Forget everything you've read - changes to Britain's novice chase programme are actually helping, and here's the evidence
Matt Butler crunches the numbers to discover whether recent tweaks are having the desired effect
Are you sceptical about the impending launch of Premier racing? You will not be alone if you are – especially in light of this week’s revelation in the Racing Post that the new initiative doesn’t even have a dedicated marketing budget.
The brave new era of British racing launches on New Year’s Day and has had some vocal critics, not least the racecourses that have had their meetings shunted away from the new protected window on Saturdays between 2pm and 4pm.
It might not be the perfect product, or such a boost to British racing that it solves all of the sport’s various challenges, but it might just make a positive impact, maybe even a significant one. If you think that’s too optimistic a take, let me show you my homework.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inData Points
Last updated
Copy- 'Where are all the middle-distance horses?' goes the cry. Here's the answer - and it's not good news for Britain and France
- Never out of the headlines and blamed for the sport's issues - but just what is the truth about prize-money in British racing?
- High-profile changes were made to the British jumps season - did they have an impact or has the sport just rearranged the deckchairs?
- The pool of top-class jumpers is getting smaller - and the Cheltenham Festival Grade 1s were evidence of that
- The numbers you need to solve the Cheltenham Festival handicaps - and four horses who fit the bill next week
- 'Where are all the middle-distance horses?' goes the cry. Here's the answer - and it's not good news for Britain and France
- Never out of the headlines and blamed for the sport's issues - but just what is the truth about prize-money in British racing?
- High-profile changes were made to the British jumps season - did they have an impact or has the sport just rearranged the deckchairs?
- The pool of top-class jumpers is getting smaller - and the Cheltenham Festival Grade 1s were evidence of that
- The numbers you need to solve the Cheltenham Festival handicaps - and four horses who fit the bill next week