Wednesday's Meetings Dundlak A/W 8 Races 1:20-5:10p.m. Hereford N/H 7 Races 1:30-4:40p.m. Wetherby N/H 7 Races 1:40-4:50p.m. Kempton(E) A/W 8 Races 5:00-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Hi all, Throwing this one in early. Elzaamsam in the 4pm @ Dundalk. Cheekpieces back on, and Ronan Whelan back on the saddle.
Went up to Ravenswell yesterday to see our horse, image attached below. One thing that really caught my attention was the rate of injuries within horse racing, the yard have so many horses that are either sidelined for the season or have recently returned to the yard after injury. It made me wonder if there was a tipping point in terms of the soundness and breeding of the thoroughbred that has gone too far to the young and precocious requirements of flat racing, rather than the soundness and longevity of the breed for racing over fences and hurdles. I read the Weatherby fact book 2022 the other day and find it startling that only 16% of broodmares in the UK are being used with the aim to produce NH stock, compared to the 32% in Ireland. The same can be said for sires too with only 22 sires in the UK standing primarily for NH stock, compared to 79 in Ireland. https://issuu.com/weatherbys/docs/fact_book_-_2023-02-02_-_fb_final_plan_-_digital Is it any wonder then, that UK jumps racing is in such a dire state, where the racing is even more diluted by having too many race meetings and too few horses in training? On the plus side, if we ever get our horse to the track, it might not take much for him to win some prizemoney. So always look on the bright side, eh?
Good luck with him Nass I was trying to make sensible comment on the breeding and number of meetings but gave up as it is a very complex subject when considering all the implications
(20:00) Kempton - Silky Wilkie has been running consistently-well, and could gain a deserved win in this 6f sprint on the Polytrack Apprentice Sam Feilden (7) rides for the Karl Burke yard. 7/2 (PP) best price at time of writing.