Racehorse TALK

A few of these will get bored, so far and nothing to jump over!!!

they call this a bumper in the UK

Indeed!  I went to Cheltenham once.  Six races:  Five races over jumps (mostly 4,000m+) and a 3,200m 'bumper' where most horses were first-up for a year+.  They do things differently over there.

For those who don't know, a bumper is a race under National Hunt (jumps racing) rules for horses who have not contested any race other than a bumper.  It is generally used to give Steeple Chase bred horses race experience without them racing on the flat, where they would be far too slow.  They are quite frankly the worst races to punt on, unless you are in the know.

[b]4-01.20 JANSZ OF TASMANIA HANDICAP (3600 METRES)[/b]

Of $40000 and $300 trophy. 1st $25240 and trophy of $300, 2nd $6820, 3rd $3410, 4th $1520, 5th $760, 6th $450, 7th $450, 8th $450, 9th $450, 10th $450.

Starter Subsidy: $200 for non-prize earning runners.

Quality.

No Allowances for apprentices. Field Limit: 16 + 4 EM

No	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Handicapper Rating
1	FLYING CORKSCREW (NZ)	Eric Musgrove	Aaron Lynch	1	58	72
2	MANILA HEAT	John Hickmott	Jeffrey Maund	6	58	72
3	FOREIGN SCANDAL	Jim Smith	Troy Baker	5	55	66
4	TOLDEROL TEAPARTY	Greg Lesnikowski	Simon Price	10	55	66
5	ALQUODOR	Wally Bencic	Amy Herrmann (a)	7	54	64
6	EPONA MISS	Dean Saxon	Kate Dyson (a)	3	54	64
7	MARC OF THUNDER	Ciaron Maher	4	54	64
8	ART STUDENT	David Halliday	Ben Claridge	8	54	62
9	TRACK WIZ (NZ)	David Londregan	Ryan Plumb	2	54	53
10	FIVE LEGS	Eric Musgrove	Joe Bowditch	9	54

The horses or the crowd?  For the crowd they jump at the winning post so you get excitment then you can head off for a coffee and then they come around on lap one (should they get the bell?) then then hack around the back again then they spring home.

Intersting though that this race has been run twice and both winners are lining up tomorrow.

Do jumps jockeys get the same as flat jocks? Would seem a bit unfair if the do, with races being 4 times or so longer and the greater chance of being tipped off. The $130 or so wouldn't cover their petrol bill...and being heavier, are probably more likely to buy a pluto pup or two which they jab you for on the track.

Hamish,

i am pretty sure that jumps jockeys get more than flat jockeys.  I thought that at one stage it was almost double, but I can't really be bothered to do any research.  Someone else might know.

Interestingly, there have been 2 races beyond 3200m on the flat in this country over the past few years (there is one at Moe over 3400m).  I suspect that there are more staying type horses being bred in this country now than there were say 15 years ago, and I wonder if over the medium term we will end up with a series of 10 or 12 races over say 3400-4000 throughout the year, as I reckon there would be a handful of horses that would target them year after year, and long distance horses seem to be able to race for more seasons than a middle distance type horse.

Art Student
Manila Heat
Tolderol Teaparty

And dont some people whinge about this race.  Its a 3600m race out on well guess it allows for the jumprs to have a flat run on Sat if needed  for Monday and is a bit of a novelty as the 'longest flat race in the country' as Oakbank is known for its marathons not sprints.  But the uproar from tv talking heads and some other press people on course - 'oh why is this here, oh its a poor quality' etc.  Obviously simply becuase they couldnt clearly work out who would win. 

There are some poor quality short races run week to week and the same people dont whinge that they shouldnt be run.  Perhaps get over it say race with plenty of chances and here are selections but with no confidence due to the extreme flat distance etc   

The big problem for mine is that there are few long distance races run, therefore you are always guessing that the horses will stay (note that the first two winners were placed the following year).  I am surprised some of the horses who go around in the MV 3000m races (Bryce Stanaway's horses for instance) didn't go across for it, but that is the way it goes sometimes.

Please note I am not knocking the race, I love it and reckon we should have more of these long distance affairs.

What weight would a Melbourne or Adelaide Cups winner get in this great race ?

It would depend on which Melbourne or Adelaide Cup winners you are referring to, or do you mean generally.