Oh dear 14 (in 2 heats) for a $40,000 2yo race.
http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/st...0952/bad-draw/
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Oh dear 14 (in 2 heats) for a $40,000 2yo race.
http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/st...0952/bad-draw/
Maybe Hector has scared them off - not JJ but Call Me Hector
https://www.harness.org.au/fields.cfm?mc=LE261216
Very strange, where are all the 2 yo's ? Owners should be jumping at this one. There are no other 2 year old races in the land on that date.
Not surprising or strange at all.
Been a similar story for a number of years.
They are only early season 2yos so many not ready to race anyway but with so many major 2yo races later in the season why would you want your 2yo up and about this early to burn out before the big G1s. Even if you are ready to race this time of year it would do your head in nominating for run of the mill 2yo races have the races not stand up due to lack of noms.
Leeton have moved the race back to Australia Day for next season because NSW have stopped 2yo racing before Dec 31. Should be moved back later - end of Feb would be ok in the lead up to Bathurst (no more Linden Huntley anymore either).
There were only 3844 live foals in 2014-15
That is 1035 less than in 2011-12 (a drop of 21% in 3yrs)
That is 1501 less than in 2010-11 (a drop of 28% in 4yrs)
We seem to be declining at a rate of 7% pa
There were however 22 runners for 3 heats last year
There may be less trainers aiming their babies at early 2yo races or maybe it is simply a case of less being ready this year
ps It was worse in 2014 - only 2 heats of 6 while 2013 was the same as this year so I guess 14 this year despite a decline of 21% in foals over the 3yrs is pretty good :confused:
14 ran in the heats in 2007. Foal numbers, while an issue in itself, isn't the reasoning for the lowly number of entrants at Leeton.
NSW..........in 2015 total services (inc imp semen) 1624 . In 2016 total services (inc imp semen) 913.
I don't know whether we should go back that far Brendan as it was in 2008-9 that the $ for the heats and final doubled
2008 = 22
2009 = 18 (2 heats)
2010 = 18 (3 heats)
2011 = 27 (first time TAB meeting)
2012 = 18 (2 heats)
2013 = 14
2014 = 12
2015 = 22
2016 = 14
so it seems the decline has been most pronounced in 3 of the last 4 yrs
2007 was the year of EI therefore prize money was less and no one could travel. There were only 28 pay up to nominate for the race initially. The November nomination fee probably limits its number a little. Anyway I got one to cheer for, god give it speed!!