This bloated Saturday

There is no need to be personally offensive. I am more than aware that by good marketing Uttoxeter and Market Rasen in particular attract large summer crowds . This is completely irrelevant to the issue which is that generally the quality of the racing is poor and the attrition rate alarming .

Perhaps instead of throwing insults you might like to address those issues .
 
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Sorry if I offended you old boy but you were the one who felt the need to make a snide remark about Summer jumping in a totally unrelated thread.Ffos Las, Worcester, MR, Uttoxeter, Newton Abbot, Perth,Kelso all have very enthusiastic and very often new racing fans and God only knows we need to encourage this. Its hard enough being an owner as it is and we need this extra revenue in NH. The flat gets plenty of prize money. And speaking of danger, I may be tempting fate,hopefully not, but I have lost just as many horses in the Winter as the Summer
 
100000 plus at the four courses yesterday including 16000 at ascot. Pretty well nails the viability argument

However from the sit at home punters point of view, one of the fixtures held today would have made sense
 
Ascots fixture was described as "pointless"

16000 people there would suggest otherwise. Dont you think?

And shouldnt London have a Sat fixture on a hot July afternoon before the school break? Not bad card either. I think that could be seen as a very good idea
 
I've no problem at all with Ascot racing on this particular Saturday. My problem is with Newmarket. I'm clearly not alone, judging by the coverage in the Post over the past few days.
 
The crowd at Newmarket on Saturday was 12011. Over the three days, the total attendance was 36185. Last year the total was 34071. As I conceded last year, the weather was inclement. This year the weather was fantastic and flagged up well in advance. If we average out the two totals, which seems fair, it comes to just over 35000. The total for the last Tuesday-Thursday meeting, in 2005, was 34089. So, overall, the move has achieved an increase in attendance of about three per cent.

Newmarket say it's more profitable for them now. In addition to the smallish increase in numbers, I suspect that hospitality packages do better under the new format. But at what cost? Rightly or wrongly, racing's finances are dependent on betting turnover. James Knight of Coral tweeted today; "I'm just looking at Coral turnover on the big races on Saturday. Without quoting numbers, no doubt major dilution." The Levy Board chief exec says in today's Post that they'd prefer a more "efficient" solution: "three or four of the races got lost whereas they would have stood out on another day."

We know that terrestrial TV coverage results in increased betting turnover and Newmarket's move from Tuesday-Thursday lost a day of such coverage. It's clear also that the vast majority of those professionally involved resent the move from midweek. It's suggested that there's increased overseas betting turnover on a Saturday July Cup but no figures have ever been provided.

My position is straightforward: I loved the July Meeting in its old format. I used to go down every year and stay in local hotels for the three days. I regarded it as a real jewel in racing's crown. I've attended one day at the meeting since 2005 and that was the 2011 Saturday. It was OK but not at all special. Move it back to Tuesday-Thursday and I'd be back like a shot. But I don't feel my views count for anything any more. As a racing fan, rather than a boozing fan, I feel like I've been disenfranchised.

As Clive points out, Newmarket are entitled to do what they like. But shouldn't they have some regard for all the noses they've put out of joint?
 
Good post, Gus.

I was keeping an eye on Betfair turnover on Saturday during the C4 part of the day and it's definitely true that some of the races got crowded out. (There was even a race at Downpatrick where the in running turnover was double what had been bet on the race before the off.) James Knight has a point.

By the way, why is there no great liking for racing on Sundays in the UK? Could one of those decent meetings run on Saturday have done better business yesterday?
 
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Are they entitled to do what they like though ? I assume they must have received BHA approval which is why the dreadful BHA press spokesman was saying - problem what problem the other day .

Channel 4 are also apparently unimpressed by the logjam as well as just about everyone else except Amy Starkey, Michael Prosser and Clivex.

If they want a sweetener for Newmarket how about putting the Craven meeting back on terrestrial TV for them and bunging them a few quid - just look at the animals that ran there this year and what they have done since - Intello, Sky Lantern , Toronado, Havana Gold etc -
 
Ardross said:
Are they entitled to do what they like though ? I assume they must have received BHA approval which is why the dreadful BHA press spokesman was saying - problem what problem the other day .
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It's been my understanding since an OFT ruling a few years back that there's no real central control of the fixture list now and courses are effectively free to do as they want.

Although I've mainly had a go at Newmarket on this thread, I should make it clear I'm as angry with York and their flight to the weekend which has culminated in a Saturday Ebor and a diluted Ebor Meeting which I no longer attend in its entirety, preferring to cherrypick my days. I've been for one out of four days for each of the last three years.

As a result of buying (plenty of) tickets from both Newmarket and York in the past I'm on the mailing list of both courses. At no time - never - have my views been sought on what was being proposed but then I'm just a loyal paying customer. Why would they want to hear from me and thousands like me?
 
Ardross . Perhaps you should try reading my posts on this rather than make snidey remarks. Give it a go for once

Gus. That's a sound post and I would add that they are less likely to make money from hospitality on a Saturday than on a Friday too. They should move it back
 
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