Farewell Twitter

I’ve written before about new technology and the benefits and disadvantages and the techbnology is something I embrace.

A look at my @orsracing twitter account tells me I have made 18,824 tweets.

My next tweet on that account, pointing to this blog, will be my last.

There are two reasons why this is so.

Many of my tweets have been paddock views and I know from feedback many people have appreciated my views, even if they haven’t always been spot on the button.

Yesterday I was tweeting from Leicester and I sent a series of tweets commenting on the quality of the feature race, especially when comparing with the quality of Sprinter Sacre’s run at Aintree.

Unfortunately one of the tweets was taken completely out of context and it provoked some strong responses.

Let me say I have no problem with people disagreeing with what I say. I love debate and, as many will know, I love playing the part of devils advocate.

However I believe any debate should be civil, even if one totally disagrees with the other persons perspective.

However there was one comment made yesterday which I thought was a cheap shot and, although I am thick skinned,  I found highly offensive.

I don’t see why I should have to suffer such comments.

I do the tweeting as an aside to my other work, it’s not something I have to do and it is not something I expect thanks for, although when I do get thanks it is very much appreciated.

I don’t mind getting criticism or if people disagree with me, wouldn’t life be boring if we all agreed.

I don’t however see why I should go to the effort of Tweeting if I am going to be subjected to snide asides.

The other reason I’m leaving Twitter is, in a way related, and it involves the so called discussions concerning the Grand National fences.

My reservations about the National are well documented and I have no intention of rehashing them here. However I was personally very much affected by the death of Little Josh yesterday.

After the race there was the usual plethora of Tweets from both sides.

What really annoyed me was the utter intolerance of many of those who support the race and purportedly support racing.

There is a near Stalinist attitude with many, where anyone who questions the National or the fences is summarily dismissed as being a crank, ignorant or an animal rights extremists, or somebody who is inherently anti-racing.

They will not or cannot accept there are many of us who love the sport in general do still have genuine concerns about the National course and the National itself.

Why do these people resort to dismissive abuse as their default position? Is it out of desperation because they are unable to offer reasoned explanations to support their case?

I am more than happy to properly debate the issues until the cows come home ….. I have no wish to debate with those who cannot display even basic common courtesy.

Twitter, at its best, can be a great tool but it also has a nasty underside.

I deliberately left it a day before taking this decision, which has not been easy, however having slept on it I feel the same, if not even more strongly about how I feel. 

I have “met” some really lovely people through my racing tweeting and I will very much miss that side of things.

I will still be doing paddock picking and racing reports on my web site www.ors-racing.co.uk and I will still have a Twitter presence in my personal account @PaulOstermeyer.

I don’t tweet on that account very often but when I do it tends to be outspoken, so if your sensibilities are easily offended then please don’t bother following that account.

To all of you who have followed me, thank you and I wish you all very best wishes for the future and if you are that way inclined lucky punting.      

A Seaside Walk

So what will you be doing 16:15 this Saturday afternoon?

If the weather is fine I’ll be taking in the sea air along the seafront at Southsea, what I won’t be doing is watching the Grand National.

I strongly suspect there will be a great deal fewer people watching the race this year, not necessarily due to any moral concerns about the race but due to the terrestrial coverage moving from mainstream BBC 1 to the backwater that is Channel Four.

My prediction is around 2-3 million, at most, will watch the race at its new home. I’m pretty certain very few viewers will have been attracted by the ridiculous and wholly inappropriate trailer for the event being broadcast on Channel Four.

I didn’t watch the National live last year either. On that occasion I was at Chepstow and, as happens across the board, there was a huge gap in their race program to accommodate the showing of the Grand National. So last year I took advantage of the hour and five minute break to leave the course roll into Chepstow town for a walk.

In a way it’s surprising I no longer want to watch the race. The National is my earliest racing memory, 1961 and Nicolaus Silver was the winner.

I hardly missed a year thereafter. I had every race since 1990 on video tape or DVD but in the past few years I have begun to fall out of love with the race.

Perhaps as I get older my sensibilities have changed. Perhaps it’s because I go racing far more regularly than I used to and I am exposed to the darker side more frequently?

I fully accept there is an inherent risk in horse racing both to horses and riders. The thorny question is at what level does the risk become unacceptable?

I, like 99% of those who follow the sport, hate it when a horse is hurt or pays the ultimate price.

There are, sadly, those morons who still cheer when a horse falls and if I had my may I would have them ejected from the course and banned for life.

Everything in life carries a risk but it’s a very personal matter as to where the line is drawn.

For better or worse, and I believe it is for the worse, the Grand National is the “shop window” of racing in the eyes of the wider public. It is the biggest race of the year in terms of betting turnover and that makes many more protective of the race – after all who wants to kill the goose that lays the golden egg?

But what if that goose has the potential to cause more harm than good in the longer term? What if the race has the potential to damage the wider sport?

By it nature the race will carry a higher risk, but has that risk become unacceptable?

