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“I’d focus on flat campaign, though I’m not sure a win in a C5 at Southwell means he’d be winning Group races.”
Exactly, I’ve heard of all sorts of flat races mentioned as possible targets, Breeders Cup Classic, Breeders Cup Turf, Melbourne Cup etc. All pie in the sky at this stage. I’ve seen the John Porter mentioned as an early target, can you imagine them waiting for that only for him to finish down the field having bypassed the Champion Hurdle, a race that is there for winning.
Michael Buckley said this morning he would like to run in the Champion Hurdle and then have a flat campaign, that makes sense to me although I still doubt he will run in the Champion.
“Can’t help but feel sorry for long-standing raceday presenter Anthony Kemp who clearly has been told to dump things down by the clueless lot at JCR”
Don’t know about that, he sounded as if he was absolutely relishing it. The first words that sprung to mind were What a ****!
When he was a racecourse judge I seem to remember he wasn’t averse to having a dramatic pause when announcing the result of a photo finish. What a “”””! sprung to mind then as well.“They argue that it adds to the build up, but in truth no one is paying any notice to anything other than Cheltenham at this point.
The Tuesday after Cheltenham would be the ideal time to reveal weights. Scupper those plots which make the season demoralising to watch at times while also giving everyone as much time as reasonably possible to get their marks up if they need a few more pounds to get in.
Make the build-up a neat three week affair:
Week 1: Weight reveal.
Week 2: Final scratchings.
Week 3: Declarations and race.The sooner they do away with this corporate weights lunch two months in advance the better.”
Spot on. They could still have their lunch to unveil the entries.
I see they had a big team in Saudi Arabia, Nick Luck, Richard Hoiles, Oli Bell and Tom Stanley. Not sure if they were all there for the benefit of Racing TV but I believe the money is good if not the human rights.
If Constitution Hill had run in the Kingwell today what price would he have been, providing all the other declared runners ran? About 1/3? He will be nothing like that price next Friday. Today could have been a perfect prep for the Champion, could be wrong but that’s why I can’t see him running in it now, whatever happens next Friday.
Looking at the schedules, Constitution Hill’s race is due off at 5.00pm but ITV’s coverage doesn’t begin till 5.15pm. They show every other race on the card live
Will this really happen or will moves be afoot to change things around?Could have done with that idiotic BHA rule when I backed Jodami off only 10st 2lbs in the Hennessey when he only managed to finish second.
They say they will monitor how successful the 15lb rule is. How will manage that seeing no horses will be running from 15lbs plus out of the handicap?Not sure capping the top mark in the Bechers would work out, why should any horse rated above 155 be ruled out of getting a win and you’re in? A horse rated 130 finished 3rd in the latest Bechers, you could get one rated that low or lower winning it but would be well out the weights in the National.
In any event the winner of the Bechers does get an incentive, if he wins the National he gets double the prize money (1 million) That is one of the main reasons Ben Pauling intends to run Twig.Can’t see halving the prize money making any difference, the race will still be worth more than others like the Irish National. Why wouldn’t the top stables still run as many as possible, especially with the race no longer being a jumping test.
And to think Desert Orchid couldn’t be allowed to run in the race, Dessie would have laughed his whatsit off at these excuses for fences and Red Rum will be turning in his grave.They’ve cocked it up big time with the race and there’s no turning back now.
“There is still a place in the race for “Just So” types, but we need to give them a chance to qualify.”
I’m afraid there isn’t, the BHA recently introduced a rule where no horse can run in a handicap from more than 14 lbs out of the weights.
When Just So finished 2nd to Miinnehoma (swap the first 2 jockeys and he probably would have won) he was 22lbs out of the weights plus 3 lbs overweight. He also finished 6th to Party Politics a couple of years before when 17 lbs out of the weights plus 2 lbs overweight.Even if only 30 other horses were declared to run the likes of Just So would not be allowed to.
Just another example of how the once great race has been totally ruined by the powers that be. eg The distance of the race, powder puff fences, less runners etc.I don’t know whether the numbers are in the right order during a race as I try to ignore them, although of course they are a totally unnecessary distraction.
I want to watch horses in a race, if I want to watch rotating numbers I will buy a roulette wheel.
Those surveys are a waste of time.Nicky said the other day that he didn’t rule out a return to hurdles for Constitution Hill after Southwell. That doesn’t sound like a horse that is going to be running in the Champion Hurdle. If they intended running in the Champion Hurdle he should surely be running in the Kingwell.
Was Jerry Hannon on a bonus every time he mentioned Timeless Sash Windows during the race?
As far as I know all Irish tracks have 50, 100 and 150 poles. They are a good guide to both participants and viewers inside the final furlong. There is no excuse and there is a big red jamstick on the winning post, not the 50 pole.
“If I were the boss at NTF or PJA, I’d be telling members, leave it to ‘the officials’ representing the track, the organisation that should face full liability.”
Rishi Persad made a similar point the other night in a poor defence of his Racing TV colleagues who called it wrong on the day. Think he was bowling when the race was run.
But exactly how would that work? The course says the track is fit to run the race but the jockeys say it isn’t?
Do the jockeys still have to ride in the race despite them thinking it is unsafe, because the officials says it is?
It cannot work unless the jockeys are involved.What Racing TV should have been concentrating on was what a good race it was, instead of continually moaning the race shouldn’t have been run.
“I bet they wouldn’t be saying that if no inspection had taken place and one of their mounts had stepped into the hole, resulting in injuries to horse and rider”
There was an inspection though, no one would be saying that or would have wanted the race run if there hadn’t been an inspection. I heard Lydia say that she didn’t think jockeys shouldn’t be involved in the decision. Of course they should, they are the ones risking life and limb and who decides if obstacles are omitted because of the sun?
Will this really happen or will moves be afoot to change things around?