General Chat

[archie]

A single high RPR is completely useless, particularly if it comes in the middle of a run of otherwise consistently lower figures. All it does is corrupt the race card RPR for the next 6 races.

[jack1092]

Ok, so you really fancy a horse for the Ultima. It's rated 140 and untested over 3 miles. You post your case on here then I pop up and tell you all winners this century recorded their best RPR over at least 3 miles, and the last 14 winners had run to a minimum RPR of 143. Do you ignore me and if yes, why?

FWIW I cannot stand Rodway, stealing a living in the game.

Exactly, like everything, they have their uses and some choose to use everything possible to form an opinion and some don't. Each to their own of course, you won't see me saying "oh he had an rpr of 150, i'm backing him" but when im looking through a horses profile i'll consider them.

[ComplyOrDie]

A single high RPR is completely useless, particularly if it comes in the middle of a run of otherwise consistently lower figures. All it does is corrupt the race card RPR for the next 6 races.

I wouldn't just be looking at a single high or low RPR though, nor do I look for them on the race card, I'd be looking deeper than just that, and given the information and knowledge of quite a few members on here I'd be guessing that a lot do the same as me.

Just as an example, as I was looking at him today given he's entered on Sunday, but Seabank Bistro posted a seriously low RPR of 74 last time a Punchestown, when previously hitting RPR's of 121 & 130, so I wouldn't just assume he's now only capable of a RPR of 74, I'd delve further into detail to see why this was the case, any jockey or trainer comments, the ground, the track, the gap between races, plus other bits and pieces to build the picture. As I said, RPR's are also only a small part of the puzzle.

I must admit, I use RPR's less for handicap races, I think these are harder to be used to make part of a case because ultimately a trainer wants a horse well handicapped, will they or won't they be running their races leading up to their main target (if they even have a target)? IMO they are usually less consistent (more likely to put in one big RPR that you note of) due to wanting to get weight down, I'd rather look at the OR for handicap purposes than a RPR.

With regards to Jonbon in this instance, as this conversation seemed to revolve around him. Yes, he got a RPR of 159, pretty high, almost as high as some previous winners debuts ahead of winning the Arkle, but he now needs to back that up. I'd be less inclined to compare his hurdles RPR's versus what he can potentially achieve over fences because many horses can improve for a fence, so hurdle RPR's (as to official ratings) can be misleading to an extent.

I think it depends on how you use the information available. I'd never back a horse on the back of it producing better RPR's than others, although that might be more profitable than my way

Everyone will have their own ways how they go about finding the potential winner of a race, some will use their eyes, some will check form lines, some will use ratings (whether OR's or RPR's), some will use time analysis, some will use breeding, some will use knowledge of trainer race planning (like what Saxon Warrior keeps tabs on), a lot of people will use a mixture of these and some may even try and use everything available and potentially be more selective with their bets because of this. What I will say though is that all the above options are subjective to the viewer/reader/punter, not just RPR's IMO. We tend to see what we want to see, regardless of process.

[Benjy23]

Any ideas what happens to a 'lengths bet' with regards non runners and rule 4s? I could probably try to find it in the rules but just being lazy...

That's a specific horse to win by over x lengths... Rather than just winning distance in a race by the what.

[Istabraq]

Any ideas what happens to a 'lengths bet' with regards non runners and rule 4s? I could probably try to find it in the rules but just being lazy...

That's a specific horse to win by over x lengths... Rather than just winning distance in a race by the what.

Lengths bets make up, NRs are irrelevant.
If you’re playing spreads there’s a max make up of 30 in NH and 12 on the flat.
If you have a match bet one v another then wherever they finish and the distance between them makes up even if they’re the only 2 finishers.
If one of the legs in a match bet is a NR the bet is void but for the purpose of your question the distance between them is final regardless of NRs

[MTR]

Journey with me, constitution hill, Edwardstone all non runners today, I know it can’t be helped with the unseasonal quick ground, not sure if I’m the only one who’s been completely underwhelmed by the jumps season so far, I thought the November meeting was also very poor. Get the vibe it’s slowly dying out.

[Zachx02]

All these non-runners due to good ground you'd think the brocklesby is next week

[Liammet]

Disappointing for everyone
However,if I had booked and was travelling to Ascot I would feel cheated

[ToniC]

Journey with me, constitution hill, Edwardstone all non runners today, I know it can’t be helped with the unseasonal quick ground, not sure if I’m the only one who’s been completely underwhelmed by the jumps season so far, I thought the November meeting was also very poor. Get the vibe it’s slowly dying out.

Struggling to get into it this year I must admit. Busier than usual with other stuff to be fair but even so it just doesn’t feel like It usually does this time of year for whatever reason.

[Irish Rugby]

The Ascot card today is frankly embarrassing

[Benjy23]

There's a chance I've imagined this (and I've not bothered checking) but was last season not similar? With a lot out late due to the ground in the autumn.

I agree with the point that it's disappointing as a spectacle though.

[Craigy14]

The Ascot card today is frankly embarrassing

I’d be asking for a refund of some sort if I’d bought tickets.

[MTR]

2nd race at ascot now a walkover due to non runners

[charlie]

To be fair, we are past mid November and haven't seen a frost yes - I cant remember that ever happening in my lifetime. It was 18 degrees in London last week and its still double figures now! I don't really have a big problem with owners and trainers deciding not to run horses, but I have a problem with them handling it poorly and communicating poorly. Thats obviously highly subjective, but I feel sorry for people who've bought tickets to see horses and they aren't showing up, one race is a walkover, its just not good for racing. Ascot should spend a few million on a better irrigation system, it's not like they can't afford it.

[opatcho]

Ok, so if we're heading towards a drier Oct/Nov, get rid of all of the summer races or trainers need to start getting savvy, purchase up all of the horses that are bred for better ground and start picking up the prize money in these 3-4 runner fields where most of the big guns will side track in favour for "better ground" and/or the festival