Racing For Change

If we are going to worry about the draw bias (such as itis) at ascot then I would suggest that the !9 and arc are off the agenda too

First division football didn't nEed the premier league and cricket didn't need 20 20 but they have worked beyond expectations (his might just do so too. Flat racings public profile is dying slowly and within reasoin that should be addressed its the rhas responsibilty to do so.

Whatever changes they make will upset someone (the french will always moan anyway) but iwider picture is what matters

Hamm. Do u suggest a moonlit vigil? a bunch of anoraks picketing ?
 
clivex said:
If we are going to worry about the draw bias (such as itis) at ascot then I would suggest that the !9 and arc are off the agenda too
Click to expand...

There is barely a draw bias on Arc day (Abbaye aside).

There is a huge draw bias at Ascot.

Big difference.
 
clivex said:
Hamm. Do u suggest a moonlit vigil? a bunch of anoraks picketing ?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of some sort of protest, even by something as timid as a petition or using facebook or something like that.

I mean, what do they hope to achieve from this? Newmarket is already packed to the rafters every Champions Day so crowds isn't it. They are the same races so why would the wider media cover them any differently? That can't be it. Improving the pattern certainly isn't it as they're making a mess of that.

What is it but an example of a Consultancy recommending change for change sake. It really is the most idiotic thing I've ever seen across any sport I have even a vague interest in.
 
On a point of information, the French authorities did indeed consult the European Pattern Committee, and got its approval, for the changes they introduced. (One of the conditions was that prize money for the Grand Prix de Paris be capped at a level that would not allow it to supplant the Irish Derby).

It's not clear to me what are the facts about the current situation. On the one hand a BHA spokesperson affects to be "outraged" by the French reaction and we are told the BHA is "leaning towards ignoring" the objections of the French authorities.

On the other hand the RP article detailing the plan in its latest form (Andrew Scutts, 23 Sep) speaks of the plan going ahead "despite the previous reservations of French racing's ruling body France-Galop". Is this loose drafting or have the French dropped their objections?
 
The traditionalists can breath a sigh of relief as the National Hunt season is just around the corner. I for one cant wait for the William Hill Gold Cup at Exeter, the Paddy Power Chase at Cheltenham, the Boylesports.com International hurdle at Cheltenham, the Ladbrokes hurdle at Leopardstown oh no I mean Ascot (Is it January of December) and not to mention my favorite race of the 3, I mean 4 day festival... The Byrne Group Plate.
 
Last edited:
Nice product placement there, Gearoid!

I wouldn't bank on any of the venues. If Racing for Change has its way, watch out for Cheltenham to be twinned with Nakayama and stage the Gold Cup in Japan - "appealing more and more to the globalisation of our great sport, yadda-yadda"...
 
I see that Edward Gillispie has anounced a 5 year sponsership deal with Stan James covering the Champion Hurdle and three of its trials. This will mean what was fondly know as the Boylesports.com International Hurdle will now race under the Stan James banner. Traditionalists will be seething.
 
I mean, what do they hope to achieve from this? Newmarket is already packed to the rafters every Champions Day so crowds isn't it. They are the same races so why would the wider media cover them any differently? That can't be it. Improving the pattern certainly isn't it as they're making a mess of that.
Click to expand...

It isnt

Ive been to the meeting twice in recent years (and both times weather was lovely too) and whilst busy, it certainly wasnt "packed". For the quality of races on show it definately falls under the radar in terms of wider coverage. As ive said vefore, Flat racing desperately needs a higher profile after Royal ascot

Its not quite the same races, but the media will cover them with greater emphasis if they are run at Ascot and the PR is strongly handled.

What could come out of this is a day when British racing has a an occasion to match the Arc and the BC. May take time to reach that status but if we end up with 40000 in Ascot year after year then it will be an event thats hard to ignore.

Gearoid is probably right about the reverting to dirt being a disincentive for trainers to chase down the BC in the future. The revamped champions stakes could well ( i say hopefully) become the ultimate target for 10f horses. Thats hsould be the aim and i hope it works
 
Mr Lee caricatures the responses of the antis as being all like the idiots who comment on the RP site . Not worth reading.
 
