Sunday Evening Racing Scrapped in Britain...

They were all at evensong.

No idea what Countryfile is tbh , can you bet on it   

Sunday evening racing will not be implemented in Britain following a trial period this year after it failed to generate sufficient betting interest and attracted negative feedback from participants.

While the BHA said the initiative could be revisited “when circumstances allow”, it acknowledged the trial had not hit its targets of increased betting and had been mostly unpopular with jockeys, stable staff, trainers, BHA staff and owners.

The fixtures did not meet the target for betting turnover of outperforming midweek floodlit fixtures by 15 to 20 per cent, with the average turnover in fact being down three per cent.

There were a total of 498 runners at the six all-weather evening meetings that took place between January and March, with 91 per cent of the races having at least eight runners. The fixtures had been scheduled in an attempt to capture additional digital betting revenue after data shared by bookmakers indicated it was a fallow period in the racing calendar where punters were betting on other sports.

However, despite receiving additional payments for taking part in the trial, stable staff and jockeys raised concerns about their work-life balance and others voiced how Sunday evening racing would stress an already stretched workforce servicing the existing fixture list.

I'm glad. Jockeys are not animals that can perform at the same high professional level each time of the day, 24/7. The travelling to and fro from venues is too taxing to be safe.

An own goal by BHA...to appease the bookies no doubt.

Thank feck. Only nite I git aff

When I worked shifts I thought the same but people still expected the service to run.

So an adverse affect on betting turnover, unlike the shocking results Monday to Saturday? Can the BHA fix a few of those?

Good to see support on here for working people though. Long live the revolution.

Power to the people.

Right on brother.

Personally, I would rather watch Countryfile than the all-weather, even the current box ticking version.

It was more erasing of the country's traditions through the cultural revolution that has taken place. 'The day of rest', as it was, though obviously it wasn't for those doing essential jobs.

Good to have an evening off. Were these additional fixtures for the trial or moved from other days of the week?

Some people who have worked all week like to go out on their day off.

Listening to some of this reminds me of years past when we had to put up with "The Lords Day Observance Society".

I've no idea how many attended those meetings sparrow, but I would guess not many.

In Germany and Switzerland they make Sunday a 'quiet' day, I think mowing the grass is illegal.

Do we have uk dog racing on Sunday nights in the shops?

Greyhound Racing is on it's last legs but still operates Sunday nights.

Fantastic. Hilarious how though instead of tail between the legs the statement makes it sound as though they were right to do it.

Well they obviously were right to try it. It failed but if you didn't try you don't know.

I'm sure it's the correct decision, horrible overkill that proved to be unpopular with pretty much all concerned.

Leaving that aside, Sunday evening's is for NFL anyhoo.

they didn't exactly give it a chance though.

My reasons are 1stly, it's terribly expensive to go horseracing; 2ndly, racecourses are out-of-town and difficult to get to (and back); 3rdly, longer time in-between races; 4thly, all-weather mostly; 5thly, the following day is Monday (work day); 6thly, already excessive all-weather racing.

I'd support Saturday evening horseracing on the turf. At least a day to recover the next day.

shoodacoodadidnt 20 May 24 18:09 
they didn't exactly give it a chance though.




Correct.

Meanwhile, on here most people just concerned with their own personal preferences.

May 20, 2024 -- 11:06AM, sparrow wrote:

Some people who have worked all week like to go out on their day off.

not to a racecourse on a sunday night in winter they don't

@MJK

What truehoncho said - if you don't try it, you never know.  IMHO in business one should be brave enough to try new things, and brave enough to admit the ones that don't work and kill them fast; how else does one learn?

May 20, 2024 -- 12:49PM, longbridge wrote:

@MJKWhat truehoncho said - if you don't try it, you never know.

My point is though by saying they're still gonna look stcit going forward tgey won't admit the failure that it was. Another mob on the gravy train.

^ apologies for the texting gone haywire

This Sundays itv racing show was the most boring thing I’ve had to see on tv , the coverage was terrible, we have the derby soon not a sausage on that instead we had Luke sent out to try drum up comments, the racing itself was also terrible, these crap handicaps is not what we want, it was embarrassing and no one will mourn it’s loss, it’s ok the bha and itv getting paid by bookmakers to show this crap  on tv but the lesson should be learned, itv had better up there game or apart from the class days they will lose all there viewers

It's strange because the Sunday Series is really good. I can see a case for having a meeting after that so those punting in the day could give their winnings back. Still not to be I suppose.

Thought itv won a racing bafta

Julia Harrington should walk the plank. Another ill-conceived idea.

robbing midweek prize-money to fund this garbage,
courses willing to provide fixtures not caring whether people turn up or not as long as they get their wedge for staging an event.
courses not bothering to open restaraunts because it costs too much to staff.

Well worth a try,how else can anything progress.

Sunday football was new once.

Given the way the country,people’s life’s etc have changed,I think racing is missing a trick,Sunday could be like Saturday,given footy betting has grown,there are potential punters around on a Sunday.

The day off arguement is less relevant since supermarkets opened,and church attendance dropped.

