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Letter of the Week

Give us a break

Gee, thanks, Richo (1/8). So you want the time between races to be reduced to 30 minutes for all meetings, not the 35-40 minutes we currently have on Saturdays.

My concern is, where is this going to leave the mounting-yard review? Even further reduced, I would think. I imagine the horses coming into the yard, the jockeys mounting immediately and taking them straight out on to the track.

Richo, I’m sure you’ve noticed that horses are magnificent and beautiful animals, and that a thoroughbred tuned up for racing is a glorious sight.

I’m afraid that, if your suggestion is adopted, we may end with the situation I have experienced at an American track, where the race caller didn’t bother with the horses’ names, but just called their numbers.

The horses were no longer individuals, and racing was reduced to a numbers game, like any other. It was purely about betting.

On March 21 I had a letter in Winning Post asking for a much better look at the horses before they go out to race. I pointed out that quite often all we see of most of the starters is their disappearing rumps as they canter toward the starting stalls.

I would like to be able to get a proper look at each horse. These days I am dependent on TVN’s coverage for seeing the horses; I am unfortunately too disabled to get to the races any more.

Soon after my letter an excellent supporting piece, "Press red for mounting yard", by Paul Stephens of Berwick, was published. He was speaking as a punter and said he needs to look at the horses in order to make his final decisions.

I know exactly what he means. I have, not always but sometimes, picked a winner out of the mounting yard, and it has by no means always been one of the favoured runners.

Richo, I fervently hope your idea will never be adopted for Saturdays.

There must be thousands of viewers who would appreciate a better look at the horses in the mounting yard. For heavens sake, viewers, write in to Winning Post before the whole thing disappears.

Peggy Kerr
Shoreham (Vic)
Today's Racing
Friday 29 March
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