First the Stands, next the Mobiles! Bring it on fellas.
CONDITIONED STANDING START EVENTS AT PENRITH
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Stakeholders please note in January 2012 the PenrithHarness Racing Club have programmed Conditioned Standing Start races at each oftheir Tier 2 meetings.
Each race caters for horses assessed no better than C2that have not won more than $2,000 in their last three starts (catering forapprox. 75% of the horse population).
The handicap marks in these events are based on dollarswon in a horses’ last three race starts and not class, with the ranges asfollows; FT $0-$500, 10m $501- $1,000, 20m $1,001-$1,500, 30m $1,501-$2,000.
For example; a C2 that has won $250 in its last threestarts will be off the FT, while a C1 that has won $1,200 in its last threestarts will be off 20m.
The conditions of the race provide alternatives forconnections of out of form or out of luck horses with the chance to compete offthe front row, while better performed horses will start off marks; they alsoprovide an alternative for horses struggling in mobile start events that may beable to find a more forward position in running from behind the strands.
With the first event programmed for Thursday, 5 January2012 and nominations closing on Friday, 30 December, it is imperative that yourhorse is qualified from a Standing Start during the month of December.
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In saying the above (thread title) Standing Starts are for the Dinosaurs.
I realise that they'll allow for ease of Handicapping etc. but geeze, why not focus on the mobile events with more race condition writing ala the Bulli @ Menangle meetings, Bankstown etc? They're not the be all end all either but they're a big step in the right direction.
The earnings last X number of starts aspect to the above really appeals to me, that's how ALL of our bread & butter daily racing should be...but the Standing Start aspect of does not. I say that especially so from the point of view that the push is always on for quick wagering/turnover of races...and these are events that are probably going to take 3 mins+ each on average.