Sports stories without the shouting
I recently read an article about changes to the Junior National Hunt Hurdles programme being brought in by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). This blog is not about the merits or otherwise of this approach, but rather about an idea that occurred to me after reading a quote from Tom Byrne, the BHA Head of …
Continue reading “A new pathway for developing British racehorses”
This week it was reported that Thesis, the horse who won the 2022 Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot, had been sold to race in Hong Kong. The horse’s trainer Harry Charlton admitted that the ‘spending power is hard to contend with’ when a bid comes in from Hong Kong. Looking through the data it is …
Continue reading “Racing in Hong Kong could be worth three times the value to an owner”
At the end of each year I like to look back at what I’ve written over the last twelve months and see what I’ve learnt. So, my own personal review of the year shows that: Football Covid has helped to shift attention from the Premier League’s continued dependence on gambling, where nearly half of all …
There are two types of champions in this world, those who make it look easy to reach the top and those who struggle against themselves, circumstance, or talent. It is the latter who are typically lauded as the ‘people’s champion’ as most people can see a part of themselves in that struggle. The racehorse Champ …
Continue reading “With a name like Champ you know it is going to be an interesting career”
It is over 6,000 miles from Tokyo to Paris, but that has never stopped the autumnal Japanese pilgrimage to Longchamp, home of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. One of the most important races in Europe has caught the imagination of the Japanese racing public and owners, driven both by potential financial gain and the …
Continue reading “Will Japanese interest in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe finally be rewarded?”
The annual Goff’s horses in training sale takes place in Doncaster on St Leger week and once again there will be an interesting side show as Gigginstown Stud continue the dispersal of some stars of the turf. But looking at previous sales results it would make you wonder what all the fuss is about. It …
Continue reading “The Gigginstown dispersal sale is no place to look for return on investment”
The Kentucky Derby is marketed as the ‘Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” but a 43% drop in TV ratings in 2020 must have sent shivers up the backs of organisers, sponsors and broadcasters. Thankfully, the figures for 2021 show a significant increase from 2020, and while slightly behind 2018 and 2019, they will provide …
Everybody loves a grand National favourite, especially the bookmakers. Looking back over the race since the turn of the century shows that only four favourites in the last twenty years have won the race. However, before you give up all hope it is interesting to note that a ten pound bet on the favourite each …
Continue reading “Backing the Grand National favourite isn’t what it used to be”
The stats show it doesn’t pay to follow the winner of the King George Chase on Boxing Day all the way to Cheltenham. The expression “horses for courses” is listed in the Cambridge Dictionary as a phrase ‘to say that it is important to choose suitable people for particular activities because everyone has different skills.’ …
Continue reading ““Horses for courses” has a measure of truth”
The news that a horse has become “the most expensive yearling sold at auction this year” always catches attention, and this month was no exception as Coolmore paid £3.5m at Tattersalls Yearling Sales Book One at Newmarket. However, looking at the results of the last ten years does not suggest we should be expecting too …
Continue reading “What does the future hold for the most expensive yearling bought at auction?”
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