There were two meetings planned today at Catterick and Exeter, but Exeter was lost after a further rainstorm overnight left part of the course water-logged and a planned 8am inspection was cancelled as the Clerk of the Course thought it would be a wasted exercise. This is a big problem for jump racing as losing opportunities to race - and earn prize money - are reduced when meetings are abandoned due to wet weather. With the "rumours" this week that FOBT's are expected to be limited to a minimum stake of £2 in the Government review, and that the estimated "hit" on racing from such a limit could be in-excess of a £50 million-a-year reduction in the tariff - which would come straight off prize-money - it seems to me that the BHA and horseracing in general needs to start thinking about bringing the sport into this century.
I've thought for a long-time now (I will do a search of my blog as I'm sure I've written about this before since March 2010) that racing will develop into a two-tier sport in the UK, with maybe 12-18 Grade 1 courses, and the remainder "Grade 2" with those in the lower grade being able to stage meetings outside the organised racing calendar but having little or no support from the BHA in terms of prize money or sponsorship. The focus for the BHA will be on the 12-18 Grade 1 courses, and that's where all their prize-money will go.
The advised selections on Saturday managed to "break-even" with no loss suffered on the advice. Personally, I thought GUITAR PETE ran poorly and he didn't look like he was going to trouble the eventual winner before he made an error about half-way in the race and lost his rider. My other selection CAPTAIN REDBEARD ran a cracker. After I posted my blog, the horse took a walk in the markets and there was some 16/1 and 18/1 available before money started to come-in for him and he eventually started with an SP of 12/1 which was the odds at which I'd advised him at. Given he was a course winner, a winner on heavy ground, and he was proven at the trip, plus he likes to race prominently, I'm surprised he wasn't at odds under 10/1 as most of the field for his race didn't have as many ticks as he did. For a brief period as they entered the straight I thought he had a chance of winning, but the eventual winner THE DUTCHMAN was not stopping. There had been a bit of a gamble on the winner who I hadn't considered at all as he hadn't looked a 3-mile chaser with his previous trainer Sandy Thomson and since moving to Colin Tizzard he'd only raced over hurdles. However, his hurdling form was improved over what he'd shown so he was possibly a better horse going into the race than the one that came 2nd at odds-on at Musselburgh over 2m4f in March when he last ran in a chase race.
Back to Catterick, and there is some interesting racing there but the quality and competitiveness of the racing is too low to consider advising a wager. But, if you are interested, I'm having small wagers on PINCH OF GINGER in the 1:55pm as Don McCain has his stable going well and although this is a longer trip than that over which he raced LTO, he is a horse in form. Then at 2:30pm I will have an interest in JIMMY BREEKIE who comes over from Ireland. It may only be for place money as the fav for the race looks strong, but you can never tell in these heavy ground conditions.
This Saturday, it is very likely that I will be at Cheltenham for the "trials" day. So, it is also likely that I will not be posting a blog on Saturday morning. If I am able to post some brief notes on Friday afternoon then I will do.
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