OPTIMUM GROUND

Before wagering there are always three major determinations to process. They are trainer form, class of race and the going conditions.

Going conditions are generally given scant regard, yet without doubt rate the single biggest variable in a horses career record, and especially at the extreme ends of the going spectrum. The onus rests solely on the bettor to find out what the optimum conditions are for their wager. We recognise this is not always easy. 

The official goings for British turf courses are: 

• Firm
• Good to Firm
• Good
• Good to Soft
• Soft
• Heavy

A horses predilection for certain underfoot conditions is down to its genetics and conformation, and it is this that will affect its action at fast pace. Visual clues show a high pounding knee action is usually best suited to soft ground, whilst a more fluent less pronounced or straighter knee prefers quicker conditions.

There are many serious racing people who continually and foolishly say good horses go on any ground – they do not! Some are more versatile than others, some handle the conditions better, or have something in hand of their rivals - it is not the same thing!  

Nobody can get this exactly right all of the time, including our best trainers. Having shares with Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson have conclusively proved the point, and it is the regularity of these mistakes that is somewhat annoying. On one of these occasions we were horrified!

We had been surprised the amount of times Paul Nicholls has said a horse needs x ground and then runs it on something different. The case of Blackjack Kentucky is a classic, most recent and personal example. Ever since we bought shares in him, the trainer reiterated (almost on a weekly basis) his charge must have testing condition, the more testing the better. He then runs him on good ground, after the race the horse is diagnosed with a tendon injury which has since kept him off the track for 538 days and counting. No one is saying good ground caused the injury - but why race on it knowing he had to race on very soft to heavy ground to be seen at his best. Paying the bills for his rest and recuperation was one thing, but the decision rendered all forward plans useless and the entry can be at best described as foolish!

Nicky Henderson has trained our horse Pentland Hills for 11 of his races and tells us optimum ground for our Triumph Hurdle winner is good to good to soft ground, yet he has raced him five times on soft to heavy ground? It is our opinion the general betting public are blissfully unaware of these training ministrations. If one accepts the above are errors by the likes of Nicholls and Henderson, can you imagine what life is like further down the chain with lesser trainers?

 Common sense and context dictates we look at the overall form of the horse whenever possible and search for its best and worse runs. One must be mindful that a win on soft ground might not be its best form compared to a third on good ground in a far better race.

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