good to firm. The lack of runners also linked to the Victoria Cup on the same afternoon – four of those entered at Lignfield are running in that race.
I’d suggest three reasons for the small fields, one already mentioned being horses held back until their owners can attend with normal access to paddock, winners enclosure, indoor refreshments etc, all of which are forbidden at present.
Second would be the unusual combination of very dry conditions in April, but also very cold. Plenty of the younger horses simply haven’t shed their winter coats or in the jargon ‘come to themselves’. Imagine yourself as an elite athlete, trying to prepare for the Olympics, but required to wear three layers of clothing when going out training.
Third would be the fact that I know several trainers who regard over watered ground as being just as likely to cause injury as firm ground, because it tends to be inconsistent. And watering in April, while it has been so cold, hasn’t produced the sort of grass growth that would be normal. Why risk your good horses when there is a long season ahead?
My theory – With owners not being allowed to go, there are less horses entered in races just to give them a day out.
Spot of rain makes all the difference – 223 entries for seven races at Newbury next Friday and 172 at York the same day.
You got a run for your money anyhow and he tried hard to go with the winner having done a lot of the work. He’s a lovely looking horse.
Thanks – and yes, he is a looker. As always seemed likely, the winner proved to be a class above and the type that will be turning out at the big festivals through the summer.
It’s the eternal problem of running in handicaps for an older horse, there are always lightly raced, younger improvers. For example, one of his runs last year was over 7F at Ascot, and the winner that day was River Nymph. Look where he is now!
Now, we just want too many meetings at any time of the year without thinking about the long-term of the sport. AW Racing at Wolves, Newcastle, Kempton, Leafy, Suvvel and at that grave-yard in Ireland have become regular practice nowadays. The quality is a lot poorer and the more the industry allows in-breeding the poorer it will remain.
I’m no fan of AW racing, but accepted it when it was introduced back in autumn of 1989; it made sense to have 2-3 meetings during the week, through the winter, that guaranteed action for punters/bookies despite what the weather may throw at us.
And that’s how it should have stayed; only during the winter – the flat turf off season. It’s now grown, and grown, and takes place all year round – and we even have the AW Championships…Really??
If you want to win a championship type race during the winter, you can – you go jumping!! The sort of horse who would once have gone jumping, are now not bothering – instead they’re racing AW….
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