Talking Horses: a going concern for jumps racing and reluctant owners


It may come to pass that good-to-firm will not be acceptable over jumps if racing is to maintain a cost-effective programme

Good-to-firm ground in the middle of November is nobody’s fault, but it has effectively reduced Tuesday’s racing programme to two-and-a-half meetings with – assuming there are no further non-runners – just 26 horses due to go to post for a six-race card at Fakenham. Eight of those are in the opening selling handicap hurdle, while the remaining events have three, five, two, three and five runners, respectively.

And yet this is, by about £1,000, the most valuable meeting of the day, with £59,000 up for grabs including no less than £15,800 guaranteed in the beginner’s chase, which attracted three declared runners, one of which was subsequently been scratched.

Related: Enable staying in training for historic Arc bid is a gamble for her owner

Lingfield Park 12.10 Sheila's Empire  12.40 Planetoid 1.10 Sword Exceed (nap) 1.40 Los Camachos 2.10 Reticent Angel 2.40 Bobby K (nb) 3.10 Originaire 3.40 Lady Marigold 

Southwell 12.50 Orchestrated 1.20 Valleyofmilan 1.50 Toosey 2.20 General Custard 2.50 Kimberley Point 3.20 Newquay Cards 3.50 Organdi 

Fakenham 1.00 Mizen Master 1.30 Sweet Destination 2.00 Foxtrot Juliet 2.30 Theclockisticking 3.00 Ontopoftheworld 3.30 Maronette

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