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Are there any regulatory bodies, sports or otherwise, that actually do the job they are there to do?
Can’t see the meeting being expanded, but you could make the Friday an evening fixture, and run the Woodcote and Oaks alongside five handicaps. Put a big name concert on after racing which is an attraction for many these days.
That would make the Saturday a real quality day, that could be advertised accordingly. At least that would justify the exorbitant prices.
Princess Elizabeth Stakes G3
Coronation Cup G1
Diomed Stakes G3
Epsom Dash HH
Derby Stakes G1
Surrey Stakes L
1m2f Handicap 2HThe 3YO Dash could be squeezed in, if an eight race card is wanted, but given its a C3 handicap that’s not imperative.
I’d suggest the Championships should be points based around the top quality races only, i.e. Grade 1 and the Premier Handicaps.
But, however you cut it this season, I’d expect Mullins wins.
If it was points based, the title would probably have been put to bed on day one of AintreeAs with a lot of things, there is more to it than a binary is it good or not.
Mullins is setting the standard and it’s a good thing for UK racing that he is bringing horses over for the big meetings, and it’s not like he’s winning everything with odds on shots.
He’s also free to enter horses wherever he likes, but I can sort of understand the frustration of trainers that aren’t trying to compete with him when he rocks up at the lower grade tracks. On the other side of that complaint he’s bringing quality horses that wouldn’t usually be seen at such venues, and it’s not as if the UK big hitters aren’t also turning up.
I’m in agreement with Moehat re the entry of Grangeclare West, it’s within the rules but has a feel of gamesmanship for me. I’d say the same for the multiple entries in the big Handicap Chases.
Anyway, it’s done now.
Will we be having the same debate this time next year?
Here’s the breakdown of runners – winners. C1 broken down by grade
Mullins
C1 154 – 23 / Gr1 70 – 13 / Gr2 28 – 3 / L 11 – 2 / PH 45 – 5
C2 30 – 4
C3 15 – 11
C4 3 – 0
C5 2 – 0Skelton
C1 130 – 18 / Gr1 24 – 3 / Gr2 34 – 7 / L 27 – 8 / PH 45 – 0
C2 153 – 18
C3 196 – 40
C4 311 – 58
C5 206 – 45
C6 1 – 0Was picking up on Oscar’s comment re team sports, and should have added that in my initial response.
Yes, talent dictates if the individual makes the grade, but in team sports it’s cash that dictates the finishing order. The more you spend the greater the chances of success.
Hence Le God has his England caps and no medals.
I support a L2 team, that nearly made the PL when we had an owner with deep pockets. No meritocracy, we just outspent our divisional rivals and obtained the best players. He left, we eventually dropped back to L2.
I’d concede that in the individual sports, meritocracy exists, it couldn’t not, but in team sports money is the deciding factor in outcome over the long run.
Le Tissier was great player and won nothing of note. I wonder why.
Sport has never been a meritocracy.
Money always dictates where the participants finish over the long run.
Governing bodies have an opportunity to try and level playing fields through regulation, but unsurprisingly tend towards keeping the participants with money happy rather than doing their job.
Just one thought on this, if the ridiculous prize money for the GN was shaved to a more realistic level, we probably wouldn’t be having this debate.
I still struggle to understand how the Gold Cup winner takes home c£150k less, rather than more, than a Grand National winner
It’s not that the domination is boring at the top level, but the race for the Championship has consequences for trainers that aren’t actually looking to compete with the juggernauts.
While it may be great to see Absurde at Plumpton, it’s like dropping a Premier League team into L2 with all their resources.
As Chris Gordon says in the RP, “The championship is driving me mad, normally we’d potter down to Plumpton with some brilliant chances and I can’t believe I’m having to take on Willie Mullins.”
“For us local trainers, this is a brilliant meeting. We’ve won the Sussex Champion Hurdle three times and it is a race we target, so it was pretty gutting yesterday to see four top-class Mullins horses in there.
“It’s pretty unhealthy when you’ve suddenly got this going on. This guy has come over and almost in a month he’s destroyed everyone and it’s just a mass of horses. I’m very grateful that I don’t train in Ireland.”
The sport struggles to consistently start its marquee NH races satisfactorily.
If that can’t be done right, it doesn’t fill you with hope when it comes to resolving the bigger issues.
Completely unsatisfactory. Owners and punters being massively short changed.
Jockeys at fault in some, charging at the tape, Starter in others looking far too fussy.
At least that standing start was reasonable.
Without having ever been in a weighing room, I tend to find that generalisations never characterise reality.
One person bullied another here and no one who witnessed it did anything about it. That’s on their consciences, but it’s conjecture to imply that this case then represents the weighing room in its totality up and down the country as we’ve no idea how many transgressions from civil behaviour may or may not happen or how they are resolved.
It’s sad that the collective here can provide a considered view of how things should have been handled yet those in the positions of authority can handle things so badly.
