Quote Originally Posted by The Form Student View Post
If as you say, they don't make any difference.....why have them?......so punters who back these runners feel they are getting a fair go? You don't seem to have any response for the runners that come wide (travelling extra distance....which you agree is the case in reality) regarding their chance of catching the leaders, and then a free run to a sprint lane runner......I know the answer........tough luck!

YOUR QUOTE: "IMPORTANTLY, PUNTERS saw their horse get out and HAVE A CHANCE!!! So what do you have to say about the other runners, providing a free benefit to a runner that has already had a bludge run??? Isn't that important?" Hard luck stories in races are plentiful, so you help one runner with the SL, what about the rest! Like any other runner you take your chance on getting a run!! It's really simple, keep racing as natural as it can be.........let circumstances sort themselves out!
Steve.
Please show me where i have said, "they don't make any difference"

I have never said that.
Of course they make a difference.

I have tried to show you and others, they are not as evil as you think.

MY POINT IS, they can have a POSITIVE effect when for example a FAV (or any horse) is "locked away" and wouldn't get a chance, but then a SL lets him out, and Steve, the damn horse NEVER ALWAYS WINS WHEN HE GETS THAT SL run mate!!!!!!! This is my point. You carry on like every race a SL is used that horse wins- IT DOES NOT ALWAYS WIN STEVEN!

And based on your "You don't seem to have any response for the runners that come wide", i thought that the "you won't be happy till all trots races are run in a straight line" idea may have fixed that up, obviously not.
i can tell you that in my last post i had actually written something which i then chose to delete as it may have come across as a smart a** comment/question.
It basically questions how long you have been watching the trots?
Have you not noticed that since day dot, trots in Australia have been raced on a round/oval shaped track?
Have you not noticed that 100 years BEFORE SL existed that it has been SO UNFAIR that horses on the rails/pegs COVER LESS GROUND?
So whats new about horses on the pegs covering less ground, mate this has happened since forever, have you never realised this before?
Have you not noticed that sometimes with NO SL a leader CAN drift up the track and that in 1952, before 1952 and after 1952, I'm sure this happened lots of times where the horse with the sit came up the inside and won?
Whats new here Steve? Nothin.
Horses have "been coming wide" since day dot steve. SL or no SL...
Thats OUR SPORT
Thats OUR TRACKS
And every owner trainer driver punter knows that barriers determine what kind of run you get, and depending on where you draw depends on how much ground you may need to cover on the little bloody circle they run around!
So driver skill, horse ability, fitness and luck can play a part to how you go on the day, but you know what, every horse gets another chance.
You may get a crap draw today, have to do too much work like any horse since 1952, and next start you may get barrier 2, get a cost run and get in the money.
Swings and roundabouts.
Its not as if 1 race determines that horses career.