RACING FORUM

Posted: **Wed Oct 18, 2023 11:42 am**

Well here we go again, its mid October and this weekend its Champions Day at Ascot. The going early this week at Ascot was Soft. We are expecting a serious amount of rain tonight and tomorrow, some estimate it to be over 100mm. So its going to be what it is nearly every year, bottomless going. How can you possibly run 'Championship' racing on going so dire that many prospective champions will not even bother to turn up. British Racing is being made a laughing stock because those responsible for the decision to switch races from Newmarket to Ascot and vice versa and construct a championship event were wrong. They should put their hands up and admit it was a mistake and try to put it right. You can count the number of times the going at Champions day was good or better on the fingers of one hand. Why, well simply because Ascot is essentially a summer track. The going is often dire in the spring and nearly always in the autumn. Even a lot of jump trainers complain. Quite how a major track that has had million spent on it can't provide a decent surface to race on is beyond me. With modern drainage techniques it should be possible even in the Thames valley to have good ground. The straight course is only a few years old but still it will be a mess at the weekend with all sorts of unworthy winners that win simply because they handle the going better. Ascot is not a fit and proper place for elite flat racing in mid to late October. It never was and probably never will be.