STARTING  UNDER NH RULES

Donec returns to this subject reluctantly and with apologies. Needs must, because the signs are ominous.

Recently the BHA’s Mr Stier issued a press release to the effect that he, the jockeys‘ association and the Cheltenham and Aintree authorities had conferred on the subject of large-field starting, and had agreed measures designed to eliminate the ghastly scenes and the gross unfairness that sully the reputation of British jump racing whenever a NH race has more than about 17 runners (as is often the case with valuable and prestigious races. The Grand National sometimes has double that number).

He also announced that these measures would have a fortnight’s “bedding-in” period. That period ended at close-of-play on Saturday 25th October 2014. What did the interested observer learn?

This interested observer was pleased to see that “walking” was now the official pace at which the starting process was to be carried out. That was the good news. The bad news was the fact that the procedures which cause all the trouble are still BHA policy. The procedures are:  a) “Bunch them up and rotate them,” a combination which upsets horses and encourages them to kick each other, and,  b) the rolling maul, whereby horses approach the starting tapes in ranks. Those in the rearmost ranks are severely disadvantaged, and those ahead of them are unjustifiably favoured.  Hence all the problems when the field is a big one. Who wants to be in the sixth, seventh or eighth rank at the start of a horse race – or any race for that matter?

At the same time, an element in the starting process, vital if that process is to work properly, continues to be ignored. I blame myself, because I have known about it for a long, long time, but somehow I failed to promote it as I should have done. I hope to make up for my mistake in the next paragraph.

If, as the runners start to walk towards the starting-gate, the jockeys were given the order to “Make a line, jockeys!” (an arrangement that worked very well for about 200 years), they would be given the opportunity to spread out and assume a formation that would satisfy the requirements of “a fair start”.

Granted that opportunity, the frustration associated with the knowledge that one was likely to be penalised ten or more lengths because of one’s position in the “maul” would cease to be a factor.

Coincidentally, this very day (1^st November 2014), I found myself in a betting shop, watching the 12.55 at Wetherby, with 17 runners. Under the new regime. The “walking maul” came on to the track from the right-hand in-field and the procession turned towards the tapes. Up went the starter’s flag (as per the new edicts). When the last rank was on the track, the flag was lowered and the race began, and my neighbour in the betting shop turned to his mate and said “There’s already twenty lengths between first and last!” – that was when the field was halfway to the first hurdle!

What chance of a true result after such an unfair start? None. How much difference would have been made by inserting a “Make a line, jockeys!” stage? All the difference in the world.

If the new regime is the best the BHA can do, I fear that there will be as much trouble in the future as there has been in the past, and Mr Stier’s men will be banning jockeys  in vast numbers.

MARATHON FEVER

It was either Lord Coe or Steve Cram who responded to the global expansion of marathon-running by begging the public to be careful before launching unfit bodies onto the formidable treadmill of long distance running. Word of this emergency filtered through to Donec, and “Longshanks” (nom de plume of our athletics guru) has glanced at the issue.

Why Donec, do I hear you ask?

Because we believe in responsible evangelism.  It is now several months since we drew the attention of the faithful to the blessings of exercise. Already we think we hear the sound of a thundering herd of New Age Joggers. It’s not impossible that one or several of you is/are panting for the chance to set out along a yellow brick road which stretches into the distance for 26 miles and 365 yards or thereabouts (42 kilometres). Besides, since Sheikh Fahad al Thani  turned a multitude of racehorse trainers into Marathon men, there is every possibility that running will usurp golf’ as the horseman’s favourite sporting recreation. Whoever you  are, and whatever your motivation, before you get carried away by the romance of  the road, heed a word of warning. Here is “Longshank’s” report:

If you look at Mo Farah running 5,000 or 10,000 metres on the track, you will see a long, easy stride that covers a considerable distance of ground. When he is challenged by other long, easy striders, he simply lengthens his stride a little bit, quickens the cadence a little bit, and burns off the opposition.

When he runs a half-marathon (13 miles) or a full Marathon, the length of his stride is even more apparent, because most of the other runners patter along taking three short patters to every one of Mo’s long, easy strides.

The surprising thing is that over the longer distances, in spite of the ease with which he moves, Mo runs out of energy. He was beaten in the Great North run in 2013 (half marathon), he subsequently collapsed at the end of an American half-marathon and this year he was all out to beat his own pacemaker in the Great North Run, a race which was largely run at a pace of his own choosing. In between times he disappointed in the 2014 London Marathon, finishing a tired 8^th after seeming very comfortable and in control at the halfway stage.

