NEXT JEWELS - CAMBRIDGE, ASHBURTON OR ELSEWHERE

[Turny 1,224]

Great weekend of harness racing, BUT

is it time for the races to be over more ground -say 2200m - to negate the draw factor?

Is Cambridge the right place or do we have them all at Ashburton or move them somewhere else - not Addington or Alex Park for mine

Southland have great fast tracks and Nelson/Blenheim in the mix but could they accommodate and run them

Welcome thoughts ............

[JackSprat 947]

There's no such thing as a bad place to see top horses race! Obviously the bigger the track, the better suited it is to mile racing, and since we appear to be hell bent on going down this "wannabe american" track, mile racing is probably here to stay, in which case, the Jewels should be run on the biggest tracks possible.

[Portfolio 728]

I think the mile format is great. Not many other good races are run over this distance, and it is only a matter of time that we will break the 1.50 mark. Wow, who would have thought of that a few years ago. A few of those mares and horses last Sat gave their breeding futures a big boost.

 

As for the track, well I think Ashburton is great for mile racing, most horses had their chances last Sat, and lets face it, it doesnt matter where horses race, luck plays a part in any race.

 

Dizzy has article in this mornings press regarding venue, but if I had a vote, keep it to the mile, stick to Ashburton.

 

Cheers

[Blue 1,095]

Always a lot of talk about the draw factor.

Places and draws on Saturday

Race 1- 11, 10, 1, 2.

Race 2 - 13, 6, 5, 11

Race 3 - 3,9,2,5

Race 4 - 7, 12 8,3.

Race 5 - 5, 7, 13, 1.

Race 6 - 3, 1, 5, 7.

Race 8 - 13, 10, 11, 5.

Race 9 - 11, 5, 4, 8.

Race 10 - 1, 5, 3, 4.

11 out of 36 first four placegetters came from the second row, one being Christen Me who was probably going to win regardless anyway. 6 of the 9 winners drawn 5 or worse.

Is there REALLY a draw bias?

As Jack Sprat says- There's no such thing as a bad place to see top horses race!

[Kiah 13]

I really like Ashburton as a fast big track.  The beauty about the mile distance is clearly the speed comparisons internationally. Apart from that issue, 1700 at Ashburton has its attractions

[hsvman 294]

Love ashburton mile for jewels as its starting to bring our mile times down to where the Americans will start thinking shit there starting to catch up , but would also like to see either Cambridge or Alex park over the 1700 when its the ashburton year, off just to give those from the wide draws that little bit extra to cross before the corner. But for me all jewels races which are made for fast times an best horses winning should always be staged at our clearly faster track ashburton .

[lamour 673]

One of the aspects that makes the jewels so exciting is the fact it is mile racing. A great time over 1 mile has more gravitas than any other distance. It  gives Stallions and Mares a great opportunity for a fast mile time which will enhance their value. Do you think if Terror To Love ran a half second over the record for 2600m it would increase his value as a stallion?, I don't think so, but running 1.51 does even though its not a record.   For me, changing the distance will detract from the whole concept and make for a less exciting event.. I urge HRNZ to ignore the argument of people who would  take the excitment of mile racing from this event.  The event this year was exciting with great horses going great times, why would you want to change it. The concept and structure of the Jewels is perfect. IF IT'S NOT BROKEN DON'T FIX IT.

 

[eljay 1,719]

The problem with Ashburton (and Cambridge for that matter) is the facilities - hard to get serious sponsors when all you can offer them for the day is a temporary marquee.     Auckland and Christchurch are (understandably) ahead in this respect.    

[Portfolio 728]

The problem with Ashburton (and Cambridge for that matter) is the facilities - hard to get serious sponsors when all you can offer them for the day is a temporary marquee.     Auckland and Christchurch are (understandably) ahead in this respect.    

 

Whats wrong with a temp marquee?  A few of us went to Ash for Jewels day a few years back, it was great in the tent, they laid it on bigtime. Have been at Addington and Kumara in one as well, adds to days excitement.

I think the reason the Jewels have been a success, is because they are not at Add or Auck. Lets face it, they race nearly every week there, so Ash and Camb is still fresh.

I think leading up to the draw, there is much hype, I always have a few f/ odds bets hoping that it gets a good draw and i get overs.

Its something new, and it is still going well. I think we need to stay at the mile thou, thats what it has been marketed for. If you changed it to 1700m every 2nd year it would lose it for me.

As far as sponsers go, I dont think they would have any problems getting someone involved.

[osceola 176]

Wyndham.

[tasman man 11 979]

Haha........I wondered when the big annual debate over the draws would start !!

Every year the winners have come from all over the grid.

Mostly the best horses have won , plus a lot of favourites from bad draws.

Note Mark Purdons record.

As for the track , the distance of 1600m is seen as crucial to the day and then there are the facilities.

Personally I started building a good case for Nelson which can house the horses on the day but the facilities for horses to be housed for a couple of days is a problem , while catering is seen as a problem too....I believe it could be managed.

The viewing and grandstand facilities for officials ,hob-nobs and dignitaries ....not good !!!

So far the weather in South has been great...one year it will snow !!!!

But Ashburtons closeness to Christchurch a huge advantage.

