It doesn't matter what it's designed for, it's altering the race conditions after entries have been made. Not unlike making the Gold Cup a 4 mile race at this point.
Are they going to apply the same regulations to Royal Ascot?
It doesn't matter what it's designed for, it's altering the race conditions after entries have been made. Not unlike making the Gold Cup a 4 mile race at this point.
Are they going to apply the same regulations to Royal Ascot?
The older I get the better I was.
I have every sympathy with archie's views and Grey's point is well made.
I think the Sporazene issue probably wouldn't happen very often and the simple way round that is to change the rule in advance to allow the weights to go up on the day but my recollection is that they're trying to get round the idea of the big yards exploiting their strength in numbers (which they should be allowed to do) by keeping eventual non-runners in a race until the last minute with punters not knowing what was and wasn't running.
The chances are the bookies are behind this as they want the markets to be clearer in order to bring in more punters.
Bu archie is entirely correct. It is wrong to move the goalposts at this stage.
Illegitimi non carborundum
The trainers knew this before the decs and we have a clearer view of what's running where.
I've never understood a trainer declaring horses in 2m chases 2.5m hurdles 2m hurdles dont they know what is best.
I love to do multiples and how can you when they have 3 or 4 different targets.this rule should help.
Outsider (6th February 2019)
They did try raising the weights for a while, but it clearly wasn't effective.
2 day declarations already apply to many major NH race, Sunday races and all AW races throughout the winter season, and it operates smoothly on a general basis.
As Simmo pointed out, it was a NH trainer that directly and deliberately abused the former system. 48 hr NH decs are a boon to the punter as much as the bookmaker and it'd be wrong (imo) to throw out the baby with the bathwater because of it.
Last edited by reet hard; 6th February 2019 at 4:27 PM.
Maximum Field size reduced from 24 to 20 is it not ?
Better then to let every horse have a chance of running is it not ?
The rule was in place for handicaps last year if I recall correctly.
Today is the forfeit stage for the Gold Cup, Ryanair, Champion Hurdle and Stayers Hurdle.
The older I get the better I was.
What day this week do we get the handicap entries I wonder?
The next 2-3 weeks of form study are the most enjoyable of the jumps calendar for me.
The entries are this week but the weights are published on the 27th.
The older I get the better I was.
Thanks Archie. Hopefully Solomon Grey entered in the Coral Cup this week then.
Fwiw I'm keeping a blog entry on my anti-post selections and bets for the greatist sporting show on earth - The Festival.
https://www.talkinghorses.co.uk/foru...heltenham-2019
Last edited by Marb; 17th February 2019 at 5:29 PM.
Handicap entries close tomorrow Feb 18, according to HRI website
So the handicap entries are published today aren't they ?
and the weights next Wednesday ?
Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."
Entries close today. Weights calculated as at the 24th and published on the 27th.
The older I get the better I was.
wilsonl (19th February 2019)
24th would explain why King was talking about needing to get one more run into Good Man Pat if he's to qualify for the novice handicap (or Ultima).
I was confused as to whether a novice needs to have run three times over fences before being entered but it would appear that they can enter them with less runs than that and then get the final run(s) into them between entries and the weights calculations.
In which case - if my theory is accurate - I'd expect a 5 day dec today.
Last edited by wilsonl; 19th February 2019 at 10:25 AM.
Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."
Your theory is accurate. Qualifying runs include the 24th.
I can't remember if they publish a list of entries without weights or just give the numbers entered in each race.
The older I get the better I was.
I have 3 sure fire winners......they are in a 4 horse accumulator with Apples Jade.............for the mares
Formely Fist of Fury
archie (19th February 2019)
are they watering the course yet ?
Precious little rain to fall between now and race days though spilling here in Kanturk this morning.