irish approach to low sun far more sensible...

doncaster?

The French way is good too.

French jump racing is hideous imv.

Often wondered why courses who are obsessed about low sun haven't used a better course design approach basically. If you don't want sun in the faces design more where the sun won't do that - we know where it is after all...

Just put sunglasses on the horses, its not rocket science

dont be silly

All thats needed is to get 2 of the drones to work in tandem and hold a blanket between them and fly it in front of the sun

simples

Busyfool 09 Jan 26 15:26 
dont be silly

All thats needed is to get 2 of the drones to work in tandem and hold a blanket between them and fly it in front of the sun

simples






Will a Queen size duvet do it or would you go bigger?

comes to something when you are actually anticipating the NHF race on the card, so you don't have to guess how many jumps might be taken...

15.26.  Very clever.  Thinking outside the box. 

Or just go about twenty years back in time and no-one, jockeys included, thought it was any sort of issue.

I suspect the jocks don't think it is an issue, but they take full advantage of the namby-pamby, totally risk adverse track officials by having the obstacles removed. Easier and a bit less risky to ride a horse without jumps in the way.

However, the jocks would soon stop moaning if a £10,000 bonus was on offer to jump a few fences into a low sun!

The whole sorry business is indicative of the madness which has now engulfed UK society...

It is the Courses that make the decision not the jockeys

Jan 9, 2026 -- 10:56PM, The Knight wrote:

I suspect the jocks don't think it is an issue, but they take full advantage of the namby-pamby, totally risk adverse track officials by having the obstacles removed. Easier and a bit less risky to ride a horse without jumps in the way. However, the jocks would soon stop moaning if a £10,000 bonus was on offer to jump a few fences into a low sun!The whole sorry business is indicative of the madness which has now engulfed UK society...

wouldn't even need to do that imo

2026 riding fees:
flat £173.54
NH £235.90

risk premium for NH = £62.36 per ride

race comes up scheduled 10 fences to jump, 4 are omitted to "(low) sun" so only 6 are jumped
therefore only 60% of the NH risk premium should be due
brings the riding fee for that race to £173.54 + £37.42 = £210.96

see if their opinion changes when they remove remuneration that they shouldn't be entitled to

It is the Courses that make the decision not the jockeys

my understanding is that the onus is very much on the jocks, has been for some time

the reason there is very late dolling is because the bha protocol is for jocks to ride to the start at race time and assess the sun situation as late as poss, therefore avoiding dolling off if they can, the course can often expect this and be ready but the final say is with the riders

I have driven in low sun a couple of times in the last week or so and literally couldn't see a thing at times.
Haven't a clue if that is relevant to riding a horse but if it is, I certainly wouldn't fancy it.

It most certainly is,the dealer

are you still driving with your eyes closed tom?

I'm sure those in the passenger seat would say yes

it's the ones under your wheels you should worry about lol

Very good point wonders 10.35 but so is the dealer’s 11.32.  I have experienced the same recently and for seconds at a time you can see nothing.

Just design courses so the jumps don't face the fer(ing sun then, not flamin rocket science is it...?

or at very least so that most of the jumps don't - exeter yesterday was so stupid - whole long straight of jumps facing directly into the sun all avoided (though some didn't face directly either, but hey ho, let's just not jump them as usual...)

Jan 10, 2026 -- 11:32AM, the dealer wrote:

I have driven in low sun a couple of times in the last week or so and literally couldn't see a thing at times. Haven't a clue if that is relevant to riding a horse but if it is, I certainly wouldn't fancy it.

we're not talking about genuine low & blinding sunshine, we're talking about things like the warwick boys race last year & that farce on welsh national day when hurdles were omitted in the 2nd race simply because the sun was out

a completely different issue to what you have posted here

in some instances the jockeys are taking the rise with it to avoid risk of getting hurt
yet they are gladly taking a full riding fee

it's 1 or the other imo not both

Would any of the complainers care to ride one into a fence with low sun?
Give it a rest

and I think if the reduced fee came in we'll see obstacles removed only when its legitimate

Jan 10, 2026 -- 2:02PM, uptheirons wrote:

Would any of the complainers care to ride one into a fence with low sun?Give it a rest

like the 2nd race on welsh national day?

EMail the BHA with your questions/suggestions

riding fee doesn't just cover the race

So stu, we will run the Grand National over a straight four miles two plus, going away from the sun?  Yeah?  The finish will be where?  Southport?

its the NH premium I'd be deducting so even if all obstacles omitted in a NH race riding fee would still be £173.54

don't give them ideas loyal they'll be arguing for low sun in april if give them an inch

utter bollox from so dim

what if some of them dont want to miss a fence? give them full whack but not the others?

if the jocks want to jump every obstacle but the racecourse dolls fences off anyway should they be penalised?

you think they all agree now kinfool?

i understand the point about has it gone too far& the sport has gone soft as have many others, but they are going to go the safe route simply to avoid getting sued when someone gets injured

Just think.  We could end up with a Crown Court Champion Hurdle or the No Win No Fee Gold Cup!

we've had a jock sue a jock, so not impossible someone will go after the bha

they are going to go the safe route simply to avoid getting sued when someone gets injured

fine but remuneration should reflect the lower risk

LH on most courses there would be obvious places you could arrange most jumps not to face directly at the sun, fairly simple to at least reduce the issue.

non runner no bet on the no win no fee gold cup

The Strictly Come Jumping King George.

surprised no one has said run the other way round

The Stars In Their Eyes Christmas Hurdle.

the sun in their eyes for the stars in their eyes christmas hurdle

Good edit! 

