NEW SEASON BABIES SET TO GO

This weekend sees the first of the new season two year olds hit the track for the first time and I for one am very much looking forward to watching the babies step out. Over the past few seasons we haven't had either the quantity or the quality of precocious young horses that we have in years gone by. We have certainly taken care of quantity this season however it is quality that we are looking for. That only comes from sifting through numbers and assessing as early as possible what is likely to make an early runner and what needs time.

This weekend we have a number of young horses nominated however we are only likely to run 2 or 3 of them depending on what gains a start. I know it may sound like I am pushing my own barrow but I can't for the life of me understand why we only have one two year old race every fortnight from October through till January yet we continue to program races at mid week meetings for horses, a lot of which would battle to win a race at Mt Magnet.

Training young horses is completely different to training tough old gallopers which have been around for years. Young horses can be only one more gallop away from shin soreness or general growing pains as well as simply having had enough. Throw into the mix that most youngsters will get some form of upper airway disease during their first preparation, makes it more important that there are races available for them every week. There are 8 races most days of the week around the state for the older horses yet only one race every fortnight for the babies.

Personally I believe that the two year olds create far more interest and excitement than a field of plodders. No disrespect intended towards our older equine friends who have been around 60 or 70 times for 2 or 3 wins but they do have plenty of options available to them for when and where they can race. I don't see race clubs programming a $200,000 or a $1,000,000 race for horses with a 55- 65 rating yet the Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond Stakes are both Gr 1 races with high stakes as is the Karrakatta Plate. Surely that in itself tells us that we should cater more for this age group of horses.


Over the winter months we see time and time again small fields going around for $40 or $50,000 so I don't think the argument that they sometimes end up with small fields in early season two year old races is a strong enough argument not to run them. Every state in Australia has small fields at different times of the year for different reasons. Considering most trainers now have more babies in their stables than ever before and the racing authorities have been told as much I believe the issue needs revisiting. I often wonder why race clubs and our racing authorities in general don't become more proactive instead of sitting on their hands and being reactive when it comes to issues such as these. Then again, Ive been wrong before and will be again but somehow I don't think I am on this issue!!!