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I know we all worry about the horses going out to run over jumps and want so much for them to come back safe, but to watch the preliminaries knowing that at least one of them isn’t going to return is getting harder each year.
It’s not that bad Moehat – only checked Wiki (not the greatest resource I know) but I’m shocked at the number of horses who’ve collapsed while running riderless in recent years, surely a case for outriders "rounding up" the loose horses.
Doing nothing isn’t an option – however looking at the stats there’s no evidence that making the fences smaller has helped with the fatality rate (I believe it’s as high now as it ever was) and if anything we need to make them bigger.
There’s no substitute for experience – moving the National Trial from Haydock to Aintree would be a start and staging a race over the big fences at the October meeting would help, reducing the field size to 30 is probably a decent idea too with a consolation race ala the big flat sprints.
Pointlessly knocking inches off the fences and letting them go faster by taking fences out is no solution to the problem and will only lead to an increase in fatalities/serious injuries.
Martin
I’m in Camp 3 – the camp that feel that he is not a great horse until he’s proved he can carry weight in handicaps, the Cambridgeshire or November Handicap would be a fitting end to his career (call us the NH Traditionalists)
But who probably should have had a winner at Kilbeggan just two weeks back had the horse not made a complete horlicks of a couple of hurdles.
Martin
Would check out the 1m Maiden’s for unraced 2yo’s at Saint-Cloud – they should be starting around now but the Aga Khan and Wildenstein family often introduce a nice horse or two in these (Ziyarid and Beauty Parlour would be two from the past couple of years).
Martin
The form figures on FG are on the card – they’re the 1p 2p 3c etc. on the site.
You need to click on the actual horse to view each race in detail though.
Martin
Spot on Ruby Light – I’m actually over in France for a couple of days racing at those two tracks next month.
Normally a good card, there’s a very decent listed hurdle for unraced 3yo’s (won last year by G1 winner Usual Suspects) whilst the 3yo hurdle on the Enghien card featured Prix Congress winner Roi De Treve.
These are the exceptions though – there’s plenty of prize money going around even in the claiming hurdles, with tags of around £6,000+ and most UK runners likely to have been untested under French conditions before it might be worth sending a runner or two over for that.
The Prix Finot (the listed race I referenced earlier in this post) is a decent affair normally run in two divisions for each sex so hopefully a UK runner will target that at some stage.
Martin
I keep getting told costs are too high but Tom George does it, Nick Williams is big on racing at the more provincial Northern tracks, Kevin Tork took a couple over (all expenses paid mind) to the International meeting a few years ago (Zhukov and Karingabay Queen IIRC) whilst Alex Hales took Custer’s Last Stand to contest a Chase in the provinces earlier this Summer – these in addition to the usual raids on XC races by the likes of Denis Murphy and co.
I really don’t understand why more trainers don’t take horses to France, as someone who handicaps French NH races closely they really are one of the best betting mediums not to mention the prize money even at the lowest levels is ridiculously good.
Martin
Would have thought they’d at least try and show highlights – they’ve three domestic meetings today though with Southwell, Dundalk and Tramore all being ATR tracks.
Stilvi – if that is the case these new races ie. 13+ runner Beginners and Novice races could go entirely the other way, 4 or 5 decent horses and 8 or 9 out for a tour and a Handicap mark.
Laying 3 places on what is effectively a 5 horse race really isn’t clever – they could well become better betting mediums than their predecessors.
Could also lead to the increased prize money that the owners and trainers want so maybe an "every cloud has a silver lining" scenario.
Martin
Recent Arena/NR developments would suggest that the owners of the racecourses hold the fixtures.
The BHA didn’t exactly say "no" when Arena/NR said they intended to redistribute the yet to be allocated 2013 fixtures throughout the other racecourses in their group.
Martin
Hope you don’t mind me asking BB but how does it determine each figure for each track?
Had assumed it was an Average winning rating but Downpatrick in the 50’s puts the mockers on that (jumps only etc).
Thanks
Martin
Indeed Cav – judged on tonight’s card we should start a campaign for lower prize money as this clearly leads to more runners.
Martin
Johnny Ward trains in the provinces, think his website is http://www.jjwardracing.com (or something like that).
Gina Rarick is a US trainer based in Maisons-Laffitte
Jenny Bidgood trains over in France too.
There are others who’d speak English to be fair too.
I replied to your PM too btw Tuffers – sorry it’s exceptionally late, hope it’s still useful.
Martin
Couple of under the radar ones
Rudemeister
for Andrew Parker
If campaigned in the right way he could be a Nationalhorse for the future TB
