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I wish I could agree with Ricky’s "the jockeys must play ball now" stance as I really don’t see it like that.
The jockeys asked for black and white rules – which the BHA duly gave them (7 hits for flat and 8 for jumps). There were a few protests but overall most jockeys could ride within the rules and now the BHA have seemingly made changes to the new rules as quickly as they made changes to the old ones.
After a victory in the whip rules the jockeys will surely push for more? Higher cut of prize money, reduced suspensions etc?
IIRC the totting up rule was edited as a make-weight for the new whip rules coming up – will the BHA be bringing back the totting up with the implementation of the new rules?
Personally I felt that that there were a few minor changes needed to the new rules ie. harsher bans for breaches since we still had jockeys who felt it was worth breaking the rules day in, day out in run of the mill races and as such the punishments clearly weren’t enough of a deterent for certain jockeys to ride within the rules of racing.
Martin
Whether they put that statement on the website re-drafted or not is not the point though – I’d imagine (I haven’t checked so apologies if this isn’t true) that the statement has appeared in press releases sent to newspapers, broadcasting companies etc. and unless when re-drafted they issue a full apology on National TV, in the National papers etc. then it makes little odds to racing and the general public perception of racing.
Martin
Someone’s done well out of it – he’s been a horse of some potential for a while now though so 50/1 was an insult to his chances yesterday particularly when you consider that only the runner-up (2/1 fav), Cash And Go (11/4) and Captain Conan (11/4) were rated higher than him going into the race.
In fact his rating of 136 had him rated 4lbs higher than Noel Meade’s 7/1 chance Il Fenomeno, 5lbs higher tahn the well touted Lord Windermere (10/1) and 18lbs higher than the Jessie Harrington trained Burn And Turn who were all considerably shorter in the market.
I’ve no idea what the excuse was for the tame run the last day but the horse will only get better when he has a fence in front of him and he was one of the first in my notebook to follow in Novice Hurdles this season on the back of his p2p win and solid bumper run last year.
Interesting stuff Lee – trainers would do well to remember that without the levy they’d be racing for tuppence.
I hope you’re right – could even try a Galway Hurdle/Chase double with them
I’d imagine that SS would need to go up the weights a bit more to get a run in the Hurdle but a handicap win would help and a mark of 125-126 should see him into the race (though there’s probably 15 horses plotted up for the race already). Etiher way there’s sure to be another race at Galway for him
Martin
Thanks for replying Beverley.
Agree the horse should have a holiday when needed though he does as you say seem to thrive on his racing. The sixth from your race with Spring Heeled could make his Handicap debut off 100 at Thurles later this week so he might be one to keep an eye on, sadly it appears Silver Shuffle won’t be dropped until he loses his form and in that regard he’s being punished for his consistency but I’d be surprised if he wasn’t capable of taking home a Maiden Hurdle at some point in the coming months, maybe even get a double up if you can get Der Spieler back to Killarney for the Festival
Martin
That was a hot Maiden Hurdle you ran in Dallimann so it’s not unfair to assume the horse would go up in the weights in light of how those who’ve run since have fared, and I’d hope they ignore those who were well beaten that day as IMO another of the beaten horses will be going in at Naas later this week.
Quick question as you say the horse is flat bred etc. but he’s clearly a highly talented individual but have you thought of running him at some of the Summer festivals over hurdles? There has to be something at Killarney in May for him on better ground and a win there would surely see him draw into the Galway Hurdle in July – he’s contested a good few Maidens and a Grade 2 over hurdles yet Jimmy Coogan and yourself have yet to test out his Handicap Mark (the runs behind Unaccompanied and Plan A would suggest there’s plenty more to come from him).
Martin
That’s misleading from what I’m told – most of the grooms and trainers want you to think they don’t speak English
I’d agree Paul that it’s more a reflection on society than anything else – but making people dress up for the occasion won’t stop the fights and if anything will make those who don’t normally wear a suit think they can get away with more.
