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They created and invested a fair amount of effort and money in the mares programme to improve the breed by having more race-hardened broodmares. With my breeder's hat on I can see that it takes just as much time, effort and money to breed a filly as a colt but the comparative rewards, both in the sales ring and racing, were previously just not equitable. No-one has suggested binning/downgrading the Oaks to get the best fillies in the Derby and I would be strongly against reducing the status of the races for mares or taking them out of the Festival. However, I can see a case for changing the distances if you're breeding for hardiness. Having the Mares Novice at 2m4f (and no 4yos) and the Mares Hurdle at 2m6f or even 3m would be a step in the right direction. Moving the Mares Hurdle to the New Course makes sense.

Novices handicaps don't really belong at an Olympics because even the handicapper is only guessing. In particular, the Fred Winter has taken away from the Triumph. Failed flat horses should find another venue. Physiologically speaking, I'm not convinced that 3yos should be sent over jumps at all but, again, from the breeding point of view, I can understand why breeders like an early return on their NH breds similar to their counterparts in France.

<blockquote data-quote="archie" data-source="post: 2696681" data-attributes="member: 64935">They created and invested a fair amount of effort and money in the mares programme to improve the breed by having more race-hardened broodmares. With my breeder&#039;s hat on I can see that it takes just as much time, effort and money to breed a filly as a colt but the comparative rewards, both in the sales ring and racing, were previously just not equitable. No-one has suggested binning/downgrading the Oaks to get the best fillies in the Derby and I would be strongly against reducing the status of the races for mares or taking them out of the Festival. However, I can see a case for changing the distances if you&#039;re breeding for hardiness. Having the Mares Novice at 2m4f (and no 4yos) and the Mares Hurdle at 2m6f or even 3m would be a step in the right direction. Moving the Mares Hurdle to the New Course makes sense.Novices handicaps don&#039;t really belong at an Olympics because even the handicapper is only guessing. In particular, the Fred Winter has taken away from the Triumph. Failed flat horses should find another venue. Physiologically speaking, I&#039;m not convinced that 3yos should be sent over jumps at all but, again, from the breeding point of view, I can understand why breeders like an early return on their NH breds similar to their counterparts in France.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="archie, post: 2696681, member: 64935"] They created and invested a fair amount of effort and money in the mares programme to improve the breed by having more race-hardened broodmares. With my breeder's hat on I can see that it takes just as much time, effort and money to breed a filly as a colt but the comparative rewards, both in the sales ring and racing, were previously just not equitable. No-one has suggested binning/downgrading the Oaks to get the best fillies in the Derby and I would be strongly against reducing the status of the races for mares or taking them out of the Festival. However, I can see a case for changing the distances if you're breeding for hardiness. Having the Mares Novice at 2m4f (and no 4yos) and the Mares Hurdle at 2m6f or even 3m would be a step in the right direction. Moving the Mares Hurdle to the New Course makes sense. Novices handicaps don't really belong at an Olympics because even the handicapper is only guessing. In particular, the Fred Winter has taken away from the Triumph. Failed flat horses should find another venue. Physiologically speaking, I'm not convinced that 3yos should be sent over jumps at all but, again, from the breeding point of view, I can understand why breeders like an early return on their NH breds similar to their counterparts in France. [/QUOTE]

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