Barrier Trials - Yea or Nay?

Thanks,plenty going to be happy with you Louisg.Excellent by Gunter on Live In Love.

I know this is not exactly thread, but thank you Louis for your honest feedback. I had a good strike based on your comments and how bullish you were. Appreciated. Heart in mouth stuff.

Very well said louis but unfortunately nobody is listening

Some very good points raised by LG imo - so the question is why would the powers-that-be not take note ..... barrier trials imo can be beneficial to trainers to prepare first-timers for that first outing - but if its main purpose is to give punters some insight, I don't think it is worth much in its current format, unless it can be controlled better like in other jurisdictions.

By the way - do the jocks weigh in and out like normal races - and what exactly is the rule - I'm sure I saw unraced juveniles taking part in races without partaking in a trial ?

Clearly majority don't see the benefit.

I don't know what people are expecting. Maybe that's the problem. When a trainer gives his horse a good gallop in its race prep he is not likely to be doing so always over its distance, nor as flat out as he can, and such are the barrier trials. It's really just like a good gallop with a chance to pass through the stalls, run with a field of horses, and to let punters gauge it's work, not look at trial form . Watching a horse like Winx, or Werther doing barrier trials, nobody has a sh1t because they run 3rd to handicappers.
Used properly it's just another bit of info for trainers,owners , punters, and racing press to note in relation to its program. Not a replacement for anything or not to say there isn't a bunch more that would be relevant on race day as mentioned earlier. Clearly places like Hong Kong, Australia etc are not clueless when it comes to racing and find value in the trials, but I guess SA punters / trainers know better. Just saying.

@ louisg

thank you for your honest comments on your runners yesterday.

easy wrote: also NEVER shortened into 1/1000 after the whole world saw it working..in public.

:lol: :lol: Punters expect barrier trial winners to come and WIN at the races

Frodo
Barrier trials are compulsory in KZN for all unraced horses and for all horses which have not run for 120 days or more. This is with effect from 1st March 2018. So, yes, barrier trials were not compulsory and first timers could run without a barrier trial. After the barrier trial the horse must run within 60 days or do another barrier trial if the race is more than 60 days away. Yes, all jocks must weigh out and all runners must have a valid Starting Stall Certificate.

My 2 cents worth, racing is as much about instinct or gut feeling as it is about form , barrier trials have added a different dimension as I have seen some that have peaked my interest and have been waiting eagerly for them to run , win or lose , anything that brings the interest back into racing can't be bad imo

Cannot disagree with the principle Craig. But we are a different Racing Country in many ways. Overseas , horses have a number and work in those number cloths every day. People watch the work and know the horse's name from the number. Long before a barrier trial, lots of work goes into a horse. That would also be very interesting to watch.

And the truth of the matter remains that not all Trainers are able to, or choose to have a first timer cherry ripe. And then there are some whose first timers are completely clueless first time out. For these, Barrier Trials are an aid and are for the betterment of all in Racing.

It is vital , though , to always remember that the guys who are capable of setting up a first timer and of backing that horse, will also be able to send out a trialist in a very green and underdone condition and then bring the horse on in leaps and bounds over the following 6 weeks, after the trial.

The heart of the decision to make barrier trials compulsory in KZN was to aid Punters and also a way to stop alleged "insider trading". And I just do not see this being achieved with these Barrier Trials. Just my opinion....

Couldn't agree more , this is def not going to aid those trying to make a living from racing

As long as i have been racing the word on unraced horses has been this horse worked with a 4 time winner or as easy puts it a merit rated 80 or 85..you want to have a bet on a first timer you do PROPER PACEWORK WITH A HORSE WHO HAS PROVEN ABILITY AND IS A DECENT TRACK HORSE as we all know some horses dont show their best work at home ...AT THE MOMENT YOU ARE GIVING HORSES FIRSTLY 70 SECONDS TO RUN A 1000M IN AND SECONDLY WE DONT KNOW WHAT ABILITY THE HORSES WHO THEY ARE TRIALING WITH HAVE..i am talking from a punters point of view not a trainers point of view but the trials in the current form are a complete waste of time for punters ..PUNTERS WANT TO KNOW THE REAL GALLOPS BACK HOME CLOSE TO RACETIME NOT SOME CANTER OR HALFPACE DONE AT THEIR LEISURE AGAINST OTHER HORSES WHOSE ABILITY WE HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT...