most slagging off by 5pm tomorrow

Mackinnon is running perilously close to earning himself a right slating over this Sandown meet today. I can't see how they can get it on with temperatures as low as they are - covers or no covers, they're not a miracle solution to frozen tracks - especially when you consider it takes something like an hour and a half to take the covers off. That's one hell of a risk to take (assuming that the ground isn't frozen at all under the covers!) and Cooper's statement that they are 'going to go right to the wire' is irresponsible, IMO.

It's about time racecourses were held to account for messing about with abandonments. Granted, everyone wants racing to go ahead but there has to be a line drawn - dragging out inspection times, putting them back another hour and so on just does nothing but mess up the day for so many people.
 
It's not even certain Sandown has survived, EC1 - they inspect again around about now.

Why is it such a good thing there is AW racing on to save the day??? What is there to save? Why is it imperative that there is racing today? If the laws of nature mean meetings are abandoned then it's a shame, but life WILL carry on without a days racing.
 
Mackinnon rightly deserves a slating now! The Sandown website says it was raceable at 8am yet according to the RP (who have just announced it's off) an area in front of the Grandstand is frozen solid. Dontcha just love the spin???
 
It is off.

They should have decided that if the meeting was off that anyone with a ticket wishing to divert to Kempton could have got in for nothing to try and get a crowd there.
 
Sandown website says :​

AFTER A PRECAUTIONARY INSPECTION THIS MORNING AT 8AM THE RACECOURSE IS CURRENTLY RACEABLE, HOWEVER THE TEMPERATURE IS -6 DEGREES. A FINAL RE-INSPECTION OF THE COURSE WILL TAKE PLACE AT 10AM.
THE OUTCOME WILL BE POSTED IMMEDIATELY ONLINE.​
Click to expand...

I'd like to see their definitions of the words 'immediately' and 'raceable' considering that it still doesn't say on the website that it's off (RP had it up for a good 15 mins!) and that according to the RP there was ground in front of the Grandstand that is frozen solid.

Ho-hum!

(Arkwright - you're late on parade, it had already been posted that it was off several minutes beforehand!!! :p)
 
On frost covers I would like to make a point that has not been made.

They did not save Cheltenham the other day. Management only protected the racing line with the covers but it was clear from being on the course on the day that the ground elsewhere on the track that was not covered was also perfectly raceable. Covers or not, racing would have gone ahead. So all the spin about what a great job everyone did in getting racing on was bollocks.
 
Undersoil heating is what we need. Though it would cost an arm and a leg and isn't technically feasible on any UK courses I can think of.
 
As is so often the case, Shadow Leader brings only bigoted self interest to this debate. As far as I understand, her point seems to be that the BHA should not arrange additional fixtures because it means she has to work extra days.

Shads - The racing industry is worth several billion pounds a year. It does not revolve around you! If you don't like your job then do something else.

I have no interest in all-weather racing but, to me, it is perfectly logical that having some racing on is preferable to not having any racing on - especially on a Saturday. I won't be watching it, but good luck to those that are.

Regarding Wolverhampton, there are many reasons why they may not have been able to stage a meeting today. There is probably an exhibtion or something going on there today.
 
Relkeel, I'm not the only one. Hardly anybody actually wants this extra dross put on, especially when it is the poorest standard racing imaginable, comprising in the main horses that shouldn't really be in training, if truth were told.

Besides which, geographically it is a ridiculous idea to stage a meeting at Kempton with Lingfield only 45 minutes away. What about Wolves, Southwell, Great Leighs?

Interesting that nobody has even acknowledged the question I've asked already, why does there HAVE to be racing on? Does the world cease to revolve unless six races of utter crap are staged at Kempton?? If all the meetings are lost, they're lost. It is hardly of utmost importance that racing must be on in some way, shape or form - after all, enough people will bet on Steepledowns to keep you in a job Relkeel I'm sure.
 
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SL

the races of utter crap you describe are probably of a higher standard than most NH meetings..in real ability terms.

would you prefer it if we just had racing from about 10 premier tracks?..maybe just 4 days a week?

not reallys sure what you are looking for tbh...as I have said..your idea to remove low rated horses is flawed...as it just creates a new set of non winners.
 
To you, it probably would be - what about all the poor bastards that got three days notice they had to work it?

What is such a disaster about there only being Lingfield on today?

It's all sheer greed.
 
Yes EC1, my idea to remove low rated horses is so flawed that the BHA have adopted it.

It's about time something was done about the lowering standard of racing. They made a similar move in Ireland recently and I applaud it.
 
Anyway, some good news for you Shads...

Wednesday night's Kempton meeting has been switched to the afternoon - so at least you won't be out late.

On a depressing note, it is likely that Saturday's Lanzarote Hurdle card will be changed to all-weather dross because the forecast is for freezing temperatures.
 
They could at least give it a bloody chance! But no, they're probably desperate to stage more dross instead.

I know about the Wednesday fixture thank you, I did yesterday. Less of the snidey comments please.
 
The claims that I am not happy only since it means I have to work extra days are interesting as well, seeing as I'm working neither of these extra meetings. I'm just incensed by everything Kempton do and see no need whatsoever for them to hold so many fixtures.

The sooner the place goes to the wall the better.
 
Shadow Leader said:
they're probably desperate to stage more dross instead.
Click to expand...

Why would they be? Surely a decent jumps card there would attract about 20 times the crowd of an all-weather card.

Apparently, the turf is frozen now and temperatures are not going to get above zero all week - so a turf meeting has no chance.

PS I'll make snidey comments when I want to.
 
To you, it probably would be - what about all the poor bastards that got three days notice they had to work it?

i would rather save my sympathy for the thousands of people who are losing their jobs hand over fist at the moment.
 
I know there is one around the corner thank you. I'm not entirely stupid. I don't care what they build on top of it, so long as the place goes to the wall.

Now get back to monitoring the computer whilst it copies Betfair when producing your prices for Steepledowns, there's a good boy.
 
Most "punters", not necessarily racing enthusiasts would be furious were there no racing on a Saturday afternoon thus so would the big bookmakers.
 
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