Let's just say Lingfield got fortunate with the weather yesterday. There is nothing unusual about large numbers of folk , many of them families, flocking to outdoor events on Bank Holidays. So to interpret the healthy gate as a mark of All Weather racing's popularity is anything from naive to disingenuous.
Anyone sat at home watching who is not a follower of the sport may have been mislead by the National Anthem playing before racing. Allied to the over enthusiastic claptrap being spouted by the presenters, they may have believed that this is one of the sport's big days.
The ten thousand who attended is half of what Cartmel is able to pull in on holiday weekends. And the Cumbrian course is one of the hardest to reach , situated in a remote location. This fact puts everything into context and dampens the misplaced optimism from those who believe racing on artificial surfaces in the UK is about to take a major upturn.
Being honest, we all know that the majority yesterday's Lingfield crowd would have attended if they had raced greyhounds, motorbikes or rally cars. With betting allowed on such events the crowd number may even have been surpassed. For the record, Bath had the same size crowd as the Surrey venue which shows that this was all about weather and less about the popularity of this form of the sport.
I'm guessing Luke Harvey had, under instructions from the director, sought out the lady sitting on the steps who seemed a genuine fan and not just stumbled upon her randomly, which was the impression he tried to convey. He had no option to do this after previously finding himself speaking to a gang of half inebriated bonehead types who had no doubt come for a day on the booze and would have been instead at a football fixture if whoever they support were playing at home. I doubt they'd of been having a bet on the horses today.
Those with respect for the traditions of the game would have felt their heart sink when Jason Weaver stated that this form of racing is now a big part of the sport and is here to stay. That he had to make this remark is indication that there are large numbers who have never taken to this dreary arm of the sport. That is gratifying to know.
And then we had the ITV racing team polishing Kachy's crown, announcing that he was a star and the real thing. To his credit, he finished second in a Group 1 on the turf, chasing home Quiet Reflection in a weakly contested Commonwealth Cup in his three year old days. But he has had three attempts at that grade since and the highest place attained was ninth.
As a result you cannot help asking yourself how many of the numerous other sprinters in training would have taken to the surface and proven themselves superior to this dubious champion. It's akin to the depleted stagings of the 1980 and 1984 Olympics.
The show was set up to reach its high point with a comfortable victory from the star billing Wissahickon. He went out like a damp squib and it would be no surprise of he was now transferred to the States. The winner certainly won't be winning a Group 1 event on the turf, no matter how much they eulogise over him.
There were racing yard open days yesterday. I would bet that many long term racing fans living within reasonable travelling distance of both Lingfield and Lambourn, would have fancied the Lambourn open day but would not have accepted a VIP spot at Lingfield for free.
Loitering in and around Seven Barrows for a few hours would raise the hairs on the back of the neck. Which box was Grundy in ? may have not have gone down too well, though being truthful, as the winter sport is more popular in this country, it would not be wide of the mark to say that the present set up at this famous establishment is playing a more important role for the sport than ever before.
Those of us who have it embedded in us that flat racing is for summer and jump racing for winter, are right in the middle of changeover mode at the moment. There is an Irish Grand National .There is Punchestown too, and the old Whitbread day that has stolen Altior but whose main even has lost its mojo.
Unbelievable now to think we didn't blink an eye when Desert Orchard met Kildimo in this once celebrated event. From the top of our heads how many winners can we immediately name from the last ten years yet alone remember how the races unfolded ? Tidal Bay yep, the rest a blur.
There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that this sugar coated day at Lingfield contributes in attracting new long term fans to the sport. Indeed, this is very much an arm of the sport that fails to entice, excite, and has less chance of pulling in new fans compared to even what the Queen's Prize Kempton meeting did in the days this race was a fairly prestigious handicap and run on the green stuff. Today, this event that can be described as part of the furniture of the sport, doesn't even get a look in on terrestrial TV.
Ed Chamberlain ended the programme yesterday mentioning that the curtain had fallen on the AW season. How many of us wish that that was really it until the whole show encroaches into next winter. Sadly though, it never goes away.
image from wiki commons
No comments:
Post a Comment