SOFT GROUND + FLAT RACING = BOOKIESâ BENEFIT Why is it so difficult for the people that run British racing to understand this simple equation? If you want to have a showcase event that attracts new punters and persuades them to stay, why do you hold it in the middle of October? At least three industry figures of reasonable standing wrote articles this week (admittedly with advance knowledge that Ascot was going to be a quagmire) telling you why âChampionsâ Dayâ was going to be a disaster. Now the facts are available to back up their arguments. Of the five top class races, only the last â victory for Farhh (current official rating 124) over Cirrus Des Aigles (current official rating 123) â proved remotely worthy of the title. Champions Dayâ 2013 was a disaster â at least three or four proper Champion contenders stood in their boxes making it a complete joke. Championsâ Day 2014 is a write off because it is already scheduled â unless the weather avoids Berkshire and allows the fastest horses to compete on fast ground. So let us look at Championsâ Day 2015. Move it back to September so there is a reasonable chance that fast flat ground horses can run on fast (or good) ground. This is going to be difficult because you have to negotiate with our European neighbours. If you are solely intent on creating a British equivalent of Arc day on the first weekend of October on Paris, when it is almost always soft ground, you will kill Championsâ Day stone dead because unlike French punters in the PMU monopoly, British punters can vote with their feet (and money).
Well I sort agree qm but if champions day was on the best day in summer would we have 1/5 on the odds like backing man u or chelsea top class horses won today they all deserved the right to be there seal of approval olympic glory just two I managed to pick but champions day a winner can only win if everything is right put champions day on christmas day and you will get another winner one thing I dislike is a sure thing I look for opposable the odds are better the best horse will always win today the best horses didnt suit your taste and assaid I concur their is nothing better than seeing who is fastest todays fastest just happened to be on bad turf don't take my opinion the wrong way please I'm only looking at it different .
The Al Thani's now run British racing under several banners and nothing will be moved or even discussed without their say so. Factor in their delight at winning the QE11 mile and one can see that ain't gonna happen. The only practical solution would be to revert to the old calendar which was tbh far from broken and even snugly accommodated the Breeders Cup. Perhaps a new template/diktat will arrive with a plane load of horse smack from the bankrupt equine abusers of the middle east for the delectation of the BHA?...who knows...do they have any forelock left to communicate yay or nay...
As an aside,it is quite staggering how the racing press and C4 have ostriched around the issue and shamelessly slurped and gushed at the cheating dictators win today after a "difficult year". The complete lack of interest on the post started by Eddie on this site is equally worrying..it would appear we all accept or don't care that Sheikh Mo is a cheat and win at all costs individual who has systematically abused horses for years. Discuss....or obviously not..
I always said Champions Day should be on King George day - you've got your pecking order amongst the classic generation sorted out and it is the perfect stage for them to take on their elders - even those who have an "autumn campaign" planned. Dex - it's as pointless as discussing politics mate - everything is ruled by money and whichever colour you vote you gate the same version of chopped liver presented slightly differently. The "seething masses" have become apathetic because there is zero chance of their voices being heard. Everyone in Western Europe has had it too good for the last 25 years, they have forgotten how to fight. Some small signs of the Spanish trying to do something about their terrible plight but they are ultimately tied into the very system which has impoverished them.
Of the three Gp1s, only the Fillies & Mares threw up a shock result, which given the unpredictability of the distaff side, was perhaps predictable in itself. As for the absences of the proper contenders still in their boxes, that'll happen whatever the date or venue of these end of season races. The Arc is the major end of season target for the best middle distance horses, and as the rest of the Arc card continues to improve in quality and prize money, Champions Day will continue to be in it's shadow when or wherever it's staged. Flat racing's always been a rich man's sport by the way. It's not called the "Sport of Kings" as some sort of euphemism relating to the nobility of it's participants. You actually need a King's ransom to get seriously involved.
