Too Much Racing

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The Handicap Ratings and Speed Ratings combined top three strike rate for Wednesday was 71%, following Tuesday's 71%, Monday's 70% and Sunday's 81% (an ongoing weekly average of just over 73%). If a horse isn't in the top three rated of the handicaps or the speed ratings, then it is highly likely it won't win. You can see an explanation of the Handicap Ratings HERE and an explanation of the Speed Ratings HERE. The Speed Ratings are an addition to the handicaps at no extra cost and you can subscribe HERE. There has never been a better time to join us.

The twelve (4) and (5) UK graded races didn't do quite as well, Wednesday. Four were won by the clear top rated horse, and four won by the 2nd top rated - three of them joint. The other four races were unsuccessful.

I think neither Kieran Fallon nor Lester Piggott could have won on Hel's Angel, Wednesday. But she was given a very curious ride. There are many reasons why the vast majority of jockeys never get beyond first base....

Wednesday should be held up as a prime example of the things wrong with horse racing in recent times. The effect of extending the race classes with the resultant "pandering to losers" increase in the the fixture list can be seen all over, Thursday - especially at Yarmouth. That card is positively overloaded with bad, bad racehorses running for moderate to poor trainers. Horse racing is the only sport I know that headlines daily with mediocrity. Until the breeders are taken to task, the result will be that horses like the many on Thursday face a life of hard work followed by the slaughter house. That may seem harsh. But it is reality. You look at last years horses that ran consistently in Class 6 and Class 7 races (Class 7 now defunct). See how many horses you can find that are running this season.....

According to at least one article, so many horses are being bred and the market for them so slim, many are being slaughtered as foals . Some have said the claims are hype not backed up by racing's own figures of slaughtered horses. But just read THIS ARTICLE and decide for yourselves. Personally, I would ensure that horse racing breeders are faced with an exhorbitant registration fee to help reduce the amount of horses being bred. It will never take away the slaughter but it will surely reduce it.

Opinionated rant over.

There are still some good trainers and horses running, Thursday (and yes, some are at Yarmouth). Sandown's card is a good one with a few Royal Ascot bound horses in competition. Patkai (7-10) should enhance his Gold Cup pretensions. And Pipedreamer should prove too pacy for Conduit over this trip in the Brigadier Gerard at 7-45.

I like the look of Racketeer in the Listed 8-20 race. He was impressive when beating Thief of Time at Sandown almost as easily as Desert Creek beat that horse at Haydock last weekend. He is far better than handicap class which is probably the reason he is upped to listed class rather than continuing on the handicap trail. The only way he would travel for a handicap like the Britannia at Royal Ascot, for example, is if he was beaten here. I don't envisage that happening.

Have a good day.