Hove news

HOVE is to introduce a new 500m distance which will be used for all four-bend graded races as the 490m trip brought in last December has proven operationally difficult due to the graded strength being split between it and 515m.
Introduced as a less demanding distance than the tough former standard of 515m, there has been a mixed reaction to 490m racing, and new racing manager Daniel Rankin, who made the move from Shawfield earlier this month, has decided to act.
“There's no doubt the 490m was brought in for the right intentions,” he said. “But it's led to a very confused graded situation with two four-bend distances as we've still been using the 515m trip.
“As a result there are some real imbalances in terms of what seeds are available for the various grades and it will simplify things enormously by having all our four-bend graded races over 500m.
“I've canvassed the opinions of our trainers who have all been in favour so we are going to press on as quickly as possible, hopefully by the end of the year.
“We will maintain the one winning line so the 500m start will have a set of traps ten metres further back than the 490m distance, which we will still keep but for open-racing only although 475m will now be scrapped.
“The Winter Derby will now be over the new 500m which feedback suggests will be popular with that longer run to the first bend, while our other big four-bend competitions, the Sussex Cup and Olympic, will stay over 515m which definitely has a place as it's such a spectacle."