[hsvman 294]

Im not saying this mile starts are unfair for wide horses at Cambridge or Alex park, a good enough horses can win from anywhere in the draw an even anyplace in the field with a lap to go.. However i think times generally aren't run as fast there because there is less aggression from the wider drivers to launch into the first quarter which normally allows for the 2nd 1/4 to be a little slower to. I like ashburton when you see the leaders run 26 first quarters an the parked horses right outside him not giving them a let up.

[DIZZY 11]

If you shift Christen Me's race on Saturday to Cambridge and it's run with the same draws the same race pattern and the same sectionals he almost certainly doesn't win IMO.

[Idolmite 2,531]

That's a big call Dizzy, for saying he wins every start every time (well, basically anyway). Although you did say everything the same, but I guess you drive to the conditions (so to speak) and at Cambridge (definitely the inferior of the two Jewels venues as far as spectacle goes) DD would have driven a different race no doubt, ending in the same result.

[tasman man 11 979]

Border Control, he's the future, and well named for a gypsy horse he is too given that we need to control and restrain you lot.

I was thinking about venues for the next Jewels, not David's Jewels, although I'd like to see them mounted as a miserable little trophy, no rather the funding of the existing, and I thought Rolleston prison might suit. The average resident is of far better quality than the Ashburton equivalent, with less convictions. You'd have a captive audience, you could cut out the middle (police)man and go straight to jail without passing go, your funders could still attend despite their potential impending incarceration, and they've already got the drug testing facilities etc.. in place.

What say you? or would Paremoremo be better?

Haha Sheriff , you must be glowing with satisfaction after the horse you trained up to quite recently ran a slashing fourth.

Not the first pacer you have trained / rehabed and no doubt won't be the last.

Horse was very sore when you got it ,so well done to improve it  so quickly.

[hedley 1,900]

 

Haha........I wondered when the big annual debate over the draws would start !!

Every year the winners have come from all over the grid.

Mostly the best horses have won , plus a lot of favourites from bad draws.

Note Mark Purdons record.

As for the track , the distance of 1600m is seen as crucial to the day and then there are the facilities.

Personally I started building a good case for Nelson which can house the horses on the day but the facilities for horses to be housed for a couple of days is a problem , while catering is seen as a problem too....I believe it could be managed.

The viewing and grandstand facilities for officials ,hob-nobs and dignitaries ....not good !!!

So far the weather in South has been great...one year it will snow !!!!

But Ashburtons closeness to Christchurch a huge advantage.

http://www.racecafe.co.nz/forums/index.php?/topic/13792-no-more-jewels-at-cambridge/

http://www.racecafe.co.nz/forums/index.php?/topic/13792-no-more-jewels-at-cambridge/?view=findpost&p=224856

[Blue 1,095]

If you shift Christen Me's race on Saturday to Cambridge and it's run with the same draws the same race pattern and the same sectionals he almost certainly doesn't win IMO.

Maybe not but the fields comprise the top dozen of every age and sex so ,barring accidents, the bottom echelon of those fields couldn't win under any conditions because of the big drop in class between the top and the bottom.

[globederby13 74]

Haha Sheriff , you must be glowing with satisfaction after the horse you trained up to quite recently ran a slashing fourth.

Not the first pacer you have trained / rehabed and no doubt won't be the last.

Horse was very sore when you got it ,so well done to improve it  so quickly.

He,s a chemist remember Tasman

[globederby13 74]

Be interesting to see the stats as above for Cambridge.I could be wrong but I doubt back row starters would figure as often as Ashburton. Small tracks for mile racing do nothing for me,Cambridge bores me to death.

[Ligerzero 34]

I attended the second day at Ashburton, much quieter (from what I saw on TV) but good fun either way. The Aushburton track is definitely superior and all the facilities both temp and fixed were top notch. For me, Ashburton stays.

[Thejanitor 1,219]

If you shift Christen Me's race on Saturday to Cambridge and it's run with the same draws the same race pattern and the same sectionals he almost certainly doesn't win IMO.

 

You are probably right. Perhaps they should consider reducing the number of horses in each field at Cambridge. If there were 10 runners in each field for example I believe most horses would have a chance despite their draws. Just a thought. 

[globederby13 74]

You are probably right. Perhaps they should consider reducing the number of horses in each field at Cambridge. If there were 10 runners in each field for example I believe most horses would have a chance despite their draws. Just a thought. 

That could be transposed to smaller fields over all classes. I think there is a big gap between top qualifiers and those at the bottom.

I know as an owner it is a great buzz to have a horse run in a Jewels but not so good when it is getting bloused and left behind.

Ten would be my max at Cambridge. 

[Chestnut 3,151]

I prefer the idea of keeping them away from the bigger city tracks like Alex or Addington as it makes them more of a unique event rather than getting lost in the meelee of the other events they host each year.    If a raceday gets the good horses you get the viewers, you get the mileage on TV and in the press, you get the interest, you get the betting dollars, you get the sponsors.   Records getting broken pretty much every race definitely gives sponsors plenty of exposure - that is what counts.

 

The additional beauty of Ashburton and Cambridge is that the track is accessible to the public, the stands are closer to the track, less tarmac everywhere - more grass making it not so sterile and lifeless, it's more cosy and more oriented to day meetings where all ages can enjoy it really.   If there's another track out there with those attributes then sure perhaps put them into the mix but definitely steer clear of the big cities.