This weekends racing

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Really not a good look

Loads of fences omitted on what is supposed to be a jumps season

Big names not running

What can be done? It doesn't make very good viewing especially the glorified flat racing - every weekend we are getting this surely the fact it's a recurring issue means it needs addressing? Thought they didn't use to miss out basically a whole side of jumps?

 

[Steerpike]

Yes I was quite disappointed, I have seen some articles with Paul Nichols saying one thing and Nicky Henderson saying another and Gary Moore saying he's run horses which have done legs and they were all fine the next day. It's tricky but I don't think they can have many more weekends with walk over races or with only 2 runners. I'm just watching Exeter on plus 1 and they are taking a jockey down early to see if they have to miss fences.

 

[teapot]

I found Henderson's comments really interesting and trainers know horses best, no different to eventing pros withdrawing because of ground issues, and saving horses for another, potentially bigger day.

At what point do courses scratch cards, or could the authorities introduce a minimum entries/runners rule? Though the weather after a drought isn't anyone's fault. You wouldn't usually expect good to firm ground after all the rain we've had this week but there we go...

 

[Clodagh]

But wasn’t the Betfair chase just amazing! I support any horse not Irish trained and Protektorat was just great.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

The races turning into flat races is getting boring they only jumped about 1 line of hurdles in the last at Exeter, I don't recall this happening in the past. That doesn't help at all.

Why not start a bit earlier or put some sort of screen up so it means all jumps can be taken?

 

[Honeylight]

The sun aspect and the omitting all the jumps on on side is really getting to me. I just turned it off in the end. One of the runners at Exeter nearly collided with the wings of one of jumps they were omitting. I have seen whole fields snaking between the jumps like gymkhana courses. Can someone tell me what fatality or accident has been occurred when winter light has affected? Or is it health on safety going mad. I used to see proper racing when Fulke Walwyn and Fred Winter were training, goodness knows what they would have thought.
Cheltenham seems to have an issue and today Exeter, some races are not effected, can't the calendar be altered? Or to start at mid-morning?

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

The sun aspect and the omitting all the jumps on on side is really getting to me. I just turned it off in the end. One of the runners at Exeter nearly collided with the wings of one of jumps they were omitting. I have seen whole fields snaking between the jumps like gymkhana courses. Can someone tell me what fatality or accident has been occurred when winter light has affected? Or is it health on safety going mad. I used to see proper racing when Fulke Walwyn and Fred Winter were training, goodness knows what they would have thought.
Cheltenham seems to have an issue and today Exeter, some races are not effected, can't the calendar be altered? Or to start at mid-morning?

It's really getting to me too, I'm tuning in to enjoy jumps racing and getting flat racing. Its the fact it happens every week too unless it's wet, it does feel like health and safety gone mad same as F1 not taking place in anything more than drizzle.

Also the fact it keeps happening means something needs to be done about it. If it was a one off fair enough but it's now a regular occurrence. Also Cheltenham is hardly a small course they must make enough money from betting etc to put a screen up - I think I heard them say last week that it didn't use to be a problem when the tote building was there?

Nearly all races today I think had fences omitted even the Ireland chase (not sure why as I had the F1 on as well so had the racing muted)

 

[lar]

And yet yesterday's racing with its tiny fields produced some cracking racing. Coole Cody coming back from 15 odd lengths back to win the 2 horse race at Ascot, Bristol de Mai bowling along in front then a fantastic performance from Protektorat. Would the Coral Hurdle have been as good if Constitution Hill had run and bolted up by a distance rather than the gallant Goshen scrapping out the final stages with Brewinupastorm?

 

[splashgirl45]

Love Bristol de Mai but worry every time he races as he has been at it so long , I want him to live and have a happy retirement. He is a great jumper but could always get bought down by another horse hope he stays well

 

[AdorableAlice]

Ground conditions this year have been extraordinary due to the extreme heat and drought. It has started to rain but the ground hasn't sopped it up yet in many places so the going remains quick.

Quick ground for NH horses means injured horses. Henderson said the top inch at Ascot was soft but underneath was hard and I can understand that as our paddocks are just the same despite some very wet days.

12 trainers withdrew horses at Ascot yesterday, they can't all be making wrong welfare decisions, just imagine the uproar if those horses not suited by quick ground had run and some ended up winched on the knacker wagon.

 

[humblepie]

Small fields are bad for the betting market so poor for racing funding but what some fabulous horses and good racing over the weekend. Hope A Plus Tard comes bouncing back. Hitman jumped amazingly and Coole Cody a legend. Also the Moores having some super wins. Botox Has is gorgeous and nice to see Goshen win

 

[neddy man]

When looking at the shadows today as they were going round the missed jumps the long shadows were to their left not behind them so surely the sun would not affected vision of the hurdles.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The ground is a huge issue just now. It has been so dry for so long the under soil is solid as a rock. Yes we had a lot of rain but that has essentially watered the grass and the top soil. A human leaning on a stick will tell you the ground is soft because of how far the stick goes in. A half tonne ball of muscle putting 2 tonne of pressure through 1 single limb every stride is going to go through that small bit of top soil and crash into the rock hard under soil. That's where the problem lies. The water is not getting into the ground. We need 3 or 4 days of consistent rain for it to finally start making its way down the layers of soil and easing the ground underneath.