Ask PN - January 2012
- Thread starter Ron
- Start date
-
Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
-
PN what do you know about the following (stolen from the Guardian)
Speculation that Lingfield will become the first racecourse in Europe to install the Tapeta racing surface used at Meydan in Dubai have increased with reports that the Arena Leisure director Ian Renton has headed out to Tasmania to see the track fitted last year at Spreyton racecourse – since renamed Tapeta Park. The surface has been developed by the former trainer Michael Dickinson, who is trying to persuade Lingfield to switch from Polytrack when the all-weather track is renewed at the end of the summer.
Speculation that Lingfield will become the first racecourse in Europe to install the Tapeta racing surface used at Meydan in Dubai have increased with reports that the Arena Leisure director Ian Renton has headed out to Tasmania to see the track fitted last year at Spreyton racecourse – since renamed Tapeta Park. The surface has been developed by the former trainer Michael Dickinson, who is trying to persuade Lingfield to switch from Polytrack when the all-weather track is renewed at the end of the summer.
How long before the Derby is run in Qatar on Tapeta? Sponsored by Sheik Yamoney
I haven't heard anything as far as the choice of surface goes, though I do know that they intend to replace Lingfield's surface later this year/early next year.
Michael Dickinson certainly does push his products hard and I'm sure that he will have made many visits to Lingfield to talk to the team there.
Michael Dickinson certainly does push his products hard and I'm sure that he will have made many visits to Lingfield to talk to the team there.
PN - I read that horrific story about the horse in Cornwall, is there any suggestion that a threat exists for the racing industry and if so are they doing anything to protect them ?
I have no idea whether the horse was taken from a field or whether it was wild, but it's the first time I've ever heard of something like this - I heard a local person has offerd a reward for the culprits arrest.
I have no idea whether the horse was taken from a field or whether it was wild, but it's the first time I've ever heard of something like this - I heard a local person has offerd a reward for the culprits arrest.
I read about that, sadly it was someone's pet.
Whilst there is always a threat to horses - just a few years ago someone tried to blackmail Stoute/Ballymacoll by threatening to kill CONDUIT - the racing yards and studs, certainly in the major racing areas, have very tight security.
I'd say 99% of yards have someone living "on-site" to carry out checks on all horses at about 10pm, and certainly in Newmarket there are several security firms staffed by ex-stable lads that carry out checks on yards during the night.
It is nigh on impossible to just walk into a yard/stud these days so I'd say the likelyhood of attacks on the horses is slim.
Whilst there is always a threat to horses - just a few years ago someone tried to blackmail Stoute/Ballymacoll by threatening to kill CONDUIT - the racing yards and studs, certainly in the major racing areas, have very tight security.
I'd say 99% of yards have someone living "on-site" to carry out checks on all horses at about 10pm, and certainly in Newmarket there are several security firms staffed by ex-stable lads that carry out checks on yards during the night.
It is nigh on impossible to just walk into a yard/stud these days so I'd say the likelyhood of attacks on the horses is slim.
I thought I ought to use this thread as the home of my "Bloodstock News" - saves putting up a new thread every time!
Anyway, today's news:
Dar Re Mi and Ouija Board will both be covered by Dubawi. Dar Re Mi is due to foal her first by Oasis Dream whereas Ouija Board was barren to Dubawi last year.
Zarkava is due to Galileo but her mating plans for this year have not been decided.
Anyway, today's news:
Dar Re Mi and Ouija Board will both be covered by Dubawi. Dar Re Mi is due to foal her first by Oasis Dream whereas Ouija Board was barren to Dubawi last year.
Zarkava is due to Galileo but her mating plans for this year have not been decided.
PN - can I ask an extremely stupid breeding related question ?
Every horse is born between Feb and May which means the mare is covered the previous Spring, is this purely so that (in racing terms) a 2 year old for example is able to race as a 2yo whereas had he/she been born later in the year they would be too immature to race in their age group ?
Are there any exceptions where horses were born in September for example and trainers simply bypassed their 2yo career and joined racing as a 3yo ?
I note in NH terms as well that all horses are born in the Spring when I would assume maturity is less of an issue at 4 or 5 in bumpers or novice events.
Thanks
Every horse is born between Feb and May which means the mare is covered the previous Spring, is this purely so that (in racing terms) a 2 year old for example is able to race as a 2yo whereas had he/she been born later in the year they would be too immature to race in their age group ?
Are there any exceptions where horses were born in September for example and trainers simply bypassed their 2yo career and joined racing as a 3yo ?
I note in NH terms as well that all horses are born in the Spring when I would assume maturity is less of an issue at 4 or 5 in bumpers or novice events.
Thanks
Not a stupid question at all!
