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A Lot Is Wrong With The Racing Media

Discussion in 'Horse Racing' started by Grendel, Jul 24, 2020.

  1. Grendel

    Grendel Well-Known Member

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    Horse Racing must have just about the worst media of any sport. Perhaps it is the worst full stop.

    We are all familiar with the Racing Press being keen to hype up almost any horse that wins well but the situation has reached epic proportions as we go into the weekend.

    The worst of it is in the Racing Post and where do we start in describing the issues?

    Let's focus on the King George and Queen Elizabeth at Ascot.

    Willie Carson is quoted as saying that the race should not be being run for such a pittance of prize money. Really Willie?

    This renewal of the race is now down to THREE runners after Anthony Van Dyck was pulled out due to unsatisfactory blood readings. I don't know much about it but I would have thought somebody at an operation like Ballydoyle might have noticed that the horse wasn't quite right before this late juncture.

    Why would we load a race with money when not a single 3YO was due to run and a 6YO mare is long odds-on? Willie should realise that it's not poor prize money that is the issue but poor horses instead.

    Willie Carson is later quoted as saying that Enable will have to have an off-day not to win it. Cheers for that Willie, I never knew that 4/9 Favourites would be hard to beat in three horse races.

    Some trend collective called Algorithm Aces on the Racing Post website gave their analysis and when there were 4 runners in the race they concluded that, despite Enable failing the trend as a 6YO, when 3YO and 4YO horses have dominated in general, they made Enable their selection at 8/15 Fav.

    Is this for real? We hardly need algorithms for races like this for Christ's sake. I wonder if the Algorithm Aces considered that Enable somehow managed to defy the trends last season, when she won it as a 5YO.

    The Racing Post Expert Panel article, which you need to pay to read, has a headline that reads that it's time for Enable to prove she's as good as ever at the age of six. Riveting I am sure but I'll pass on paying to read that one.

    There is a Podcast on the King George that I didn't bother running after seeing the headline:- "I wouldn't swap HER for anything" unless I am mistaken I think we all know what the tip is there.

    Lee Mottershead has a preview where he describes the King George Queen Elizabeth as a "Momentous running of a special race"

    Are these people living on planet Zanussi and reckoning that their readers are retarded?

    On non King George matters the Racing Post informs us that "Experts say sponsors are still out there for Blue Chip events like the Derby" Who are these experts and did they watch the non-event that was this year's Derby where a horse just went out and galloped the supposed class colts into the ground?

    Ed Chamberlain commented in the aftermath about the O'Brien/ Coolmore domination being dangerous for the Derby and that it might become predictable and boring. Who would be queuing up to sponsor that sort of fare?

    I think the Racing Media needs a good shake on the realism tree and the Racing Post wants to be focusing it's attention on finding winners for punters and focusing on good bets at prices that will actually do people some good. The last Racing Post I bought was in 1995 when Red Rum passed away and I won't be paying for Algorithm Aces and ex Jockeys to state the bloody obvious.

    Willie Carson should go back and watch Troy in the Derby. Either that or go on Mastermind and paraphrase the Basil Fawlty quote:-

    "Next contestant, Mrs. Sybil Fawlty from Torquay. Specialist subject - the bleeding obvious".

    My own tip? I think Enable will be hard to keep out of the first three.
     
    #1
  2. Ron

    Ron Well-Known Member
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    I've had a trifecta box :emoticon-0102-bigsm
     
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    Archers Road and rudebwoy like this.
  3. mallafets123

    mallafets123 Well-Known Member

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    You can not say what you think these days in any media, you have tiptoe the safely safely nice lines.
    A piece like you have written here Grendel would probably get binned not printed. Matt Chapman like him or not says what he thinks most of the time and it gets him a lot of hate, pretty soon he will upset people with nothing but the truth and fall on his sword.
    In the next few days we will get some excuses why there is 3 runners but nobody telling it lime it is.
     
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  4. gillamandango

    gillamandango Active Member

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    All the spiel from everyone and Sovereign just peels off in front and isn’t for catching. What will they say then?
     
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  5. Grendel

    Grendel Well-Known Member

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    Oh, the Racing Post also had a breakdown of the 33 instances where Aidan O'Brien has sent out horses to run against Enable. Invaluable reading I am sure.

    I fancy Japan but only each-way of course :emoticon-0102-bigsm
     
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