Do trainers ever stop whining about merit ratings and the handicapper? Tellytrack presenter Shaheen Shaw made an observation about the ‘recurring theme’ of the thread that seems to run through most of the interviews on the Under Starter’s Orders Show every Saturday morning.
Justin Snaith, Joey Ramsden, Barry Donnely and Candice Robinson were the interview subjects for today’s Kenilworth meeting hosted by Shaw and Stan Elley.
Snaith suggested that he couldn’t work out how Chestnut Girl landed up carriying 61kgs (she runs in the sixth).
“To be fair, Chestnut Girl runs in an MR 68 Handicap – how good do you really have to be to carry weight in that level of race?” said Elley.
Ramsden said Speed Merchant in the same race was very highly rated. “It is ridiculous, we will just have to keep running her till she dies,” he said.
Stan Elley – ‘it does get tedious’
“What do you feel about these ongoing observations regarding the ratings Stan?” asked Shaw.
“It really does get a bit tedious doesn’t it?” said Elley.
“But you know Shaheen, to be fair, if it goes the other way, then Joey is the first guy to say that he feels his horse is well in.”
The biggest concern must be the fact that such a huge chasm of misunderstanding exists between top trainers and the National Horseracing Authority on matters of routine policy.
It can’t give owners or punters great confidence in investing more time and money in the game, surely?
