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I’m puzzled, Rubotica.
How come you put up a suggested stake beside the selection and later edit it to say no bet?
What if the money is already on?
(Keep ’em coming, by the way.)
I compile my own ratings so that’s where I voted, but ratings are a numerical expression of the value of form arrived at via an analysis of collateral form. At least mine are.
I have serious difficulties with speed figures. I compile my own time ratings (speed figures by another name, I suppose) but I am extremely selective with them. I am very wary of any speed figures which are arrived at via consideration of averaging of times on any given day.
Re Clivex’s last point, if anyone taped the Kelly Holmes races in Athens, watch them with the sound down. Does she look as if she’s quickening? Very probably, yet the info on times was that she was maintaining her speed while the rest were slowing down. Same with Hicham El Gerrouj, I think.
I work to the old Raceform Standard times and they have served me very well over the years. I find the current ‘median’ times very unhelpful for my purposes.
I am firmly of the opinion, having studied times for nearly 30 years, that they are relevant in only a very small percentage of races.
I haven’t looked at the times for last Saturday’s Haydock meeting so can’t comment.
I agree with APRacing. I’d classify the original posting as somewhere between racist and xenophobic.
British racing history is littered with foreign names. No one ever seemed to object to the likes of Nijinsky, Petite Etoile, Bahram, etc. The objection seems to arise from the greater difficulty in pronouncing the less familiar Arabic words. Nashwan was easy, and Peter O’Sullevan was always at pains to ensure Unfuwain was pronounced Afwan, but obviously Haafhd is beyond the wit of your average English punter.
We should be celebrating the emergence of the champion miler elect, and the racing press should be helping us all by giving us a clear guide to the correct pronunciation of foreign names. An indication of their meaning is also helpful in appreciating why they’re so named.
*Just for those who weren’t sure, the French filly was pronounced p’teet etwal.
I understand Raceform and Postmark (changed to RPR at the turn of the year) have been one and the same for some time, so there should be no difference in the figures.
I subscribe Peak Season to the form book and it is, in my opinion, the best value of all the major publications. A few changes are scheduled for this year, including the change to A4 format (I have reservations about that). Not cheap and you need to be punting to reasonable stakes (min £20 a go) to offset the annual costs, assuming you do make a profit. But better value than Timeform or Raceform interactive (both ridiculously expensive) or Superform (unreliable ratings).
As for the Racing Post being value, I suppose it depends on what you want from your paper. I buy it on Saturdays and for the big televised meetings but that’s it. I don’t read training centre twaddle or previews of races. I only buy it for the Pricewise odds comparison, the cards themselves and the Spotlight synopses (just to check for going preferences, etc.).
I can’t help thinking they would close-to-double their circulation if they halved the price.
That looked like a decent pace today so I can’t help thinking RB would have won as he pleased.
A shocking ride indeed. I said last year it wouldn’t have surprised me for RB to lose the odd mickey-mouse prep race before storming back to his best in the big one. Maybe they’ve just being going too easy on him so far. I’m pleased they’re now talking about giving him "at least one more run" before Cheltenham.
Why not the Tote Gold Trophy? Yesterday he was beaten 2lbs by a 160 horse and beat a 145 horse by 1lb. If the handicapper takes the view he’s on the downgrade again he could get in there off 158 (wishful thinking ;) ). He’d get everything he needs bar maybe the right ground. Equally, he could end up leaving his Cheltenham chances behind if he had a hard race (inevitable if you run well in that contest).
That’s cos the Cowboy will be taking a different road :cool:
If they both run in the Champion, the Cowboy will be doing well to get within sniffing distance of the Rooster’s rear end in the last half mile.
Probably no need for a pacemaker on the big day (but maybe they should stick one in just to make sure) but it’s easy to see the logic behind one for the other races.
I also see that any 9/2 after saturday didn’t last long. Not all punters are mugs, it would seem :cool:
I know what you’re saying, Alan, but you know me, I’m just that kinda guy ;)
I wouldn’t read any more or less into the defeats of Flame Creek or Spirit Leader than I would the defeat of Foghorn, and for the same reason :- it was an unsatisfactory event – more like a public gallop (and they can be very misleading).
For what it’s worth, these are my current ratings for the main contenders (with best prices in brackets to let you see where the value lies).
Rooster Booster 176+ (9/2)<br>Westender 165+ (50/1)<br>Rhinestone Cowboy 162p (7/2)<br>Self Defense 161 (33/1)<br>Spirit Leader 160p (weight adjusted) (25/1)<br>Intersky Falcon 159 (20/1)<br>Back In Front 158p (10/1)<br>Rigmarole 155+p (20/1)<br>Hasty Prince 150p (-)<br>Davenport Milenium 150+ (20/1)<br>Sporazene 149+p (20/1)
Once I get a chance to analyse more thoroughly yesterday’s trial, it’s possible Rigmarole, Hasty Prince and Davenport Milenium will go up a pound or two, but they did run very close to predictions – it’s just disappointing that Spirit Leader and Rooster Booster were well below their best.
I’m seriously thinking about adding Westender to my portfolio, though I accept he looked decidedly canine last time. Still, Pipe has over three months to sweeten him up again.
We haven’t had a strong Championship division for many years. Istabraq was brilliant but had no decent opposition until the ill-fated Valiramix burst on to the scene. Rooster Booster was always miles clear on the figures last year after his h’cap win at the Open meeting. See You Then was a very good hurdler but had no opposition. I could go on…
But I do think we are entering a potentially good era. Rooster Booster was, on the face of it, disappointing yesterday but I’m one of the ones who believe it will pay to ignore it. Rhinestone Cowboy has yet to prove he has improved. I could have given that lot weight and beat them. And it was over 2m4f. Maybe they’ve twigged he doesn’t have cahmpion pace at 2m.
Spirit Leader is intersting but will need to keep improving from last year and hasn’t proved either that she’s done so on yesterday’s evidence, but I’m prepared to give her time. Back In Front is interesting but in two runs has still to get near his Supreme Novices rating, let alone try and improve on it.
Rigmarole is emerging as the typical improving handicapper, and he’s now shown he can win off a slow pace. His time at the open meeting was excellent for its class.
A lot of the others being mentioned these days are the Flame Creeks and French Hollys of their time. They’ll look okay dancing past trees but put them in against real horses and they get their comeuppance…
Even if the pretenders improve to the mid 160s, which would put them ahead of anythig Isty had to beat, they’d still be 10lbs behind Rooster Booster.
Rooster Booster is still the main man. If anyone cares to offer 6/1 or better then they know where Betfair is ;)