FWIW I’m not anti-alcohol either but the racecourses who are happy to provide £4.50+ pints of lager for the folk who turn up purely for a booze up should be made to ensure they have sufficient security staff on duty for the occasion – they don’t seem to have any issues paying the bar staff!!
It generally doesn’t effect me as long as they stay in the bars – I’m too busy going from the parade ring to the grandstand (sometimes via the burger van) and don’t drink anyway but it would be nice for those who go to also attend the midweek action at Folkestone, Pontefract, Salisbury etc.
Martin
IIRC it’s never the lads in the jeans and the shirts who are throwing punches, it’s never the Northern courses that have issues with fighting racegoers so whatever you think of the racing and the people at Aintree – I know I’d much much rather be at Aintree with the civilised folk wearing what they feel comfortable in than at Ascot with the hooligans in suits it all comes down to who you want to attract as your clientel.
FWIW I’ve been racing at top class Northern tracks such as Haydock, Aintree, York, Doncaster etc. 50+ times in my life and never once seen as much as a single punch thrown. From only a handful of visits to Newmarket and Ascot I’ve been told of a fight in a private box at HQ and seen the Police chasing countless yobs in suits down the street having left the latter, that after meeting a number of lovely TRFers for racing there a couple of years ago.
Martin
I’d take a look at the levy and see exactly what bookmakers directly or indirectly put back into racing.
Regarding how many bookmakers Newmarket needs it’s all back to supply and demand, if there’s no demand for 4 Ladbrokes or 2 William Hill’s etc. then one or two or however many aren’t required will shut. At the moment that doesn’t seem to be the case so there’s clearly a demand within the town for that many betting shops.
As for a PMU monopoly sadly in the UK it won’t happen and can’t work – in France they’ve never had anything different, same with the US and in certain respects other major racing nations.
Sadly for anyone who’s pro-PMU monopoly it’s like walking into a grocers today and being able to buy 10 different varieties of fruit and then walking in tomorrow and just being able to buy the apples. People will go elsewhere and there’ll be no money at all going back into "racing" which depending on how you define "racing" will differ greatly.
Personally to me "racing" is anyone working in the racing industry be it jockeys, trainers, breeders, owner, betting shop staff, bookmakers other staff – CS staff, odds-compilers, traders, on-course bookmakers, those who run the catering vans, safety stewards etc.
Martin.
Unfortunately for the bookie bashers ultimately it’s the punters and the levy that supply the money to racing which it desperately needs and without which there would be no racing/vastly reduced fixture list.
As for why bookies want shops in Newmarket – it’s fairly obvious, there’s so many people who think they’re well connected and have an "aeroplane" at home yet are hopeless judges of the formbook. Just a matter of sifting through – you also get a fair lead into the yards if you lay the right punters in the shops.
Martin
Johnny Owen opened up at 9/1 in the morning of his first victory – probably in part due to what is best described as a marked drop in grade given in his hurdling starts last season he was taking on the likes of Brampour (162), Deireadh Re (138 and likely to improve IMO) and Shammicky Boy (127).
In his first victory the odds-on favourite was rated 77 and the highest rated horses in the race were only rated 89. David Brace is hardly averse to landing a touch as anyone who’s been pointing in the SW and Cornwall will testify to.
Martin
2005 Prix Du Cadran winner Reefscape was last seen hurdling in France following a failed stud career.
You’d be better off sticking with a young sire who’s going places and will be a top sire for years to come – Westerner.
He’s already sire of Never Forget a Group 2 winner in his first crop and the Grop 2 winning hurdler Katkovana from the same crop in addition to Absolutely True who won this year as a 2yo and potentially very decent hurdler (dual bumper winner) Blossom Gate, Paul Nicholls impressive bumper winner Vrai Vert, the Fairyhouse bumper winner from last Sunday The Westener Boy (trained by Mags Mullins, also won a P2P) and plenty of pointers with promise in addition to the potentially top notch (I think he will be anyway) Nicky Henderson ex-Irish pointer Minella Forfitness.
Westerner is a top sire and will be a huge name in NH breeding for years to come – particularly when his progeny get decent ground.
Martin
