Small fields

[Doug Jee]

With all that’s going on presently and with racing being hit financially and spectator wise. It’s rather disappointing that either the trainers or owners, do not support some of the top race entries. Looking at the fields for this weekends big races (Thursday), Betfair chase, Coral Hurdle and the  Chanelle Pharma chase, they have runners declared respectively at 5, 5 and 6. I realise that the prize money may have dropped and at this time of year there’s decent races nearly every weekend, but it is rather poor for the racing punter looking forward to a good Saturdays tv racing.

In Ireland they certainly have less racing, hence their good jockeys coming over here regularly to stay.  But they at least have decent fields and quality to boot, sometimes never knowing which one of Elliots, Mullins or Bromheads is going to win. I do feel also that is why they are winning more races at Cheltenham (16 between them in 2020), and will continue to do so.

Maybe they’re more passionate than ourselves at this great game!
 

regards Doug

[Trotter]

Personally I like small fields

5 or 6 is just about right ....... enough for a race but with less chance of horses being brought down or carried out or getting crowded at the jumps and forcing errors

But mainly it's just so I can look at 5 or 6 races in the time it takes to study one big field handicap ......... more chance of picking a winner!

[The Brigadier]

1 hour ago, Doug Jee said:

With all that’s going on presently and with racing being hit financially and spectator wise. It’s rather disappointing that either the trainers or owners, do not support some of the top race entries. Looking at the fields for this weekends big races (Thursday), Betfair chase, Coral Hurdle and the  Chanelle Pharma chase, they have runners declared respectively at 5, 5 and 6. I realise that the prize money may have dropped and at this time of year there’s decent races nearly every weekend, but it is rather poor for the racing punter looking forward to a good Saturdays tv racing.

In Ireland they certainly have less racing, hence their good jockeys coming over here regularly to stay.  But they at least have decent fields and quality to boot, sometimes never knowing which one of Elliots, Mullins or Bromheads is going to win. I do feel also that is why they are winning more races at Cheltenham (16 between them in 2020), and will continue to do so.

Maybe they’re more passionate than ourselves at this great game!
 

regards Doug

Doug, I totally agree. There's no excuse for such a small turnout for these feature races. Instead we sit and watch twenty of the best horses around gallop around Newbury in the week for no monetary benefit what so ever.It's baffling isn't it?