The only financial issue for racing ,is,city,town centre footfall for shops from a Tuesday to a Sunday.

Degenerates now in mourning, no names mentioned.

Degenerates??

catering for 24/7 gamblers, no one but connections would want to go to a meeting on a Sunday night, and most of them didn't want to go either.

I have no interest in jump racing but I appreciate that others do. We have no right to describe people who do not share our particular interest in horse racing as degenerates.

50-odd races Saturday afternoon, 30-odd races Sunday afternoon but no, I need another 6, ridiculous.

As was trialling it in the middle of winter. Though that's when the desperados are short of doing anything else with their lives.

May 20, 2024 -- 2:22PM, comingupthehill wrote:

Well worth a try,how else can anything progress.Sunday football was new once.Given the way the country,people’s life’s etc have changed,I think racing is missing a trick,Sunday could be like Saturday,given footy betting has grown,there are potential punters around on a Sunday.The day off arguement is less relevant since supermarkets opened,and church attendance dropped.The only financial issue for racing ,is,city,town centre footfall for shops from a Tuesday to a Sunday.

The reason football betting has grown is because its seen, in general, as honest. Racing is more rancid than ever now.

swiftynifty 20 May 24 22:36 
50-odd races Saturday afternoon, 30-odd races Sunday afternoon but no, I need another 6, ridiculous.

As was trialling it in the middle of winter. Though that's when the desperados are short of doing anything else with their lives.



Of all those races you mention on Saturday and Sunday I doubt if any more than 10% would interest me. You seem to be of the opinion that people who don't gamble as you do, are to quote you "desperados".If anyone is being ridiculous then that is clearly yourself. I bid you good night.

There's already enough AW to smother the NH season and I'm talking as predominantly a flat racing fan. AW should be there to keep the show on the road , 1 meeting a day just in case the weather is bad. The seasons are there for a reason. Horses can't run all year round. They need a rest just like the punter does.
Clearly not punters like you though, have a night off sparrow, at your age you've earned it.

Without the AW lower grade racing would struggle even more than it is now. The AW is keeping the sport alive and relevant and is providing opportunists for young trainers and jockeys that are not part of the 'racing family' (i.e gravy train).

i thought we got these sunday nights because BHA/bookmakers had done extensive research and had the figures to back up that sunday night racing is what the public wanted, presuming they now dont admit to lying all those involved should be sacked and bookmakers told to keep their noses out of any future decisions

Research in advance is all very well, you never know until you try.

Theatres in the West End used to be 'dark' on Sundays, now they typically close on Monday instead as people want the chance to do recreational things on weekend evenings.

Good to hear people enjoying their Sundays off, longbridge.

so go to theatre,racing anywhere sunday night,try to get transport home,to get to bed to get up early for work on monday,that would make every night of the week a weekend, only good  thing about bank hol mondays is it make sunday a complete day off like sat
why do you think even windsor have never raced on a bank hol monday night ?
who arranges anything/puts on anything for a bank holiday monday night ?
which would be the same as doing something on a normal sunday night

If your argument against Sunday evening racing is we have work on Monday, by that thinking we would only have evening racing or theatre trips or dinners on Friday or Saturday?

The arguments they put up about Sunday evenings just get sillier by the day. You would think they were all 6am starts and 12 hour shifts to listen to them.

for me sundays/sunday nights even feel different when your on your summer hols in spain for 2 weeks,weve moved on to tea time football,but i,d never go or want to go to a sunday evening football KO,going racing wouldnt even cross my mind

about 20 yrsago i,d have a walk out in summer locally for a pint on a sun night and had to walk past a chinese ,i was gobsmacked that people would get a chinedse takeaway on a sunday night , i ,m old enough to remember when the chippie didnt open on a sunday anywhere in uk

The trial wasn't all about people attending the track which several keep mentioning but obviously included the revenue generated from off course betting.

based on people betting on football,it would be like having top class meetings on a sat night based on people playing the lottery,ive punted for 45 yrs but unless it was chelt or royal ascot etc i wouldnt dream of having a horse racing bet on a sunday night,watched that sunday racing at newmarket left me cold never even thought of having a bet,different strokes i suppose

@1st tp

"when the chippie didnt open on a sunday anywhere in uk"

Clement Freud MP moved an amendment to the Sunday Trading Act back in 1980 to legalise the sale of fried fish on Sundays.

That was one of the weird things from the old law - you could legitimately buy a Chinese or Indian takeaway on a Sunday evening, but not fish & chips.

Why were you gobsmacked btw - do you associate a takeaway Chinese with a different night of the week, or do you have a habitual Sunday evening meal that isn't Chinese?

Am I the only one who liked the concept of Sunday nights?

Certainly not Cardinal but we will always be in a minority with this one on here.

Am I the only one who liked the concept of Sunday nights?

You, Sparra and julia Harrington.

BHA brief is to attract new people to racing except attempting to drag families out on a sunday evening was a non-starter but those in an ivory tower have no grasp on reality.
An attempt to increase betting turnover during an economic crisis could only end in tears.
Attendances have been dropping across the board but the ivory tower mob are blind to the concept.
Can a progressive move suchg as this be deemed pragmatic if the board are robbing midweek prize money to fund sunday evening cards?

