Forum Replies Created
- Posts
Why not just hold all trials at Cheltenham and be done with it??!!!
Again massive credit to Musselburgh for putting up decent prize money and getting some competitive fields….shame the County Hurdle cut up with 4 non runners.
I can’t quite understand why some of the Novice events had such small fields. I guess it goes back to a diminishing horse population. However you’d think owners and trainers would target decent prize money on a Sunday when in theory it’s easier to attend.
Let’s put ourselves in Callum Whillans’ young shoes for a minute.
He’s a young jockey trying to make his way in the game. He’s secured a conditional jockey position at one of the top NH yards in the country. He’s riding a stamina laden, heavy ground performing horse who probably only has ideal conditions two or three times a season.
In Callum’s shoes….he pulls up, the owner goes mad for losing out on 8 grand prize money and he sees his riding opportunities reduce somewhat between now and the end of the season. ( I don’t imagine this was his immediate thoughts when he was coming to the final fence by the way.)
He took a risk. These guys and girls take a risk every time they get jocked up. Yes they sometimes make mistakes and their decision making is incorrect but….I say it again….put yourselves in Callum’s shoes. It’s fine to criticise his actions after the event. Unfortunately he didn’t have the option of a replay and a couple of a hours to think about things.
If we are going to critciise anyone let’s focus our attention on the racecourse, were conditions raceable? Or the trainer or his/her representative? Any of the horses yesterday could have been pulled out by connections before racing if they felt conditions were unraceable.
Ultimately the jockey was only following orders and trying to obtain the best result for the horse and connections.
Much of the problem with racing journalism is the shibboleth that participants are exempt from any analysis that verges towards criticism.
Until this mould is broken, it’ll always be a bit beige because all information has to be presented at face value.
Football doesn’t work like that. Ex players are willing to offer fair critiques of current performances. What is it with racing?
I think the issue in racing is the old pals act between current and ex-jockeys. These guys work / compete with each other pretty much every day of the year, they see each other as part of the same "team". For a jockey to retire and then start criticising his pals for indifferent rides, he would need a pretty thick skin.
The old pals act then translates to most other journalists who are loathe to be controversial about tactics, trainer form, horse placement etc.
Football is a bigger industry…the likes of Gary Neville are paid to be critical and thought provoking…and they don’t have the issue of seeing their pals at the racetrack most days of the week.
A handicap plot….becoming a rogue to my eyes.
Whatever race he runs in at the Festival he will be priced up shorter than he should….given connections and an "eye catching" run today.
I’m not saying he won’t win but in the long run you are better off passing on these plots.
I have to agree with you Gord….I end up bypassing the thread…..and this thread is one of the more interesting ones.
I don’t mind a bit of debate but there are ways and means of getting views across in a manner that doesn’t create hostility.
Sorry GT!!
Sorry boys, It’s my fault for bringing that up but I suppose it helps explain why the horse was the one I wanted to see beaten. Just ignore this part of the thread.
No worries….I’ll get my thinking cap on and do some proper contributing to an interesting thread!!!
I have to agree with you Gord….I end up bypassing the thread…..and this thread is one of the more interesting ones.
I don’t mind a bit of debate but there are ways and means of getting views across in a manner that doesn’t create hostility.
Sorry GT!!
Coleman dealt with, perhaps they can also let us know how they have dealt with the inept Stewards?
True. However had disqualification of the winner been a sanction available to them it may have focused their attention as all of us can count.
Bittar departs with the whip rules in chaos. Racing needs to find a suitable way of dealing with the win at all costs mentality in big races over both codesMy opinion is that keen racing fans like ourselves make too much noise about the whip rules. The vast majority of races and jockeys abide by the whip rules. It’s not a huge issue for me and I don’t think its that big an issue for non racing fans either.
Retrospective bans all round.
On one hand an embarrassing mistake, on the other another sign that on occasions racing couldn’t run a piss up in a brewery.
There was an apt saying in The Weekender a few years ago…
"You don’t win Cheltenham races at Ascot in December."
I.e the ground changes and race conditions are very different as the season evolves.
For Ascot in December read Haydock in January.
The New One would benefit from a pacemaker in the Champion Hurdle. A true test of stamina at 2 miles can only be beneficial to his chances.
I notice Warren Greatrex has hit a sticky patch the last couple of weeks. His odds on favourite, Shantou Bob, was stuffed the Graded Novice Hurdle at Warwick yesterday. Twenty four runners in the last 2 weeks all beaten.
When these bigger yards go through these spells I stay well clear of them, even when there’s evidence that the bad spell looks to be over. You just don’t know how each horse has been affected by the virus and how they will react when put under race conditions. I might miss out on a couple of winners but over the long term it’s safer to monitor a yard coming out of a dry spell.
With regard to positive trainer form I prefer to analyse a longer time frame than just a couple of weeks. For example it’s no coincidence that Nicholls has won the last couple of weekends major staying chases with Hawkes Point and Unioniste. Earlier in the season Hobbs seemed to be in the winners enclosure every weekend with Nicholls not far behind. His runners continue to run well but not as hot as say a few months ago. Compare that to Henderson who’s runners are so in and out this season.
Denis O’Regan gets 10 days ban for tender handling of Delvin Road during the week.
Launchbury gets 21 days for an accidental error.
Should the bans be similar?
Now the BHA have taken to retrospectively investigating whip offences will they do likewise with "non triers" that the local stewards don’t take action against on race day?
In order for a regulatory body to be seen as fair and consistent they really should.
Let’s be honest in a typical handicap or maiden of a dozen runners I’d say four runners are trying their very best, four to six are trying but probably not running under ideal conditions today, and a few are being saved for another day.
It’s hard enough second guessing that yard when the winners are flowing but even harder when it’s on the way back from such a poor spell.
Now they’ve had a few winners watch the oddsmakers overreact over the next week or two.
1) Create a BHA managed Database / Website containing all racing data (form, results, going reports, sectional times , videos etc). Simon goes into more detail in his earlier post. Charge a nominal monthly fee of £3-£5 for access.
There’s actually loads of data on the BHA website that isn’t advertised enough IMO…and it’s hard to find. For example:
http://www.britishhorseracing.com/wp-co … _Stats.pdf
You have to wonder why the 2013 stats aren’t available yet on the website?
2) Redistribution of the prize money pot. Every race to be run for minimum £20,000 (£10,000 win / £10,000 places). Place money down to 5th place. Minimum 10 runners at decs time.
To apply to all races apart from Class 1 / Novice Chases.
3) Bookmakers to lay advertised price to any individual to a minimum stake of £20.
Anyone know where I can find data on prize money distribution by race class and race category say 20 years ago, 10 years ago and for the last 5 years?
As follows:
Total number of races per race category (Flat / AW / NH)
Number of races by class of race (1-7)
Prize money by race class (1-7)Basically we are seeing more racing in the bottom tiers due to the rise of AW racing. Is the total prize money on offer fairly distributed across the board?
I’m not betting on this sort of thing….the insiders and their connections have it all sewn up.
The general public don’t stand a chance…..you won’t find the answer in the outdated formbook.
2 mins and 53 seconds.