Over the years the authorities have tinkered with the race but have these changes worked in the interests of the race?

The fences have become easier. Bechers Brook is all but a shadow of its former self. The drop fences have all but gone but has the “softening” of the fences actually created more issues?

Now the fences are less challenging are they being treated with less respect?

The greatest damage to the reputation of the race came two years ago when the BBC coverage featured some appalling camera angles showing stricken horses in the worse possible way.

I would like to think it was simply an inept editorial decision but I am not 100% convinced on that front.

This year has seen some further tinkering to the race. The most significant being changes to the structure of the fences and the second being the distance of the race.

The changes to the fences are, on the face of it, no brainers. The removal of solid wooden stakes from the core of the fences makes sense.

I have a concern though, will the removal of the wooden cores again reinforce the attitude in the jockeys minds, even subconsciously, that the fences can be approached more aggressively.

I have a greater concern about shortening the distance to the first fence. The previous long approach allowed the field to spread out in terms of width and from first to last, allowing most of the runners to get a good sight of the fence.

With the shorter approach there will be less time to get that important space.

I know some will argue other races have a shorter approach to the first. Yes they do but other races don’t have 40 runners.

The number of casualties at the first has been relatively low in recent years, usually one or two.

I hope I’m wrong but my fear is there will be more runners falling or bought down at the first.

The last two years have been bad for the National with two runners paying the ultimate price in each renewal. Defenders of the race will offer explanations in “defence” of the fatalities, for example Synchronised fell when running free and not in the race.

Those explanations are irrelevant – what is relevant is the number of injuries or fatalities not how they happened. In the eyes of the wider public two horses died in each of the last two runnings.

Consider this, if 20% of runners in all races were killed there would quite rightly be a public outcry to ban the sport and there would be no sane defence of the sport.

Yet when people point out a 20% fatality rate in the last two Grand Nationals they are dismissed by moat of the racing fraternity as tree huggers and activists.

That is condescending and patronising. I love the sport of racing and I am not alone within those who follow the sport closely in having concerns about the race.

I’ve seen comments in the past few days, from journalists who should know better, exhorting the racing media to rally round and support the race and not criticise the race.

Does that mean they are now panicking, forming the wagons in a circle, and coming to the realisation they are beginning to defend the indefensible.

I sincerely hope every horse and rider comes back in one piece on Saturday and I hope my worries and concerns are wholly unfounded.

I’ve also just noticed it has been confirmed Imperial Commander is an intended runner in this year’s renewal, I hope he isn’t 2013’s Synchronised.

I’m personally at a stage where I’m indifferent towards the Grand National. I hope this year’s renewal isn’t the final straw that has me actively calling for its abolition – time will tell.           

Bad Friday?

Once again we have a day when the majority of the population have a day off work, plenty of leisure time and leisure pounds to spend, yet those who want to are denied the opportunity to go racing.

Why – because it is Good Friday and “traditionally” there has never been racing on Good Friday – so that’s it then, nothing else to discuss.

Bring back the dinosaurs as well, well no need really as there are plenty around in racing.

Funny, we used to not race on Sundays for similar reasons but, eventually, common sense prevailed and we now race on Sundays.

Although being British we have approached the entire concept of Sunday racing half-cocked and have somehow contrived to turn Sunday’s into a day where racecourses struggle to attract decent crowds, when it could be the busiest day of the week in terms of attendances and betting turnover. Elsewhere in Europe Sunday is the biggest racing day of the week.

Musselburgh racecourse have indicated they want to stage a meeting next Good Friday and I wish them well but those in the PJA, ROA, NTF and NASS are, according to Paul Struthers, opposed to the idea.

Well that’s no surprise, between them they have as much business acumen as an amoeba and put their own self interests ahead of those of the industry as a whole.

Let’s have a blank day on  public holiday when we could stage some high class racing and attract big family crowds.

Racing is a leisure industry and needs to be available when there is the demand. All other major sports operate on Good Friday and get the bums on seats.

If racing cannot be bothered to race on a public holiday it, frankly, deserves to fail. If those who supposedly run this sport cannot see the benefits of racing on a public holiday they need to be replaced, pronto.

Their lame argument is staff need a break and a rest and that is something I wholly agree with but I will return to that aspect later.

Another argument is people can spend time with their families. I have limited sympathy with that argument. If quality family time is so important then work in a 9-5, Monday – Friday job.  

Anyway most stable staff will still have to work even if there is no racing – or do the horses look after themselves on non-racing days?  

Perhaps they would care to explain what one blank day will do to help the lot of stable staff, jockeys etc.?

Maybe opponents could explain why there should be a random blank day in the calendar just because it coincides with a religious festival?

Now if people want to believe in such things that’s absolutely fine with me and I respect their beliefs, but I don’t see why they should impose their sackcloth and ashes mentality on those who do not share their views.

Another argument is there is too much racing already. I actually agree with that but would also argue two or three extra meetings would have little effect in the wider scheme of things.