You are right, most Thoroughbreds, certainly those aimed at a career on the Flat, are born in the early part of the year, with the majority in March/April. They can be born as early as January and as late as August/September but these late foals are in the minority.
If left to their own, natural, devices foals would not start appearing until the Spring grass was available and the mares would foal right through the summer.
The main reason is to do with maturity on the racetrack. As a 2yo you want as early a foaling date as possible so that your horse has a maturity advantage over his younger rivals. By the time they get to 3/4/5 most horses have finished growing so there is less of an advantage to be had.
To give you an idea of the foaling stats from 2011 (Britain and Ireland):
January - 206 foals born
February - 888 foals born
March - 1,263 foals born
April - 1,321 foals born
May - 689 foals born
June - 142 foals born
July - 24 foals born
August - 1 foal born
You are right, most Thoroughbreds, certainly those aimed at a career on the Flat, are born in the early part of the year, with the majority in March/April. They can be born as early as January and as late as August/September but these late foals are in the minority.
If left to their own, natural, devices foals would not start appearing until the Spring grass was available and the mares would foal right through the summer.
The main reason is to do with maturity on the racetrack. As a 2yo you want as early a foaling date as possible so that your horse has a maturity advantage over his younger rivals. By the time they get to 3/4/5 most horses have finished growing so there is less of an advantage to be had.
To give you an idea of the foaling stats from 2011 (Britain and Ireland):
January - 206 foals born
February - 888 foals born
March - 1,263 foals born
April - 1,321 foals born
May - 689 foals born
June - 142 foals born
July - 24 foals born
August - 1 foal born
Thanks for that PN.
Is it common.has there ever been cases of foals being born premature ?
Alongthe lines of a mare who is due to foal in Feb but actually gives birth in December - that would surely blow all racing plans away, unless they are then sold for an Australiasian career where (I assume) most thoroughbreds are foaled in Oct/Nov/Dec ?
Is it common.has there ever been cases of foals being born premature ?
Alongthe lines of a mare who is due to foal in Feb but actually gives birth in December - that would surely blow all racing plans away, unless they are then sold for an Australiasian career where (I assume) most thoroughbreds are foaled in Oct/Nov/Dec ?
Grizzly yes there have been several cases.
In 2006 the sale topper from the Tattersalls December Mare Sale, MAGICAL ROMANCE, gave birth on 27th December 2006 just weeks after selling for 4.6million. Her Pivotal foal was sent to Australia to race I believe.
Also Juddmonte fell foul of the BHA when it transpired that one of their horses had actually been born before 1st January. ENDLESS SUMMER was actually born on 26th December but the managers at the stud took the decision to hide him away and register his birth as early January. They got away with it (the horse won the Richmond and placed in the Middle Park and Prix Morny) until a few years later when a disgruntled ex-employee spilled the beans during an employment tribunal.
The horse was disqualified from all of his 2yo starts and the management (who insisted they acted without the knoweldge of Prince Khalid) were given token bans of 6 months as it was felt there was no intention to defraud.
I am sure it is a lot more common than that, but on a private stud who is to say how many foals arrive the wrong side of 1st January. The breeding season is built to factor this in - technically the mares are not supposed to be covered until 15th February which gives you some leeway into having a foal arrive a few weeks early, but I know of plenty of studs that start covering before that date!
In 2006 the sale topper from the Tattersalls December Mare Sale, MAGICAL ROMANCE, gave birth on 27th December 2006 just weeks after selling for 4.6million. Her Pivotal foal was sent to Australia to race I believe.
Also Juddmonte fell foul of the BHA when it transpired that one of their horses had actually been born before 1st January. ENDLESS SUMMER was actually born on 26th December but the managers at the stud took the decision to hide him away and register his birth as early January. They got away with it (the horse won the Richmond and placed in the Middle Park and Prix Morny) until a few years later when a disgruntled ex-employee spilled the beans during an employment tribunal.
The horse was disqualified from all of his 2yo starts and the management (who insisted they acted without the knoweldge of Prince Khalid) were given token bans of 6 months as it was felt there was no intention to defraud.
I am sure it is a lot more common than that, but on a private stud who is to say how many foals arrive the wrong side of 1st January. The breeding season is built to factor this in - technically the mares are not supposed to be covered until 15th February which gives you some leeway into having a foal arrive a few weeks early, but I know of plenty of studs that start covering before that date!
The Magical Romance story reminds me of the Aberdeen Angus bull that was sold in 1963 (bit before my time I hasten to add) which was sold at the bovine equivalent of Tattersalls for a world record price of 60,000 guineas. He was exported to the USA and subsequently turned out to be infertile.
PN,
Oddy and myself are worried, what is a fascinator and why are Royal Ascot thinking about banning them?
Oddy and myself are worried, what is a fascinator and why are Royal Ascot thinking about banning them?