Champions day Ascot 2023

Desert Orchid said:
I've just gone through the card and I have to say it leaves me pretty underwhelmed.

The majority of that feeling is down to the prospect of deep ground.

I would want to ask why the inner track is so much less soft that the scheduled one. Has one been watered and the other not? If so, surely there's a lesson there: that given the time of year it would be better not to water at all and only do so if there is no prospect of rain nearer the time?
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Main track is maintained and watered during the summer, the inner track is the hurdles track and is not watered during summer

If you remember there was a lot of hoo haa last November when the hurdles track was too firm after the hot summer and Henderson wouldn't run Constitution Hill, i went to the King George there last year and the hurdles track looked burnt to a cinder:D
 
Afraid I consider this meeting a waste of time and have never had a bet at it since they stole races from Newmarket some years back.
 
Surely those going stick graphics are illogical?

If the idea of the going stick is that the more it goes in the softer the ground, so the indication for heavy should be nearer the handle and firm nearer the pointy bit?

Still, it looks like decent enough ground on the inner course and that's where they should be running regardless.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Surely those going stick graphics are illogical?

If the idea of the going stick is that the more it goes in the softer the ground, so the indication for heavy should be nearer the handle and firm nearer the pointy bit?

Still, it looks like decent enough ground on the inner course and that's where they should be running regardless.
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It really spoils the meeting running on what is essentially jumping ground. I don't know the solution but they need to do something as it become anything but champions day. Only the top stayers are turning up
 
Move it to Newmarket I would have thought. Weather in this country goes invariably from left to right. Down here in the West Country, we have significantly more rain than in East Anglia. As does I suspect Ascot. It’s one of the reasons that that part of the country is more successful in arable crop growing, I suspect.

So why do they insist on running the “Championship” meeting at a course that struggles with decent ground in late October? Sure we will always get dry Cheltenham’s and Aintree but at least you can water. You can’t blow-dry a racecourse that I’m aware of!

Really trainers should be raising this question especially with the increasingly changing weather patterns.
 
reet hard said:
Maybe Ascot should have an AW track?
(that's a halfway serious suggestion)
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I briefly allowed that thought to cross my mind when posting above but held back on posting it because I know the kind of responses I seem to generate among some people (not with you in mind in this context, reet :)) but I did wonder if there was an AW track that would handle this level of racing. Newcastle, with its straight mile? From what I read, Tapeta is closest to turf and maybe most horses can translate their ability to that surface rather than Polytrack?

It might also allow Newcastle to 'compete' with the 'big' Lingfield Easter meeting (but obviously not chronologically).

Anyroads, aint gonna happen, is it.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I briefly allowed that thought to cross my mind when posting above but held back on posting it because I know the kind of responses I seem to generate among some people (not with you in mind in this context, reet :)) but I did wonder if there was an AW track that would handle this level of racing. Newcastle, with its straight mile? From what I read, Tapeta is closest to turf and maybe most horses can translate their ability to that surface rather than Polytrack?

It might also allow Newcastle to 'compete' with the 'big' Lingfield Easter meeting (but obviously not chronologically).

Anyroads, aint gonna happen, is it.
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I can't believe I'm about to comment on AW racing but Newcastle now host the big Easter meeting, they took it from Lingfield about 2 years ago
 
Truncheon said:
Main track is maintained and watered during the summer, the inner track is the hurdles track and is not watered during summer

If you remember there was a lot of hoo haa last November when the hurdles track was too firm after the hot summer and Henderson wouldn't run Constitution Hill, i went to the King George there last year and the hurdles track looked burnt to a cinder:D
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It was burnt to a cinder!
 
From RP:
The £1.3 million Champion Stakes, Long Distance Cup and Fillies & Mares Stakes have been moved from the round course, which was soft, heavy in places, following verification on Friday from an independent panel.

As per the race conditions, the switch is permitted if heavy appears in the going description while the inner track is good to soft, soft in places.
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So why do they insist on running the “Championship” meeting at a course that struggles with decent ground in late October?

With that Clerk of the Course. Ascot struggles to get decent ground, full stop.
 
Rue Boissonade looks interesting in the FM race 12/1

Mudlark and stays further that a mile and a half, im dabbling e.w
 
I hope you're right, I'll be most unhappy if the frigging Hamdan wins the Champion because the ground is ok.

Quiet day for me watching it at my bookies. Have Bay Bridge onboard ante-post and my Nashwa/King of Steel rollover. No bets in the other races.
 
Here we go, then:

Kyprios
Run to Freedom ew
Time Lock
Paddington
Bay Bridge
Awaal ew
 
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