Doncaster fields

Rain needed, good-firm in places isn't something normally seen in mid-Feb

But the place is still a sh1tehole

Prize money (bar the veterans chase) for the card is pretty abject. Standard fare for an ARC track. But ground is probably the main reason for the poor fields.

6 race card that includes a Hunter Chase and a NHF race a poor effort.

and a veterans chase not that i have a problem with them but to have a 6 race card with all three  is poor.

For an all round race day experience Doncaster has deteriorated more than any other course in the uk over the last 10 years or so.

Morning foxy,whilst undoubtedly they've struggled with the weather and the veterans chase has over 18k to the winner the prize money in general since Arc took over has been shocking.
They are lucky that especially on the flat because of the excellent surface trainers are happy to run their horses.
Some of the summer Saturdays have pathetic prize money for a supposed Grade 1 track and the St Leger prize money is pathetic too. Arc shouldn't be in charge of a grade 1 track.
Intended going today but after studying the card last night I've decided against it.

Should say St Leger meeting not actual St leger.

I'm going today with free entry.  You've made me curious Foxy, I last went there over 10 years ago and don't remember being impressed.

Good morning ribero I also planned to have a day out there but changed my mind for the same reason,on another note they have lost the plot with the way they run the place school holidays decent weather for February family enclosure closed.

Davros time goes quick at my age thinking back it’s before the new stand was built it use to be fun going to doncaster

time doesn't go quicker, it just appears to because we get slower!

poor prize money, quick ground

2 great reasons for horses to stay at home

Really irritating policy at the track.  They go out of the left side of the paddock for 2m races and the right side of the paddock for longer races.  This guarantees you don't see the horses going down at all.  The least they could do is do the opposite - especially as most of the race is hidden from view anyway.  Can't say I'll be going again.

Ribero,

Good example on the prize money - we ran a horse there on the Saturday at the start of August in 2001. It was a 0-85 class 4 handicap over 1m 2f, and the first prize money was over £18,000. Same card in 2018, the race is now a 0-105 class 2 and first prize was £12,450.

ARC are offering the minimum they think they can possibly get away with at most tracks.

Its called horseterity innit.

Hi Anorak,yes I can understand that,without checking some of the summer Saturdays the biggest purse of the day can be 20k,you would nearly get as much as Catterick.
I'm pretty sure a lot of the races at the Leger meeting have been considerably devalued.
The Park hill which basically gets a good press and is still known as an important race in the calendar is 100k less than the same race at Goodwood - the Lily Langtry.

Was there yesterday. A few more in attendance than I had anticipated but still a small crowd.

Racing was moderate and it was daft for them to put on a NHF and a Hunters Chase in a six race card. At least, though, they did run them as the last two races so nobody had to hang around if they didn't want to.

Also, only two handicaps was poor.

I've said it elsewhere on here but last year I went racing 175 times and, although I still loved them all, the decline the way courses are run was very evident.

To me, it seems the racecourse management are listening far too much to their 'marketing' people. Hence, get a gimmick and push a day out and ignore the racing.

Last October a whole week before Halloween, Newmarket Rowley Mile ran a 'Halloween Day'. Just plain daft with a handful of ankle-biters racing around the vast open spaces of the course. All the staff were dressed up as horror charcters and the whole afternoon was a bit surreal.

The BHA and the track just do not want to listen to those who go racing for the sport. If they did, they might just find we could help them sell more tickets to non-racing folk, as we know what appeals about the sport better than anyone.

Trainers hitting back- Lingfield Saturday no entries one race and only 1 in another.

Well said the knight

6 race card that includes a Hunter Chase and a NHF race a poor effort.

Just rubbish rico it’s not surprising people can’t be bothered to go national hunt racing.

Rico,

when you was trawling through the historical threads today and you came across one referring specifically to Doncaster that happened to be racing today, did you get a little stiffy?

No but he did when jimnast replied!