KieranPackman

Why do maidens so often form part of a Placepot? Kieran Packman gripes about that and other things that that have annoyed him since the Flat returned.

'...someone has unfathomably decided to put a race full of unraced three-year-olds as the second in on the card. Fair enough, if that's your attitude, I'll keep my potential levy in my back pocket.'

At last, some proper Flat action. The Craven meeting. Top trainers. Jockeys raring to go. Punting to be done. I think I'll have a crack at the Placepot. Oh, hang on, someone has unfathomably decided to put a race full of unraced three-year-olds as the second in on the card. Fair enough, if that's your attitude, I'll keep my potential levy in my back pocket.

The Wood Ditton is the race in question and its place in the racing calendar at all is surely debatable, given it only appeals to those who've braved the various gallops of the land in the hope of a miniscule edge. But to stick it in the middle of the card is just infuriating. It's made worse by the fact that the opening race that precedes it has eight newcomers amongst a field of a dozen.

Maidens have their place, it would be ridiculous to suggest otherwise, but surely their place is at the end of the card whenever possible? I can't see any reason why this shouldn't be so. As I write this, on an average Tuesday afternoon, Lingfield have two divisions of a maiden and two divisions of a handicap. The handicaps are races 7 and 8 with the maidens at the start. I'd welcome someone with more common sense than I commenting below and explaining why this is the norm. As it is, the Placepot is regularly underbet (by me at least), for this very reason. No.2675 on the to-do list for the snowed under Racing For Change team.

While I'm in a whining mood, how about jockeys that follow pre-race instructions even when events are completely conspiring against them? Step forward Liam Keniry who got into some good old 'my dad's bigger than your dad' aboard the well-treated Cool Strike on Sunday as he wanted to lead, but so did Neil Callan aboard Callisto Moon. Net result, they ruin each other's chance and set it up for the stamina-laden Sherman McCoy.

And, finally, one of the oldest debates in racing, does a tie mean you are a better all-round human being? Apparently so, say the management at Thirsk racecourse. Despite representing a runner on the card, I wasn't allowed in the viewing area I wanted as I'd neglected to wear a neckpiece on a sweltering Spring day. Very tempting to return wearing a tie and nothing else and see what reaction you'd get. In my case I fear it'd be pity, primarily.