Ok, here's my feedback from the Barrier trial -
1) Little Winter - nothing needs to be said . Small filly, very quick.
2)Unilateral - now here's the thing.... I had no doubt that she would be green. She was slow, got a big fright of the noise as the pens opened. She finished way back. However, if she goes the way that my eye tells me, she will be a lot closer to Little Winter in 6 or 7 weeks time. But, for those watching the Barrier Trial, this will not be evident, simply because they do not know the story from home.
Little Winter is not the type to hide. Our yard has no time for games in this Industry. (Probably why we dislike Merit Rating...everytime we do our best and run second, we get a point or two...) She is what she is. However, this Barrier Trial alone is not the alpha and omega of what she will do first time out....you see, we may or we may not, decide to show her the course, gently, one more time before we run her. Of course, you will not know this..because in order to find that out, someone would have to make an effort on Raceday. I have explained and given good example, earlier on this thread, why a raceday comment, after 11h00 on raceday is the ONLY accurate way of getting the correct info to Punters from Trainers.
As for Unilateral, the same applies. She has come in soft, into the Barrier Trial. I now have 2 months to change that. She surely cannot open short in the betting. She could be a nice coup...? How will you know, then, if it is our money?
Just as we had to adapt from long , light training tracks at Vaal to short heavy tracks at Ashburton and to a Merit Rating system which we dislike, we have
still trained many multiple winners . We will adapt to Barrier Trials, use them to our advantage and carry on; in spite of us thinking that they are a waste of time. And money. And do not really help the majority of Punters at all...
Last edit: 7 years 3 months ago by louisg.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Pirhobeta, Lionel, Tigershark, Warren Laird
With immediate effect changes to Barrier Trial conditions. Horses returning after a rest of 150 days (not 120) must trial & horses will have to run within 90 days (not 60) of their trial. NHA rules for starting stalls remains.
Thanks Bob. The 90 days from a barrier trial does not supercede the NHA starting stalls rules which are still 60 days....
The starting stall certificate is updated at the barrier trial, but must be updated again within 60 days, so that you can run in, say, 70 days time.
I do not know if I should ignore or consider performances of runners in barrier trials and need some help:
I note that Sporting Post include these runs in their formlines and also rates the runners on their runs.
Are the horses taking part all racing or are some there just for a grass gallop/practicing starting stall behavior?
If they are not all their to race, does the result of a barrier trial mean anything in a formline? Could a runner be given an ability rating for its performance in a barrier trial?
Yes Bob and if you followed Little Winter & Petra's trial and the distance they were ahead of the rest then at least you had a pointer for yesterday. Petra won by 3.5 lengths and no betting coup with the information out there for punters. Little Winter is obviously above average and once again the information is out there for the punters.
I still believe we have a way to go with the trials but at least this is a start.
Tigershark wrote: Yes Bob and if you followed Little Winter & Petra's trial and the distance they were ahead of the rest then at least you had a pointer for yesterday. Petra won by 3.5 lengths and no betting coup with the information out there for punters. Little Winter is obviously above average and once again the information is out there for the punters.
I still believe we have a way to go with the trials but at least this is a start.
On Winning Ways, Laff and The Good said, for the first time and as a consequence of the barrier trials, an unraced runner was tipped by the press and win he did. Can’t remember the runner ?
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