- This topic has 28 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 1 month ago by
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Posts
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- Total Posts 17716
Perhaps we can look forward to the White Rose Stakes being run at Haydock Park?
And the
Lancashire Oaks
at
Doncaster
… though come to think of it, they’ve already got the
Lincoln
…
Don’t you dare suggest it to Rodders!!
- Total Posts 17716
There but for the grace of. Bear in mind that this corresponding raceday was still programmed in the proportion three jumps and two Flat until the late 1980s. Had that been maintained to the present day, one or the other (and maybe both) of the specialist channels’ pre- and post-race analysis time of which you speak would risk having been truncated yet further
Point taken! In fact, pursuing your argument a little further, if there were to be
more
NH on these massive late-season flat festivals, it might force RUK and ATR to go back to some sensible red-button strategies. With the technology they have available, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be allowed to concentrate on exactly which race meetings we want, as we want, when the general coverage gets too rushed for its own (or anyone else’s) good.
After all, you could travel in-car with any of the 24 drivers you chose in yesterday’s Singapore Grand Prix BBC 1 coverage. Why should Racing find it so hard to let us watch one of five or so racecourse feeds on a congested Saturday?
RUK, are you listening??
Actually, it’s more complicated than that as ATR can apparently show the ex-Ascot races (Fillies’ Mile etc) now being run at Newmarket which begs the question as to whether ATR and RUK will both show parts of Champions Day.
The problem I had with last weekend is that it was a very filly/mare dominated card with all three Group 1 races for the female gender which looked unbalanced.
This weekend Ascot and Newmarket aren’t competing directly with Arc weekend – the odd Group 3 and Listed event but the quality is in Paris and that’s understandable.
On the assumption that we will have two dedicated racing channels for evermore, perhaps it would be wise when framing future Saturday fixture lists to ensure there is an even spread of meetings across the two
Indeed it would,
Drone
. But it seems that RfC/BHA are unwilling/unable to consider TV viewers on the Racing channels. It also seems from
Jose
‘s post that they don’t give much thought to racecourse attendance figures either.
As for the
Rous Stakes
(named after a great Newmarket luminary) being run at Ascot, it makes as much sense as the
Royal Lodge Stakes
(a great Windsor Park landmark on the carriage route to Ascot racecourse) being run at Newmarket.
As Chris McGrath put it, this is
"mindless desecration"
indeed – and it doesn’t even make commercial sense, as the Newmarket figures show. As we watch the predicted car crash unfolding, I for one take absolutely no pleasure in seeing it happen.
If we had a ‘like’ button on here, I would have clicked it
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This weekend Ascot and Newmarket aren’t competing directly with Arc weekend – the odd Group 3 and Listed event but the quality is in Paris and that’s understandable.
I couldn’t help noticing – whilst attending the
free entry
Arc Trials
day at Longchamp earlier this month, that even
that
card (with two Group 1’s, two Group 2’s and two Group 3’s) marginally outpoints the spurious UK "
Champion’s Day
", with its two Group 1’s, two Group 2’s, and one Group 3.
As for
Arc Day
itself (with
SIX
Group 1’s) I don’t suppose that France Galop need even get into a canter to put the UK attempt in the shade!
Pinza, racecourse attendances were used as the main justification for moving Champions Day from Newmarket to Ascot by some noted figures. G Wood justified the move by stating Newmarket last year was on par with a League 1 Football match and racing wasn’t reaching its potential with such a day.
I’m expecting a follow up from G Wood hailing Ascot’s Champions Day a giant step forward for the sport by comparing Ascot’s Champions Day directly to Newmarket, without recognising the loss of QEII day, and also ignoring further declining attendances at Newmarket as a result of these changes.
Also to be expected is the BHA trying to ignore some ground rules of the European Pattern, like they did last year, as they attempt to rush through upgrades for the 2012 Champions Day.
1. To qualify for upgrading or admission to the Pattern a race must have been run with similar race conditions, comparable prize money and on the same date for at least the last three years. (Note: a change in venue and/or surface is acceptable).
That’s rule number 1 for upgrading requests. Need I say any-more?
- Total Posts 17716
1. To qualify for upgrading or admission to the Pattern a race must have been run with similar race conditions, comparable prize money and on the same date for at least the last three years. (Note: a change in venue and/or surface is acceptable).
That’s rule number 1 for upgrading requests. Need I say any-more?Most interesting,
Jose
, I wasn’t aware of this Pattern stipulation. Thank you.
Has anyone I wonder challenged what’s been (as you rightly say) rushed through against the rules? And in such a bungling manner too…
Agreed Pinza – I’d guess the shifting of the two year old races from Ascot was no more than a sweetener to facilitate the Champion Stakes switch. It all looks a bit of a mess to me.
Am i right in recalling the French were one of the chief stumbling blocks in getting the Champions Day card sanctioned so is it possible the moving of the Fillies Mile was a carrot for the French meaning that the 9 day gap from that to the Marcel Boussac means it is possible at a push for a filly to contest both?
This weekend Ascot and Newmarket aren’t competing directly with Arc weekend – the odd Group 3 and Listed event but the quality is in Paris and that’s understandable.
I couldn’t help noticing – whilst attending the
free entry
Arc Trials
day at Longchamp earlier this month, that even
that
card (with two Group 1’s, two Group 2’s and two Group 3’s) marginally outpoints the spurious UK "
Champion’s Day
", with its two Group 1’s, two Group 2’s, and one Group 3.
As for
Arc Day
itself (with
SIX
Group 1’s) I don’t suppose that France Galop need even get into a canter to put the UK attempt in the shade!
A fair point Pinza but Arc day didn’t start off with six Group 1s. As recently as 1999 it had only 3 G1s and 2 G2s. It has subsequently been built up to its current level by good management from the French authorities.
This year is the first running of Champions Day at Ascot so immediate comparison with a full grown and muscular Arc day is a bit unfair.
If the wider health of UK racing can be propped up it (Champions Day) stands a good chance of rigorous comparison in about 5 years.Looking at the Paris runners for Sunday, I think our Champions Day and Future Champions meetings have had a significant impact.
We have no UK raiders in the Cadran and we aren’t putting up much opposition to either GOLDIKOVA or DABIRISIM in their races. Even our challenge in the Abbaye seems lower-key than in some years where we have provided (with the Irish) nearly half the field.
Arc weekend – how wonderful it was. Well, not for the QIPCO Champions Day organisers, I would have thought, apart from the freebie for Rod Street in Paris as part of the "International Racing & Betting Forum." The Leaders In Racing conference is up next.
Dream Ahead won the Prix la Foret and is now, seemingly, set for retirement. 3 Group 1 races, including the July Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup. A Cartier Award awaits as Champion Sprinter.
The Arc. Danedream won and is now thought of as the best middle distance horse on the planet. Any mention of Champions Day? Nope, none whatsoever.
Snow Fairy will now again head to Japan and Hong Kong. Aidan O’Brien is seemingly favouring the Breeders’ Cup for the big "cruiser" So You Think. Don’t worry, Shareta is entered in the British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes.
So the £1.3m Champion Stakes will be won…… by Twice Over.
Anyway, facetiousness aside, we have the Middle Park and Dewhurst 5 day entries on "Future Champions Day." 16 left in the Dewhurst, 18 left in the Middle Park. Predictably, 4 horses are still entered in both – Nephrite, Power and Reply for Mr O’Brien. No clash between the races, of course.
I would post the attendance figures from Ascot on Friday and Saturday for balance but the Levy Board attendance enquiry section is down.
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