Oddy, I have always earmarked King George day as the possible solution. The only problem is that we woukd have to make a sensible decision between a 1m4f King George and a 1m2f Champion Stakes. The KG has been such a diluted crock of ****e aside from Danedream/Nathaniel/SNA one year that they really ought to look at the whole day around it to promote it. TBH, we could do with pissing the Eclipse off too- thats a really random 10f race plonked in the middle of the season for no apparant reason. We need a summer focal point event that establishes the peckig order of our 3 year olds against their elders.
I knew this would throw the cat amongst the pigeons... I cannot see King George day as a viable solution as it is too close to the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood to have a mile championship race and too soon after the Eclipse Stakes for a middle distance championship. Also I think July is a bit early in the season for some of the late developing three year olds. The Eclipse is at the beginning of July because it needs to fit in with the other ten furlong races in the calendar here, in Ireland and in France. This year we could pretty much argue that the Sussex Stakes was the mile championship as Dawn Approach, Toronado and Declaration Of War all showed up. If Intello had crossed the Channel we would have had all the top mile boys present. The QEII used to be run in September on what looked like quite a good weekend at Ascot. They could have just left it where it was and upgraded the races but they made the fatal mistake of moving it. Olympic Glory’s victory was not a shock because he is a known mudlark (Group 1 winner on the 2012 Arc card); however, had the ground been “good” (more likely in September) he would not have been in the field but Toronado, Declaration Of War and possibly Sky Lantern would have been. I have been to the Arc for the last ten years and I scarcely ever have a bet because of the soft ground and the poor returns offered by the PMU monopoly on fancied French horses. I did not have a bet on Champions’ Day although like several forum members I tipped Farhh in the big race. Whilst only three races had Group 1 designation, they all had Group 1 prize money and they should be looking to attract the best in Europe not just those with feet like dinner plates.
Its a half-baked idea to prolong the dull flat season even longer in my opinion and why shouldn't it be run on soft ground, all season long courses are watered to suit the requirements of the masses so why shouldn't the mudlarks have their day!
I quite enjoyed Champions Day, the winners of the big two races were easily backed and the Champions Stakes was a great race to watch. Cant ask for more than that imo. We dont want Champions Day to be so good that the rest of the season is rendered irrelevant and horses campaigns become all about just one meeting. Where the best horses would just be having runs to get them ready for that one meeting months later. Where owners and trainers only care about that one day. That would be absolutely horrendous.
Okay, so we flat fans will accept that you obvious jumps fans ( e.g. stick) hate the flat but we will still miss this argument. Watering is mostly done in socialist France to make sure that very few horses win consistently to destroy the socialist ideal. I think that you missed the idea: Champions Day (sponsored by the buy anything that they can Qatari mob) is supposed to be the season on one day. They have bought the Football World Cup with a bit of help from the totally corrupt head of FIFA so why not horseracing. Champions’ Day is a joke in October.
Sensing you just dont like the new Arabs? I think its good, a new challenger to Coolmore and Godolphin, plus Fahad and Joaan will be taking each other on as well, much better than Godolphin/Coolmore running 5 horses and happy whatever wins. Both of them love their racing and I think we should be grateful its English racing they rate the best. Joann is looking to buy instant success and Fahad is more looking to build something for the long term. Fair play to Joaan, keeping the likes of Treve and Olympic Glory in training as 4yos. Sad that you have to praise someone for racing a champion after 3 but thats the way it is.
There are plenty of Arab owners in horseracing and I have nothing per se against most of them as they have brought top quality horses to race here even though they could probably have made more money if they had set up on the other side of The Pond. Plus the various breeding operations at places like Juddmonte Farms produce horses that are sold to other owners and illustrate their long term commitment to British racing. What I specifically do not like about our new Qatari patrons is that they have just shown up and thrown loads of money around. I suppose it would be a bit hypocritical to complain about them seeing a good horse in Treve and simply splashing the cash when we have seen the same behaviour on lots of occasions by Sheikh Mohammed (e.g. Dawn Approach).