The explanation is simple.  With each of those long, easy strides, the lead leg stretches out in front of the runner and the power source then has to propel the body upward and forward to complete that stride and begin the next one. And that effort is required about 14,000 times in a full marathon if the runner’s stride-length is nine foot long. The problem for the long-striding runner is that he has not got sufficient fuel at his disposal to last the trip, because his method burns it up too quickly – simple as that. That is why proper marathon runners patter along with economic strides, impetus coming from a back-foot thrust rather than a front foot stretch. This system uses up energy at a rate that will get the runner from start to finish, and may even allow the sensible runner to accelerate towards the end of the race.

Try Googling  “running form comparison” and then dial up “running form comparison between Bikele, Gabrselassie…” and you will find a tiny filmclip of those two and Mo Farah in slow motion. Play it a few times and you will see that Mo’s stride is just slightly longer than that of the other two, which means more effort with every pace. You will also notice that the other two are sturdier-built around the chest area. This means they have more heart and lung room, which means a bigger energy bank.

Bottom line? Shorten the stride and build up the lungs. Smokers could astonish themselves at the improvement that results from giving up the weed.

Where does the novice come into all this? O novice jogger with ambition, take good advice and spend good money on a good pair of trainers. Take good advice on how to look after the feet. It is also sensible to ask your doctor to check out your heart.

Start your training at a very slow pace. Notice every area of the body which experiences tension, and concentrate on reducing that tension. Typically, round the neck and shoulders, and along the arms.  You cannot afford to jog 26 miles with stiffness in those areas. It – the stiffness – is using up energy and it doesn’t contribute anything to your performance.

Concentrate also on finding out, over a matter of weeks (even months), the pace at which you are most comfortable. Wear a watch and try different speeds: a ten minute mile is a fair starting point.

It is a lovely feeling when you find yourself thinking “My goodness, I could go on at this pace for ever!” You might even experiment further.  ”I wonder what nine and a half minutes feels like?” The great thing is “Be Comfortable!” Most important of all: pitter-patter rather than stretch-stretch.

LITERATURE

Our failure to recommend modern books suggests that Donec is not up to the job. Well, here is  a book that is as new as you can get – hot from the presses; and  one that we can safely recommend without reading a word of it. It is Boris Johnson’s book – The Churchill Factor. In Donec’s opinion Boris is a very great man, and a particularly great writer. I heard some literary critic describe this book as a “romp” through the life of Sir Winston. I would bet money that it is much more than that.

 

CALIFORNIA CHROME

Delighted to see him run a magnificent race in the Breeders Cup Classic (3^rd, beaten a nose and a neck). Let me not forget to applaud second-placed Toast of New York and his Buckley, Osborne, Spencer connections. Likewise the very brave winner Bayern. Another hundred yards, however, and I think CC might well have won.

In the spring CC won the first two legs in the so-called Triple Crown, and finished 4^th in the Belmont (the third leg). This alerted Donec to the American Triple Crown and we analysed this three-race test is for 3-y-o’s. It starts with the Kentucky Derby, early in May over a mile. Exactly a fortnight later comes the Preakness, over just under a mile. The final stage is the Belmont, exactly three weeks later, over a mile and a half. The whole package takes 5 weeks. So, in the spring of their 3-y-o year, three-year-olds are subjected to three gruelling races in a very short period of time. The tout ensemble is supposed to identify the champion three-year-old.

Sensing that the US racing hierarchy needed guidance, Donec wrote to four of the top brass in the sport over there.  We explained that five weeks in the spring is not the time to run a meaningful “championship” for young horses, that asking three-year-olds to run three hard races in five weeks is very horse-unfriendly, and that it provides valid ammunition for anti-racing factions, which I understand are active and powerful in America.

None of the recipients of our words of wisdom replied, but we have no doubt that in due course they will see the light (through gritted teeth, naturally). It may take quite a long time, but we bet they will see the light before the BHA sorts out NH starting arrangements.

We do hope that Ascot will invite California Chrome to come to Royal Ascot. He was given a real good rest after the Belmont, he then had a prep race in which he ran all right, and last night he was back to his best. A fine example of a great horse, two great owners (Steven Coburn and Perry Martin), a terrific trainer (Art Sherman) and a wonderful jockey (Victor Espinoza), who rode a winner (or was it two?) at Royal Ascot in the summer of 2014.

 

Best wishes,

 

Donec