Nelli 434 Report post Posted June 18, 2021 Can anyone explain why the trotters had a handicapped standing start (rating spread of 29 points) while the pacers had mobile starts with bigger point spreads (39 points for mares and 46 points for the boys)? Stables and JJ Flash 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsvman 295 Report post Posted June 18, 2021 Idiots in charge Stables and JJ Flash 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasman man 742 Report post Posted June 19, 2021 On 6/18/2021 at 8:22 PM, Nelli said: Can anyone explain why the trotters had a handicapped standing start (rating spread of 29 points) while the pacers had mobile starts with bigger point spreads (39 points for mares and 46 points for the boys)? Something a bit different and certainly an opportunity for some horses who came North for Jewels to stay on and have another race for decent money ,plus a winter break for other Southerners ! It seemed to add interest to an otherwise dull winter meeting .....certainly some southern connections seemed to enjoy the experience ,and it was good to see those Southland horses racing .I spoke to several owners of the lower rated horses and they pleased to be racing for those stakes. When the conditions were drawn up ...weeks ago if not months ago....no one would have known the widespread of ratings. They got two good size fields and the other fields held up....10 races with 3 x divis ! With the times they run at AP its hard from the 'bad draws' so the preferential draw made things a little fairer. Cos Dance Card has explosive gatespeed drawing 9 didnt bother it but Pembrook Playboy found it tough. With the trotters I guess they looked at possible starters in the North and went for a 2700m handicap ......only 1 x Southerner started [Midnight Dash] but it was favourite and again created a lot of interest ! The main trots in North are generally stand start handicaps. JJ Flash 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelli 434 Report post Posted June 19, 2021 My question is why the differential treatment for this race when all the other Jewels races are mobiles? But here they reverted to the same old same old AP format. In both gaits some horses do better at mobiles and others at stands. Surely this was a race that should have let the trotting speed machines have a chance to shine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Piper 408 Report post Posted June 20, 2021 The un-cut races were eligle for horses rated between R40 and R120 with stakes winning restrictions . Having a handicap race was the only way to make it remotely fair for the lower ranked/rated horses. JJ Flash 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelli 434 Report post Posted June 21, 2021 Then why not for the pacers? hsvman 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...