Non-standard race times to be trialled in February 2020

[Euler]

There is a god and lobbying works it seems!

https://www.britishhorseracing.com/pres ... uary-2020/

[jimibt]

There is a god and lobbying works it seems!

https://www.britishhorseracing.com/pres ... uary-2020/

very good move - let's hope it proves a measurable success by the metrics that satisfy the BHA and trders alike

[greenmark]

Does this mean the published off-time could be moved 'on the fly' depending on delays and resulting congestion of races?

[Derek27]

It would be much complimented with an effort to get races off at the scheduled time.

[Dallas]

Good to see some common sense being used at last

[firlandsfarm]

I've not followed this topic before … does this mean adopting a system where races will be timed for any minute such as 12:43, 12:45 and 12:49? (see Euler's link which opens …

"The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), in conjunction with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) has today announced that a trial of non-standard race times will be held in February 2020.

Non-standard race times refers to races not programmed on the standard 5-minute marks (e.g. 3:08pm)."

If so I have my doubts to it's relevance and success! When was the last time you saw a race start on time? If it's to ease congestion and save when one race is delayed because another is running late then I don't see how it will help that situation, the delayed race will still run late and the next race will still need to be held back. Have I got it wrong?

[Derek27]

If so I have my doubts to it's relevance and success! When was the last time you saw a race start on time? If it's to ease congestion and save when one race is delayed because another is running late then I don't see how it will help that situation, the delayed race will still run late and the next race will still need to be held back. Have I got it wrong?

1:00, 1:08 and 1:16 would be less likely to cause clashes than 1:00, 1:05 and 1:15.

[firlandsfarm]

If so I have my doubts to it's relevance and success! When was the last time you saw a race start on time? If it's to ease congestion and save when one race is delayed because another is running late then I don't see how it will help that situation, the delayed race will still run late and the next race will still need to be held back. Have I got it wrong?

1:00, 1:08 and 1:16 would be less likely to cause clashes than 1:00, 1:05 and 1:15.

Agreed Derek but I was thinking of the congested days when races are already spaced at 5 min intervals and some even timed to clash. Non-standard times won't solve over congested days unless they start the day earlier and finish it later … such as greyhound schedules. They are mainly summer days so neither should be a problem. What would solve the problem the most would be to ensure races start on time, it's not rocket science, most races start without any disruption such as a non-loader so it's not beyond average intelligence to say "it usually takes X minutes from when they leave the paddock until the race starts so make sure the first leaves the paddock X+1 minutes before the start time in order for the last to leave X minutes before the race time". It's why Swiss trains are so punctual, they didn't build the timetable based upon when a train should theoretically arrive, they monitored when the trains did arrive and bingo, they had a timetable the trains can keep to!

Where non-standard could help would be if they scheduled the start time based on the anticipated finish time of the race before it. Now that would be a big leap forward if they recognised that a 3.5 mile chase takes longer to run than a 5 furlong sprint!

[Dipstick]

I think it's broadly a good idea. Other countries do it (eg Aus and US) without a problem.

To improve the timekeeping we could also adopt some of the things I see on the US racing, namely, they monitor Loading time to show how long the first (and last) have been in the stalls. If nothing else, it shows which horses cause a problem. Also, from the US, I note that the horses are accompanied by another horse to the stalls. This certainly seems to have a calming effect on the racehorse - which must help the loading process.

[worth also adding as an aside, i think the stall handlers do a great job getting the horses in but surely making them calmer will help - unless getting them wound up is intended so that they bounce out of the stalls faster]

Dipstick

[Derek27]

Also, from the US, I note that the horses are accompanied by another horse to the stalls. This certainly seems to have a calming effect on the racehorse - which must help the loading process.

It's generally the sprinters that benefit from being ponied to the start, as some of them just have two gears when they're on their own, a slow crawl and flat out.

The US and Australia are more about speed whereas we have a far greater proportion of middle-distance races. What the BHB really should do is send some delegates on holiday to Australia to examine and work out exactly what they're doing that we're not, to get races off on time. I understand we have much bigger racecourses and the start is often further away, but I can't help feeling that determination and effort to get races off on time is something the Australians have but we're lacking.

[firlandsfarm]

I understand we have much bigger racecourses and the start is often further away, but I can't help feeling that determination and effort to get races off on time is something the Australians have but we're lacking.

Yep, and it doesn't matter how far away the start is from the paddock, you just have to make sure you give them whatever time is required. One way to make sure it starts on time is to adopt a Railways approach … the gate close X minutes before the start and if you are not through the gate you don't race!

[Derek27]

I understand we have much bigger racecourses and the start is often further away, but I can't help feeling that determination and effort to get races off on time is something the Australians have but we're lacking.

Yep, and it doesn't matter how far away the start is from the paddock, you just have to make sure you give them whatever time is required. One way to make sure it starts on time is to adopt a Railways approach … the gate close X minutes before the start and if you are not through the gate you don't race!

I don't think that's practical, horses play up, need to be reshoed, etc. When a horse is difficult getting into the stalls it's in everybody's best interest that it's given a fair chance, not just the connections because rule 4 ruins races. When an overly-backed horse is pulled out of a race people holding tickets on the others have lost all their value.

[firlandsfarm]

I don't think that's practical, horses play up, need to be reshoed, etc. When a horse is difficult getting into the stalls it's in everybody's best interest that it's given a fair chance, not just the connections because rule 4 ruins races. When an overly-backed horse is pulled out of a race people holding tickets on the others have lost all their value.

I could agree with you if they were the only reasons, we can live with the occasional delay but I see many races where the 'lads' don't stand a chance of loading them all up in the time from the horses arriving and the start time. My comment about getting them 'through the gate' wasn't referring to the stalls, just simply getting the horses at the start to give the 'lads' a chance.

And remember your earlier comment …

but I can't help feeling that determination and effort to get races off on time is something the Australians have but we're lacking.

… I'm just trying to identify where the determination can come from. I don't know Aussie racing but from that comment it seems the Aussies somehow control "horses play up, need to be reshoed, etc. When a horse is difficult getting into the stalls …" etc.

[Derek27]

Wolverhampton held up until the race at Meydan has finished.

Both meetings have a race at 16:50 and both at 17:25, with nothing in between!

[jamesg46]

I think this is a great idea & appreciate the time that was put in to lobbying for this by anyone who was involved... think itll be better for consistency with live pictures & be benificial for the weaker races, when all the card is congested focus is mainly taken away from them so in theory & hopefully itll help give the weaker markets a little more attention and volume.