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In these days of Sky TV I’d be wary about expecting Sunday racing to attract many more customers than Saturdays. Other sports such as Golf, Tennis, Motor Sports, American Sports, European club football and increasingly domestic club football, tend to climax on Sundays. Can racing compete against the coverage of those? And would there be less TV coverage if racing – whatever quality – was moved from Saturday to Sunday?
I think lesser grade Sunday meetings are fine – if we’re trying to attract families then, as has already been pointed out, they are unlikely to mind whether they are seeing top quality racing. In fact top quality racing might put them off with perceived or real difficulties around crowd size and worries about safety of children and lack of room in the racecourse, entrance and catering queues, toliet facilities, travel delays, and so on. What will attract them is good publicity, attractive pricing and facilities that allow them to appreciate the horses and enjoy the experience.
I don’t see any compelling reason why top quality racing will attract bigger crowds on a Sunday than a Saturday. Maybe Ireland just has a tradition of big races on a Sunday, and that might have been linked at one time with trying to complement rather than compete against UK Saturday racing.
As for atmosphere, I dont think the quality of the horses is significant, I think its down to competitiveness. Whether punters think they are on to a winner is surely key and a four horse finish in a claimer could be enough to raise the roof any day of the week.and given the way the market seems to react to his selections maybe a 5/1 in Ireland would be a 4/1 at Cheltenham?
and his times on the AW have been respectable (eased down last time). Maybe fears over his soundness – he was off for 100 days last summer after winning on gd to firm. Should be an interesting race and you would have to think he has a big chance – RP Spotlight describes him as a natural on the AW. In the same race Zacynthus looks interesting EW as the trip should suit and Licence to Till is reliable. Combination forecasts all round!
Good news! Waabel seems to be fancied today so looks like he has told RG that he remembers now that he runs best when up with the pace and that when he holds himself up (as in his last 2 races) he can never really get into contention. But has he told the jockey? Cant wait to find out!
For RG afficianados Royal Intruder is a NR today but it will be interesting to see what happens when he gets round to telling RG that he feels he maybe hasn’t been able to shown his true form when running the first part of the race flat out in his last couple of races and that maybe he’ll take a more measured approach next time. I’ll be on him EW for his next few races and fuly expect him to be placed at 20/1 or better.
Maybe a bit harsh to single out Richard Guest. The nature of AW racing is that connections can generally only make money through gambling. I prefer to see assessing when horses are likely to win on the AW as part of the fun but I can perfectly see how this would have no appeal for serious punters. Treat the AW as a test of knowing when a horse will win rather than just whether it can win.
Watch for the usual unfortunate incidents:
Dickie le Davoir not realising that the race had started when the stalls opened today,
Milton of Campsie running at Southwell (where he has a poor record) then not realising that the race had started when the stalls open, then he rushes headlong after the field, then he must have been exhausted because his jockey stopped riding him (or maybe had used his whip enough times),
Polemica not realising that the race had started when the stalls opened and then being ridden when all was lost,
and so on…..
they’ll all have their day, I can almost guarantee it!
Its part and parcel of the AW and the same unfortunate incidents befall many other AW trainers. It’s part of the fun. Keep your stakes small, and enjoy it!
Amazing how threads about Elite Racing Club always attract such polarised views. I’ve been a member for a few years now and my subscription this year was £112. I think its about the best value for money I get for anything over the year. But of course it’s not going to have the same appeal for everyone and I certainly wouldn’t expect it to appeal to some of the far more knowledgable members on the forum.
But it is what it is and to me being able to go and see and handle the club’s mares yearlings and foals, and watch and follow their development is worth more than the annual membership on its own.
And we share the ups and downs of racing, – this year Dandino and Marlinka as opposed to the New Approach foal, Kabayil and sending Soviet Song unsuccessfully to Ravens Pass.
I don’t see the issue about emotional attachment. I support and have an emotional attachment to Dunfermline at football (someones got to) and I pay a lot more to do that than I pay ERC over a year. It’s a hobby. Hobbies usually cost money. I get no dividend from the football club, but their players are "my" players.
As for the original point of the thread I think, to be fair, owners apply to be included in the race and are then invited. Personally I think it might be a step too far for Dandino, but who knows? Thats part of the enjoyment.He’s far exceeded expectations already, I’m happy to rely on James Given and Matthew Budden’s judgement.
I dont think ERC pretends to be anything it isn’t. At the end of the day it’s just a bit of fun.Madman, sorry to hear about the demise of John Smiths mother. Although I have to say I would rather not watch her dying, not watch Diana dying, not watch Desert Orchid dying and indeed not watch the outsider in a Classified race at Kempton dying. Maybe you should start a new Channel – Dogsbeingrunover TV? ;)
RichK I do remember that Peter O’Sullevan at the end of his commentating career was receiving prompts – you could hear a voice going "so and so unseated" and then POS would go "And so and so’s unseated his rider at that one…" etc Although no-on has a good word for Ch4, IMO Simon Holt is the best commentator around.
When O’Brien was asked beforejhand if he had left anything in GW for the future he said "loads", he hadnt been trained off the bridle since the injury and he’d only had one racehorse gallop, not at full pace. Which kinda gave away the fact that he was going to come on for the race. As for Soviet Song Spencer spent the race watching for GW, despite the fact that Soviet comes best off a fast pace. A poor performance from an overrated jockey in my opinion.