I am amazed that stu has not been "head hunted" by Government Think Tanks

I'm amazed irons hasn't been awarded the 'avoid the subject' in his posts, for repeated times over.

I'm sure you once actually posted about the topics, rather than other posters your favourite topic.

and LH - get out of his 'arris!

Your suggestions are beyond laughable,stu.
Have you considered changing your posting name to,stu-pid

Still better than your posts irons.

Keep to the topics sometimes instead of trying to be policeman on here.

With posters like you,1st timer and wincanton posting utter nonsense,I remain astounded that you are not Sectioned,stu.
Feel free to correct any mistakes that I have made

As per you only refer to posters irons...it's pretty boring is all. You forgot to add form who you seem obsessed about or Greg.

I'm fairly sure you are quite good at racing, and punting, as you seem to have history - but you never post selections lays or race analysis much. I'm not sure why not.

Stu,I am not interested in "adoration" for selections.
I am quite satisfied with winning or losing.
I will entertain discussing a race pre off if requested and I have a view on the race.

I do get not posting selections on here, fair enough.

I'm pretty sure though, that getting personally harangued for selections, or views, on here is why most also refrain from doing that.

That would be an accurate assessment,stu.
Also,I would never pass on "information" that I might have received

Fair enough.

Why disagree with posts you agree with ?  Anybody? 

As this thread is still active, I must ask the two questions that are never posed about this missing out of fences.

1 / Why was this not an issue in the past then?

2/ And why is it not an issue in France where the obstacles are often built into a track and cannot be shifted?

The whole issue really does demonstrate the generation gap that has developed in the UK more widely than anytime in the past.

Younger people have been brought up totally risk averse and think the removal of all risk is a must. Hence, some of the posts on here siding with the jocks.

But those of use a bit older look back to when low sun was never an issue AND are able to weigh up the risk against the reward, based on how many falls in the past were due to 'low sun'.

And, as for driving into a low sun, well coming back from Redcar last autumn I encountered a low sun problem and it was hard work for a minute or so. Riding a horse across a fence would not be fun but is this fuss made in point-to-points or when riding in a hunt?

No, jocks rule the roost here and although it is up to the courses, nobody is going to refuse a jockey request to remove a fence / hurdle.

But, I repeat, why did jocks in the past not complain?

Jockeys have far more influence now and racecourses, like most businesses, are scared to death of facing litigation or at least their insurers are. If courses insisted on fences being jumped I could forsee jockeys refusing to race.

TK, your passion is admirable.  “In the past” is not a consideration nowadays, in anything.  The contempt in which we (now) older people are held by so many of the young is resolute.  And quite remarkable.  None of your/our opinions or customs/practices hold any sway with them.  To them, we are actually “part of the problem”.
They actually seek to change/rewrite the past so “in the past” is very much that.

Sadly, you are correct Honcho.

But things are always changing and it still amazes me how fast the know-all younger generation come pleading for help from their elders when things have gone awry.

The situation you describe is bang-on for how UK society is right now, but it will not stay that way. Eventually, experience will become valuable again....everything that goes around comes around.

We have to recognise we are basically a bunch of 'old fart' blokes on here, so we aint gonna change this young modern world sadly, in many respects...

alternatively Stu, we are wise, experienced and knowledgeable. It is odd Honcho, TK....in other societies in the world age is revered. Far East , Africa and many of the Mediterranean countries. It is a particular characteristic of some modern Western " progressive" nations that youth has acquired such power. In the 60's when I was a kid, the idea that the adult world would have revolved around me and my brother would have been laughed at. "Seen but not heard". Maybe the over-indulgence of youthful folly, and the elevation of their views to the level of adulation (Greta spring to mind)is a reaction of the boomer generation to their own childhood. Good luck.

I don’t remember being that way.  Yes I thought I could change the world and yes I thought Glenn Miller’s music was naff and yes I took the p out of older folk but only with a respect that I learned from my family etc;   I remember an uncle at a New Year get together taking the p out of my platform shoes, which were dead cool ( at least I thought so ).  His words were “When I was young you only wore shoes like that if you had a club foot”.  And we ALL laughed.  He wasn’t disrespecting me, he was having a knowing laugh.  The same man came to me at my wedding reception and told me if I ever needed help I was only to ask.

Thanks Donegal.  A mate of mine lived and worked through Spain, Portugal, Morocco etc; for an decade and he told me the same thing about their reverence for their old and aged.  So different to us here he said.
One of the best descriptions of the “invisibility” of old people to the young come in an episode of Manhunt on the Night Stalker where Clunes’s character is sat in a car talking to a female colleague. If you see a repeat on give it a look in. The female relates a comment from her elderly mother which sums it up perfectly.