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A book which goes into great detail about the theory of card counting is The Money Spinners, the author uses the pseudonym of Jacques Black. Published by Faber and Faber.
richard
ReasonoverFaith
I was trying not to be specific, but as you raise it I was not referring to the race you mention, but to Timmy Murphy’s ban over the riding of a horse in a Fontwell bumper.
Murphy gives an interesting perspective on this in an interview in Thoroughbred Owner and Breeder. Best if people read it and make their own minds up, but I’ll just give a couple of quotes.
"….I’ll have to hit a horse a couple of times when it’s when its getting tired, if that is what they want. It’s a shame but I am bound by their rules."
And from the article, written by Alan Lee:
"… implicit in this was the dictate that jockeys should prioritise those who may have backed their horse – even if…. it was a 50-1 shot – above the needs of their trainer, owner and the horse itself. Even in this age of wall-to wall tv coverage this seems a dubious set of principles.Not only dubious, but downright dangerous. To give an example:
A few years back I had a horse running at a Northen track who in the betting was vying for second favourite. He came out of the stalls ok but was soon struggling. Luckily he was ridden by a very experienced jockey who realised something was wrong and pulled him up. His problem was a fibrillating heart and if he had been ridden for another 100yds his heart would have given out and he would have DIED.
Kevin Darley it was who rode him, and he did appear on whatever racing channel it was at the time to explain that contrary to the views of some racing commentators and punters, saving that horse’s life was more important to him than the views of some on riding out to the maximum.
Now, under the new dictates from the BHB that punters should be the most important consideration, in that if they see a horse being whacked they feel they have had a run for thir money, that horse would have died because the jockey is now required to whack the horse for no other reason than it appeases betting shop punters. Yes, he would have died.
So Lydia, we disagree completely. The rules on over use of the whip are straightforward, and if applied correctly would cut out abuse. But, as we have a ruling body who up until now at least have run racing for off course bookmakers to make profits, the whip rules can’t be applied if they are over -ridden by a dictate to make it look like betting shop punters are getting a run for their money – ie abusing horses.
What is actually needed is a clear out of BHB personnel who are indoctrinated in the concept of doing what is best for the off course bookmakers and replace then with those who understand that racing in this country is going to hell in a handbasket and have got the guts and the knowledge of racing to act accordingly.
richard
Do think there is a danger of all of this getting blown totally out of proportion.
Looking at the MP’s website, he seems to be a keen supporter of Animal Defenders International, an off-shoot of the National anti-Vivisection Society who campaign on that subject and others like circus animals. Laudable causes many would say, but this guy is not your average concerned MP, whatever prompted him to pick on horeracing is pretty obviously part of a broader agenda which probably has nothing to do with horseracing as such.
The real problem IMHO is the BHB’s – or whatever they call themselves now- attitude towards the use of the whip.
On the one hand they ban Aherne, quite rightly, for deliberate abuse. On the other, they ban horse and jockey on a 50-1 shot who hasn’t ran for ages, couldn’t possibly win, jock didn’t hurt him but the stewards implement the ban ‘cos the jock didn’t thrash the horse.
Even though that horse had no chance, Murphy was banned because in not hitting the horse "he showed scant regard for punters".The purpose of the BHB -leaving aside its administation functions- has been up to now to help the off course bookmakers to make money. Part of that apparently is to whack no hopers so that dumbells who back no hopers believe they have had a run for their money and will therefore continue to lose money.
Personally, think Lydia’s hearfelt and no doubt well meaning piece was wide of the mark.
What journos should be doing is questioning the BHB’s ambivalent attitude towards the use of the whip and criticising the BHB’s support of the flog ’em home at any cost attitude of some betting shop punters.
richard
That spectacle would be fun stilvi, but the bitter cold truth is that apart from a few hardy owners/trainers very few people watch the racing at Kempton outside on winter evenings. In fact very few people go to Kempton at all on winter evenings.
Had a runner there a couple of weeks back and went in the RUK bar. Including Mcnae, Nevison and the cameraman and three of us there were nine people in there.
The O/Ts bar was pretty crowded, but sad to say many of them watched their horses on TV rather than venturing out on a very cold night.Serious point though, how can these pundits offer serious opinions without commenting on the horses in the parade ring? Obviously they can’t.
richard
Spencer is well known for fancy dan stuff, especially when his horse is beaten and he manouevres the horse to try and make it look like his horse has been interfered with.
If he stopped trying to be so clever and rode to his talents he would be a very good jockey.
richard
And yet, for such vicious abuse, the HRA gave Ahern the entry level penalty.He should have been banned for whatever the maximum is. If he had done that to one of my horses, I would be consulting with my solicitor.
richard
I do think the way this trial ended is not good for racing, Had the full legal arguements been heard and twelve good people and true come to an innocent verdict, fair enough. But so much came out in the prosecution’s evidence which needs explaining. To my mind stopping the trial is more likely to produce the general re-action, well racing is bent, the CPS just screwed it up, whether that be true or not.
