Unavoidably part of our lives. Unavoidable. A promotional tool on occasions. A medium for abuse and vitriol when a favourite gets beaten. Ducks and water and backs…
There are some racing “pundits” on Instagram and X and elsewhere who come across as just plain angry. Tell them that the grass is green and they will find a counter argument. Each to their own I guess. Chacun…
A subject that is taxing a few wise minds at the moment is the subject of Barrier trials. Fabulously organised by Craig Witheford and his team, these are superbly educational for young horses. Who are put through the stalls and then galloped at racecourses. We took four to Lingfield recently…
Load into the gates. Jump out. Pull up after a furlong or so. Load again, and gallop / canter / breeze over 6 furlongs. These are not races. They are not even pretend races. Filled with horses of varying precocity both mentally and physically. Some will be further “forward” than others and will be asked more of a question than the less precocious up the home straight….
Trainer and jockey instructions will vary massively. Not D-Day for these young horses, just part of the process and a step up that learning curve…
There is a groundswell of opinion mounting from some of the keyboard warriors. I don’t mean to use that term in a derogatory way, but there are plenty of “pundits” whose screen time must be eye watering. Opinions on everything, all day and all night. It must be exhausting to be on permanent scroll mode…
Several calling for the “results” of the Barrier Trials to be published, and I can see their point. Personally, I feel that this will only muddy waters as opposed to providing transparency. To emphasise, these are not races in any form. They are educational gallops for young horses learning their trade. Some will gallop through the line, others will be tenderly handled…
And you can bet your last bottom dollar that several of the “tenderly handled” will be a lot classier than those pushed out with more vigour…
I have been at several Barrier Trials. And in my opinion, any attempt to decipher and publish the results would lead to confusion and flawed opinions being formed…
Somebody suggested that connections are interviewed before the Trials to garner their gallop plans. That is absolutely fine by me. I am all for transparency…
But the point I’m trying to make (rather badly…) is that winning a trial by 5 lengths or finishing in the ruck is not in any way the full picture. Educational gallops, such as the ones we are about to have at Epsom this morning, are no more than part of the process. And to read too much into the “results” of Barrier Trials could easily be very counterproductive for punters…
What is wrong, and being insinuated in some places, is that a huge amount of relevant information is being withheld to the detriment of punters….
By all means, publish the results – but don’t expect them to be the road to untold riches…
On another note, I have never spent so much time looking at updated notices on the BHA admin site. Fixtures and races being thrown hither and thither. Plans are hard to make. Hoping very much that this early season “hiatus” settles down…
No runners today. Or for a few days. Goffs Breeze Up Sales today. Searching for the diamond in the rough…
