Too true: but who cares?

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yorick

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UK racing is in a bit of a mess because the economics are just not working. There's too much racing and the product is hugely diluted, usually for the benefit of bookmakers. It means your good races at the top end are not adequately rewarded and if you win a maiden hurdle at the lower end, you'll pick up less than three grand.
Owner Bryan Drew intends to have more horses in Ireland and France after becoming disillusioned with British racing
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All the world is saying this yet still the spiral downwards continues. The first race at Sedgefield is abandoned because there are only three runners.

To be fair, there many three horse races in the UK NH season, which is shameful. Mr Drew hits the nail on the head. Why doesn't British racing take a leaf out of Eire or Frances book to increase prize money? I sometimes wonder whether there is a conspiracy to fade out NH racing on account of its unpopularity with the general public, who cannot back a sport where horses die as a result of falls.
 
There have been plenty of big prizes with disgraceful fields this year. All Weather racing has probably the worst prize money overall but good field sizes for most of the week and considering how many all weather meetings there are that's quite surprising.

So if there is no relationship between low prize money and field sizes there then perhaps the problem lies elsewhere.
 
Thanks for the replies fellahs.

Firstly, Danny, it's difficult to talk about NH and AW flat racing in direct comparison. An interesting point, though.

Whatever other countries do to maintain a healthy racing industry is of no interest to us Brits, is the sort of drift that permeates British racing, I have a feeling.

I have a feeling, too, that the Pari-mutuel or a tote monopoly is deemed too 'communist' for our shores lol.
 
yorick said:
Firstly, Danny, it's difficult to talk about NH and AW flat racing in direct comparison.
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Is it a lot cheaper to keep all weather horses than NH horses ? If not owners surely face the same conditions with exception that they may be able to run their horse more often. Surely vets bills training fees and all that would be in direct comparison to the low end Nh racing of which you talk.

It's a bit like non league football v's prem in national hunt racing I mean look at the prize for this t.v jockey title, pumping money to those who already have it. It's like any business it's failings will always come down to bad management and what money the business has will float to the people at the top .

Also I'd draw comparison to Women's footballers not getting paid as much as men. It's because nobody is interested in it. Talking horses forum was full of "National Hunt racing fans" yet in the summer this forum was dead most years. There is still National Hunt racing all summer but all the so called fans of the game disappear. Not blaming them but in general if nobody is interested in summer jump racing or a wet Wednesday at Fontwell then why would you expect big prizes. Look at this forum as an example does the entire combined midweek action of the whole season see as many posts as just 4 days in March.

Racehorse ownership in general is a rich man's playground the prize money as far as I'm aware has only ever since the dawn of time covered the cost for a fortunate few who got lucky.

What the answer is to it all I'm unsure as its not something I've ever given much thought to.
 
Danny said:
Is it a lot cheaper to keep all weather horses than NH horses ? If not owners surely face the same conditions with exception that they may be able to run their horse more often. Surely vets bills training fees and all that would be in direct comparison to the low end Nh racing of which you talk.

It's a bit like non league football v's prem in national hunt racing I mean look at the prize for this t.v jockey title, pumping money to those who already have it. It's like any business it's failings will always come down to bad management and what money the business has will float to the people at the top .

Also I'd draw comparison to Women's footballers not getting paid as much as men. It's because nobody is interested in it. Talking horses forum was full of "National Hunt racing fans" yet in the summer this forum was dead most years. There is still National Hunt racing all summer but all the so called fans of the game disappear. Not blaming them but in general if nobody is interested in summer jump racing or a wet Wednesday at Fontwell then why would you expect big prizes. Look at this forum as an example does the entire combined midweek action of the whole season see as many posts as just 4 days in March.

Racehorse ownership in general is a rich man's playground the prize money as far as I'm aware has only ever since the dawn of time covered the cost for a fortunate few who got lucky.

What the answer is to it all I'm unsure as its not something I've ever given much thought to.
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Not quite so. It's the only football the BBC can afford (FS Cup excluded) so they ram it down our throats
 
As I

1 Am not an owner

and

2 Am a punter

I would loathe any form of pari-mutuel monopoly.

Lots of owners make a lot of noise about the lousy prize money levels, but there are still enough of them to keep enough horses in training to populate a frankly saturated racing programme.
 
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