SANDRACER.COM - All-Weather Racing Is The Next Big Thing

All-Weather Racing - The Next Big Racing Thing?

Being an all-weather racing fan, of course I am going to think racing on the fibresand Tapeta (southwell) and polytrack meetings (kempton, lingfield, wolverhampton update: may 2016: (newcastle) is going to be the next big thing where British horse racing is concerned. The fact horses get injured less racing on the sand is a major plus for all-weather racing alltold. The biggest negative is the relative low-grade, not far from banded races run all too often on the sand-tracks, but I think that will change over time.

Personally, I prefer to know the going and which horses can handle the sand-like surfaces. I seem to win alot more money betting horses on the all-weather racing tracks, than on the turf.

The Bookies certainly don't mind your all-weather racing either. Less abandoned race meeting during the winter, means more betting turnover in the highstreet betting shops, obviously being the reason.

A new all-weather racetrack - Great Leighs Chelmsford is currently being built in sunny Essex, albeit slowly. Plus Sedgefield has applied for and gained planning permission to build another all-weather track.

Musselburgh are waiting with baited breath for the Scottish Executive's go ahead, after gaining planning permission to install Scotland's first all-weather surface. Apparently even Newbury are mulling over whether to join the sand-racing trend soon.

Financial Times writer Robin Oakley seems to like the UK racing on the sand. Citing various high profile jockeys and racehorse trainers in his all-weather racing report published on March 24, 2007. Aptly entitled The Going Is Good On Britain's All-Weather Tracks (archive.org).

There are still quite a few all-weather racing knockers though. Highlighted by a recent BBC 606 All Weather Racing Discussion Thread (archive.org) (24 March 2007). Some of which I agree with, but the majority of all-weather haters are traditionalists, who prefer not to listen to racing trainers who state that their horses rarely get injured running on the sand.

# Page Last Updated: Mon Dec 16, 2024