Gearoid said:
I see that Edward Gillispie has anounced a 5 year sponsership deal with Stan James covering the Champion Hurdle and three of its trials. This will mean what was fondly know as the Boylesports.com International Hurdle will now race under the Stan James banner. Traditionalists will be seething.
Click to expand...

:D
 
I know we've got the Arse Cup going reall well. Perhaps we ought to start up Toady of the Month awards for journos seen to be sliming their way into sycophantic agreement with all things establishment in racing, instead of taking the public view into account. If it's the public which keeps racing going - and it's the public which Racing for Change thinks counts - then surely public concern about this endless dickering around with the product should be taken into serious, not patronising or insulting, account?
 
I wouldnt put Alan lee up for that. For example at the same time as this issue, hes slaed the RHA for not drastically cutting the fixtures. He is certainly not slavishly pro establishment

As for "the public" i think you might find that the average racegoer is not going to be that perturbed by minor changes to the pattern but would at the same time almost certainly prefer a big day at Ascot rather than newmarket.
 
Define Average Racegoer? If you mean a person who has a genuine interest in racing, then I'd say you're wrong. If you mean pisshead who wants a day out, then yes.
 
Drastically cutting fixtures was a kneejerk reaction. All that would've happened was that courses would've added more races per meeting to keep up their picture rights payments. Would you love a 10-12 race card of Class 5 and 6's? I am sure that that was the way it would've gone.

Improving prize money, which has now sunk to a 10-year low - did Lee speak up in support of owners regarding that? Very few journos have had the guts, if any, to speak out for improving the lot of owners (and thus trainers by default). Oh, yes, they've interviewed Stoute, Johnston et al who are vociferous in their anger at the bottoming of prize monies, but I can't think of a journo who's stoutly come out of his own volition to berate the Levy, the courses, and the BHA in general for letting things get so pathetic. (Waits to be corrected! Which is fine, but I doubt I'll hear much.)
 
Steve Mellish just went on a huge rant on RUK about the whole new Champions Day thing hitting all the points on the head which everyone has been making regarding the QE2/Champion clash, Dewhurst/Middle Park clash and the Ascot ground.

Edit: Make it a huge rant about RFC in general!
 
Last edited:
He didn't take much egging on to be fair, he really went for them. Particularly loved his amused enthusiasm about the champions series and the stayers division with the St Leger being included!

She had her say last night on the Kempton card.
 
Don't know what the big fuss is regarding the ground and the British Champions Day.

We had soft ground at Longchamp last Sunday, yet it didn't stop top class horses turning up and providing a fantastic day's racing?

And - on the one hand we have people claiming that the Champions Stakes round a bend will be ridiculous as there will be a huge draw bias and some horses might as well not bother turning up - yet the race will apparently 'clash' with the QE2 and nothing will run... Mmmm - both can't be correct.

Let's face it - the current 'Champions Day' at Newmarket is a mediocre day's racing at a totally soulless racecourse with a limited capacity and poor infrastructure. If Ascot are going to inject some serious cash into the British Champions Day concept, it is hard to see how it won't be an improvement on what we have got now (even if it doesn't compete with Arc day and the Breeders Cup)
 
I actually think the problem with the Champions Day model is in the name itself. The British flat season (European for that matter*) is not compatible, nor should it aspire to be, with the creation of a "championship" style event in the manner of the Breeders' Cup or the Cheltenham Festival. The idea of seeing races such as the Juddmonte/Sussex (which would surely be the logical conclusion if we were to attempt to go down the American route) as mere "preps" for the Champion/QEII is ludicrous in the extreme. If it were to catch on it would presumably discourage from horses stepping up or down in trip, which can only be a negative in my book.

*The Arc aside, does anybody actually consider any of the other Group 1's, quality races though they certainly are, as "championship" races? Not a chance for me.
 
Back
Top