Wind-op declarations no bad thing despite evidence it is no road to riches

A year of wind operations being declared on racecards in Britain has not – as many punters perhaps would have hoped – led them on the road to riches.

Racing Post research covering the 12 months from January 19, 2018, when wind surgery was first declared on racecards, revealed that of the 1,355 horses who ran for the first time since surgery, 158 won, for a strike-rate of 11.7 per cent.

That produced a loss-on-investment figure of 16.9 per cent, while putting £1 on all of those runners would have lost you £229.75.

The golden goose was not found there, and it was not to be found backing horses second time out after wind surgery.

There were 154 wins from 1,347 runs for a strike-rate of 11.4 per cent – remarkably similar to that for first-time-out runners. Sticking £1 on those runners would have lost you £199.38.

Such findings may result in many – including from the ranks of trainers, their secretaries, breeders and consignors – wondering whether the exercise was, and is, worth it.

However, the research has uncovered ways to potentially make a profit from wind operations.

For instance, backing colts who have had breathing procedures yielded a level-stakes profit of £39.41 at a 20.9 per cent strike-rate (13-62), with a profit-on-investment of 63.6 per cent.

Entires, geldings, fillies and mares, meanwhile, had negative profit-loss and profit-on-investment tallies – but don't forget punters can lay, as well as back, horses these days.

The stats from year one suggest wind surgery benefits all-weather horses more than turf runnersCredit: Edward Whitaker

All-weather runners have benefited more than their turf contemporaries from wind surgery, with a 6.1 profit-on-investment, against negative returns for Flat horses and jumpers.

A year of stats is hardly conclusive evidence, of course, and maybe the evidence is purely coincidental and will even itself out over time to match the overall figures.

It is, perhaps, a little easier to explain why certain trainers have positive records with their operated-on representatives.

Those prominent in the table-toppers include Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls – the man who seemingly made this hot topic fashionable – and Colin Tizzard, titans of the training ranks possessing years of experience, who know exactly when to push or pull.

They haven't reached the summit of their profession by making bad decisions too often, so it cannot be much of a surprise they have tended to shine in this sphere.

The trio also care for raw material of the highest order, horses who should be winning races, pre- and post-surgery.

Michael Scudamore, on the other hand, might contend that not one of the 14 runners, none of whom won, he had since treatment would improve with a Ferrari engine fitted.

Those who called for wind operations to be made public wanted it chiefly for information, just like they might want horses' weights published; it's grist to the mill and matches the sport's quest for transparency.

Backing horses on their first outing for a new trainer is not a profitable policy, but it would be absurd to say such information should be kept from punters. In fact, little should be kept from them.

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