No doubt the more sycophantic journalists will be rushing to applaud the result, but if they do that, it would be a great shame that they didn’t earn the name of "journalist" and follow up on some of the more interesting points introduced in evidence.
TDK has the right of it. If this sends a signal to serious criminals that they can move in on racing with no fear of convictions , then that is another nail in the several that are being hammered into racing’s coffin at this time.
richard
Two questions you have to ask :
a) What type of horse do you want, eg sprinter, middle distance, hurdler, chaser, etc, etc.
b) Why do you and your mates want to own a horse, eg, just to watch him/her run, to land a one off gamble, prepared to be patient until a horse matures so he can do him/herself justice, a filly to be sold on for breeding – whatever.
If you don’t make these decisions then before you buy, you will probably be wasting your money.
Once you have made those decisions, look for a trainer that can handle that kind of horse, talk to several, make a decision as to which one suits you and the kind of horse you want and get them involved in the purchase decision, maybe picking horses for you.
Decide how long you are prepared to invest in the horse – need time before can run, laid up with injury for a while, what if there is no prize money in the first year and with the levels of prize money these days l you will always be paying out more than you take in. £14k is far too little to budget for a horse in training that is running – £17-18K is a more realistic cost. Check out with your chosen trainer a cost estimate and if she/he won’t help in that respect, go somewhere else.
Good luck, if you can get it right you’ll have a lot of fun.
Sorry, originally posted this in the wrong thread
richard
Two questions you have to ask :
a) What type of horse do you want, eg sprinter, middle distance, hurdler, chaser, etc, etc.
b) Why do you and your mates want to own a horse, eg, just to watch him/her run, to land a one off gamble, prepared to be patient until a horse matures so he can do him/herself justice, a filly to be sold on for breeding – whatever.
If you don’t make these decisions then before you buy, you will probably be wasting your money.
Once you have made those decisions, look for a trainer that can handle that kind of horse, talk to several, make a decision as to which one suits you and the kind of horse you want and get them involved in the purchase decision, maybe picking horses for you.
Decide how long you are prepared to invest in the horse – need time before can run, laid up with injury for a while, what if there is no prize money in the first year and with the levels of prize money these days l you will always be paying out more than you take in. £14k is far too little to budget for a horse in training that is running – £17-18K is a more realistic cost. Check out with your chosen trainer a cost estimate and if she/he won’t help in that respect, go somewhere else.
Good luck, if you can get it right you’ll have a lot of fun.
richard
Seb Sanders’ achievement is really good for British racing. He started off as a pupil at the British Racing School and I think I’m right in saying he is their most succesful graduate.
So ,if what he has done in terms of hard work, dedication and a superb ability to judge pace and position inspires present and future students to aspire to those abilities, then hopefully we will see more talented jocks emerging from the BRS course in future years.
richard
I was at Newmarket too and having watched the replays at the track and at home later on RUK, think Paul is absolutely right. This was a typical piece of showboating by JS, his horse was beat. Nor was he impeded in using his whip as he claimed.
Just to say I didn’t bet on that race and I haven’t bet on the Jocks championship, so have no financial axe to grind.
I do hope the trainer appeals the decision. but as a general point the Newmarket stewards- I’m an annual member and go there regularly – seem more concerned with their own self importance than the reality of what actually happens in a race.
richard
Aidan is right IMHO.
If the major Arab owner/breeders moved their stallions overseas along with their horses then British racing would indeed be in a parlous state, because there aren’t enough GB owners with enough money to compete with overseas owners/breeders. And the quality of foals/yearlings/ 2y olds on offer at GB sales would decline significantly because of the reduction in decent stallions standing in GB.
As things currently stand, there seems to be no danger of this, with Godolphin, for example, putting a big investment into facilities at Newmarket. But I suppose the long term worry would be, what attitude would the next Maktoum generation have towards investment in GB? If they decide that they need to focus investment in Dubai from the Far East, USA and other parts of the world, then unles the funding problem that plagues GB racing is resolved, who could blame them for cutting back on their GB activities?
richard
Presumably then Flash you despise Coolmore for their purchases of Choisir, Peint Celbre. Encosta del Largo and so on and so on?
richard
For a different perspective from that provided by the bookies’ mouth – oh sorry – the horses’ mouth, this is a link to a Sunday Times piece :
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b … 651498.ece
richard
If I may say so Prufrock, well done. IMHO it is a refreshing change to have a TV pundit who can actually read a race as opposed to reading the RP and the betting shows.
Be great if the RP could employ you to put some reality into their race analyses.richard
