Horses weights Unknown

pirates Wrote:

> tell your vice chairman that i have plenty simple
> ideas that would help punters and thereby increase
> turnover///david thistleton has my number if they
> interested

Share them with us Hilt....why the nontransparency thang??

Thanks Pirates will get it from Dave and call you later. Probably during the afternoon.

Craig

At some point a decision was made to make horse body weights available. It must mean more to some people than others, but their must be some believers. With a complex information driven sport like horse racing, it is pointless to start something and then let it fizzle out because you didn't allow sufficient time for the fire to catch. In a way, you have to set out to create a following, the burden is on the vendor to sell his idea.

They should do it properly, or quit.

1. Pre-race having the weights before racing would have to be first prize. Even if horses were weighed say within 3 days of a race would be useful.
2. You would have to have previous weights for it to have any meaning though.

For eg Hidden Rave won yesterday (Sep 29th).
His previous 2 runs was 2nd in a NP August 2010 (that day MR102), and then last this September 8th (year later) (rated 91).
I think knowing his weight(s) could help you decide for yourself where you think the horse was in terms of preparation. As many aids as you give your punters, so you contribute to their enthusiasm and turnover.

Every company with a new idea estimates the cost and weighs up (!) the pro's and con's. You give yourself a budget which also implies a time frame. My personal opinion is that they blew it because some people tried to be innovative and others didn't care and so it was doomed to be a fad and fail.

I cannot find the weights anywhere, so are we actually discussing something that is already dead?

Hi Jack, to me for the weights to be really helpful they should be in the card if possible or in the media by 830 on race day. If we can find a way of doing that it would be great. The problem is trainers on farms, raiders etc. Seeing Neil tonight so will bring it up with him. Everyone has to be weighed for it to work otherwise the punter is probably more in the dark.

Hi Craig

Yes
The questions might be:

1. -is it useful, and useful enough to be worth the effort and expense
2. -is there sufficient belief in above from the guys who have to do this systematically forever (trainers & staff)
3. -if yes to all above, can it be presented in a useful and continued regular fashion
4. -if still yes, is it sustainable if only Gold Circle does it

(and finally, (5) is there maybe something which costs about the same that is even more useful..like GPS sectional timing ?
if yes, apply same test as above

Wouldn't it be lovely if life was really this simple?

Sectional timing much easier to do and I think much more useful. Summerveld, Ashburton and Clairwood horses could be weighed within 2-3 days of the race as I have checked and there are scales at each center. The issue is the ones that cannot be weighed and are running.

Agree on times vs scale.

Imho I think I would find sectional timing far more useful to understanding racing, especially in our industry that has become totally dominated by merit ratings only.

I think sectional timing would have more supporters than body weights, be easier to apply and deliver and be of interest race after race, for analysis both before and after races. For me it's a no-brainer... a gaping hole really.

Will chat to Neil tonight and report back in the morning.