I have to say I’ve been disappointed with the new all-weather track at Chelmsford.
It’s Polytrack like Lingfield & Kempton but has been riding more like the fibresand at Southwell, it’s very deep, slow and the kickback severe, in fact the worst I’ve seen in the UK.
It will improve as it beds in and more racing takes place on it, its been cold and dry so lots of rain will help but they need to do something soon as the field sizes have been pretty small. From a punting point of view there is a definite speed bias over the sprint distances, you need something that breaks fast and races up with the pace, positioned just off the rail, the meeting last Thursday night four winners fitted this profile.
The races are almost identical to the new dirt track at Meydan where it’s a front-runners paradise.
Also noticed a big draw bias at Southwell over the sprint course the stand side rail, high draws, have virtually no chance need to come up the middle, low draw. On the round course again the far rail is very slow, low, you want something drawn in the middle.
With several jump meetings frozen off recently I put it out on social media, almost jokingly, that it might be an idea to bring back all-weather hurdle races as technology has moved on a lot since 1993. I don’t think it would be impossible to develop a synthetic surface suitable for hurdling. I was amazed how positive a reaction it got! The size of jump fields this season has been embarrassingly small; maybe they do need to try something different.
New entries to my all-weather hotlist of horses to follow:
TRIMOULET, ELLE SHADE & ZOELLA.
Back next Tuesday.
Jimmy Welsh
The Shrewd Tipster
http://go.betfan.com/1000/295
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