Every trainer has his own methods and times of the year when they start working their horses. Some have their horses fit for their first run of the season while others will use the first race to get a horse fit, and peak later in the season. Crucially, the trainers methods are being applied to all his horses so if a few horses are fit/in form, they could all be.ShaunWhite wrote: ↑Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:22 pmAs a non horse person, can I ask why them all being the same age makes a difference?
Also how can a stable be 'in form'. I realise these might be complex answers, ...but briefly ?
Today's Horse Racing
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ShaunWhite
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Surely 'a' race isn't going to get a horse fit no more than me going to the gym once would get me fit? Taking a horse 200miles for a run around seems like a bloody expensive way to exercise it. Are you sure about that?Derek27 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2017 2:51 amSome have their horses fit for their first run of the season while others will use the first race to get a horse fit.ShaunWhite wrote: ↑Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:22 pmAlso how can a stable be 'in form'. I realise these might be complex answers, ...but briefly ?
You hear it said I know, but I always assumed it was a lame excuse for it doing badly. Afterall, training is a business and no business is going to say 'I did my best and it was a bit crap'.
If trainers are just 'using a race to get it fit', shouldn't that be declared beforehand? I think most people assume horses are fully prepared and ready to run a fair race. No wonder racing's customers feel mugged off when a trainer says that long after their fiver has gone down the pan.
Unlike us, horses are natural athletes and just need to do light exercise such as cantering in their training yard, with the occasional faster workout - still nowhere near true race pace. A horse can lose a few kilos after a race. One solid pace race makes a big difference in terms of fitness.ShaunWhite wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2017 4:01 amSurely 'a' race isn't going to get a horse fit no more than me going to the gym once would get me fit? Taking a horse 200miles for a run around seems like a bloody expensive way to exercise it. Are you sure about that?Derek27 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2017 2:51 amSome have their horses fit for their first run of the season while others will use the first race to get a horse fit.ShaunWhite wrote: ↑Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:22 pmAlso how can a stable be 'in form'. I realise these might be complex answers, ...but briefly ?
You hear it said I know, but I always assumed it was a lame excuse for it doing badly. Afterall, training is a business and no business is going to say 'I did my best and it was a bit crap'.
If trainers are just 'using a race to get it fit', shouldn't that be declared beforehand? I think most people assume horses are fully prepared and ready to run a fair race. No wonder racing's customers feel mugged off when a trainer says that long after their fiver has gone down the pan.
If a horse is nowhere near race fit the trainer could fall fowl of the 'schooling in public' rules, but they don't need to be fully fit. To anyone who studies horse racing, it's sometimes obvious that a horse will not be fully fit, such as in the Craven Stakes just two weeks before the 2000 Guineas. On the other hand there could be a colt in the race without classic ambitions who's more likely to be fully tuned-up. Big horses are more likely to need a race to get fully fit.
Without any clues or reports of a horses fitness, many punters will wait till the horse appears in the paddock before getting involved.
Trainers sometimes take a horse to a racecourse just to exercise. You may wonder why when they have gallops at home but I presume the outing and racecourse appearance may be beneficial.
That's more or less what the self-critical Aidan O'Brian said when So You Think got beat in the Prince Of Wale's Stakes.ShaunWhite wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2017 4:01 amAfterall, training is a business and no business is going to say 'I did my best and it was a bit crap'.
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ShaunWhite
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dragontrades
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My bitcoin is outperforming my trading today