If there was an evening card this Sunday coinciding with Bank Holiday monday you might deem it worth exploring perhaps but not on a wet cold night during autumn or winter.


Doubtr you'll see this folly repeated for some years to come.

Leif is still an honorary member of The Lords Day Observance Society and regularly attends evensong.

just old school, dont/never  equated takeaways with sundays,sunday tea should be was always cakes /trifle etc

Ah ok, that's never been a thing in my life.

As a boy growing up, Sunday lunch was always a roast with all the usual trimmings.  Sunday evening meal would be salad in the summer, something hot but light in the other months, but never sweet stuff.

And that was 40+ years ago, so now I do as I want.

butterfly cakes/sandwich picnic on seafront in summer on sunday afternoons in the 60,s zeypher or riley

The right decision, particularly for stable staff.

What about all the other people who have to work Sunday evenings?

Like betting shop staff?

It's not about who works, it's about what works and whether it suits all parties from a financial and well-being perspectives.
If you can't see past that you're buggered.

Looking at it from a 1900 and frozen to death lens is utterly stupid.

You talk utter nonsense with a stone age mentality.

you need to stop digging

It's all about the staff imo, both the stable staff and the racecourse staff, and the betting shop staff, who have had this thrust upon them, and now thankfully won't have to do it anymore for now. They can now enjoy once again their sunday night off. I am not concerned about other professions who work on a sunday evening and knew what they were signing up for.

leif 21 May 24 20:38 
you need to stop digging



As I recall you're the one that likes to go digging.

You appear to be in support of robbing midweek prize money to maintain a crutch for a folly, to be belligerently ignorant of the mental well being of the nuts and bolts of the industry that are generally worn out by sunday evening and merely want to spend some down time with their kith and kin, just so as you can watch them operate as automatons seven days a week for your amusement.

Last race on a Sunday should be around 6 o'clock.
Stable staff have a chance to get back & nick a swift pint.

I should add, respect to anyone who works on a sunday evening or at any other times , rather than ponsing benefits off the taxpayer and expecting them to pay for them raising their family etc...as long as they're not doing both outside the parameters.

Exactly layemall.
This tw4t minds not a jot that stable staff are up at the crack of dawn and on times not back home until very late that night.
There's only a finite staffing level that has to spread themselves very thinly.

Imagine having Sparra as your boss Not that he would last more than 5 minutes in modern times.

Betting he wa a right cn4t if he was given a badge

You have no idea what I did in my working life, leif.  I care about about all working people and not just the ones that suit my point of view at any particular time.

National Association of Racing Staff
The Racing Centre, Fred Archer Way
Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 8NT

Phone: 01638 663 411

Email: admin@naors.co.ukSunday racing and Sunday racing payment
Where off-rota staff are asked to go racing or to cover work in the yard, it will be on a voluntary basis. Staff who go racing on a Sunday fixture will receive a Sunday Racing Payment of £30.00.

https://www.naors.co.uk/help/pay-and-expenses/

£30

Is that the price of a person's mental well-being given they will be away from their loved ones having worked all week getting up before the sun does and getting home when the sun has set and their children are in bed?

The guys at the bottom of the chain are over-worked and underpaid. Stretch an elstic band to breaking point and see what happens.

Voluntary .  Hourly rate at the time this was published was £11.44 an hour.  I would not support any member of the stable staff having to work for less than the agreed hourly rate and would support strike action if it was taken.

what's the point

https://www.naors.co.uk/help/pay-and-expenses/



Read the Stable Staff wages and conditions agreement and if a stable can't abide by the pay and conditions then they should not be in business.

The point is made and If you can't understand it then be quiet and go away.

Aside from all the rights and wrongs of whether there should be Sunday racing or not, the decision by the BHA to scrap it after just six meetings is absolutely typical of a panicky leadership that wants every new idea to work straight away. In the real world, things just do not happen overnight. Very worrying that those in charge are so weak and so prone to knee-jerking.

I stress, this is aside from the rights and wrongs of racing on Sunday evening but all about the BHA and their awful management.

Once the BHA had decided to try Sunday evenings, it really needed to be given a proper trial. Honestly, 6 meetings all in winter on the AW. Hardly designed to generate big bucks betting anyway!

I suspect the BHA haven't got a clue what to do next. But, because Premierisation, is so high-profile, and backed by the top execs of the BHA, I'll bet that however poor it turns out in practice (which it will), it will not be scrapped in such a short space of time.

The BHA are pathetic and make themselves a laughing stock every time they open their mouths.

Julia Harrington scrapped as well.

useless ****

As I said on the actual Harrington thread " A stone age mentality exists"

You'd be old enough to recall that era no doubt

And you will be an honorary member.

What does a stone age mentality mean in the context of the BHA or Harrington please

isleham 11 Jun 24 21:28 
What does a stone age mentality mean in the context of the BHA or Harrington please







See the actual Harrington thread.