So instead of taking a half-hearted approach and having a random blank day why not take the bull by the horns and schedule regular blank days in the calendar.

Instead of shooting itself in the foot and not stage racing on a potentially lucrative day why not have blank Monday’s?

How about not scheduling racing on those wet winter Mondays where one man and his dog turns up for racing which generates little betting turnover.

Indeed make Monday blank throughout the year apart from Bank Holidays and school holidays. That way the staff will get regular days when they don’t have to go racing.

Instead of one blank day on Good Friday why not have 40 blank Monday’s throughout the year? 

Would that not address the concerns expressed about Good Friday racing?

The jockeys can still have their annual piss-up at the Lesters – just stage it on a Sunday night instead of the Thursday before Good Friday.

I am not advocating forcing people to go racing on Good Friday if they don't want to. Unlike those who advocate not racing on Good Friday on religious grounds who are forcing their views on me and preventing me from having a choice.

So I’m not against having blank days in the racing schedule, what I do find objectionable, and offensive, is having blank days imposed just because of some religious festival. 

  

Thwarted 1,000th

Of all the software, or as it is seemingly called nowadays …. apps, you can obtain, my favourite has to be the spreadsheet.

I love keeping lists and records of what I do and a spreadsheet is a fabulous way of recording information.

I can tell, at a glance, that in the last 12 months I have spent £3,315.13 on diesel, although that is probably a stat I don’t want to be reminded of.

I keep records of all aspects of my daily life and undoubtedly a psychologist would describe me as being OCD – I’ll have to ask my niece, who is studying psychology if she agrees, then again maybe I had best not – she undoubtedly thinks he Uncle is odd anyway.

Of course I use spreadsheets to keep records of my horseracing.

Indeed OCD or not I think it is essential for anyone who gambles to keep an honest record of all their bets – it can not only be quite sobering but careful studying of your betting history can highlight areas where you are going wrong (and right) and can be a useful tool to bet more selectively and importantly, more profitably.

I also keep a record of all the race meetings I have been to.

I didn’t start going racing “full time” until August 2007 and since that time I have been to 777 UK, plus a number of overseas race meetings as well.

Before racing full time my trips to the races were limited as I had a job which entailed long hours and if not working weekends I was almost invariably on-call so going racing regularly wasn’t practical, which meant I probably only got to the racecourse 10-20 times a year.

Another sign of my OCD is my habit of keeping the racecards of all the meetings I have been to and I still have racecards from every meeting I have been to bar two, although most of them are boxed and in the loft. One missing card was a meeting at Huntingdon in the late 90’s where I arrived just before the first race and they had run out of racecards. The other was at an exceptionally wet York meeting, where I had the racecard inside my coat pocket. When I later retrieved it, the racecard had turned into papier-mâché.

I still have the racecard from my very first meeting, at Fontwell back in the early 1980’s. My oldest (that’s in terms of longevity not his age) friend Tony took me there, to the course where his Grandfather used to take him. We could only afford the Silver Ring and our bets were no more than £1 each way, probably even 50p.

I don’t recall too much detail of the day but I do know I was smitten with the course and, to this very  day, Fontwell is my favourite small course.

So what is the relevance of all this. Well last Thursday I was updating my spreadsheet following a visit to Haydock the day before and I noticed it was my 998^th UK race meeting.

Out of curiosity I looked to see what would be my 1,000^th meeting and it would have been Towcester, my local course.

It was then I noticed Fontwell was due to race the following day. Now wouldn’t that be good if my 1,000^th meeting could also be at the one where it all started.

So a quick jig around of my schedule meant Towcester would be my 999^th meeting (with Taunton as a back-up) and Fontwell the 1,000^th – easy!!

Na, it wasn’t easy at all.

As you undoubtedly know Towcester was cancelled on Monday, as was Taunton. It did still leave Lingfield though.

My regular reader will tell you I am no fan of artificial surface racing and I will avoid it at all costs but if it meant my 1,000^th meeting would be Fontwell I would bite the bullet and do Lingfield on Monday.

I was all ready to go, on the train, but before I left I wanted to check the train times to see if I could change trains at East Croydon as opposed to the much busier Clapham Junction.

It was then I saw a problem. There were electricity supply problems between East Croydon And Hurst Green - the very line I wanted, with significant delays, busses replacing trains and no idea when the problem would be resolved.

I could have driven to Lingfield but that would have entailed driving home on the M25 in the rush hour and was it really worth the hassle just so my 1,000^th meeting could be Fontwell.

So the plan was scrapped – with the weather I’m still stuck on 998.

My 999^th should be either Ludlow of Ffos Las (tomorrow or Thursday 28^th if you are reading the archive) and, ironically, my 1,000^th looks again to be Towcester, this time on Easter Sunday.

In hindsight I perhaps shouldn’t have made such a fuss about the 1,000^th, after all it’s only a number. Indeed my 1,000^th meeting ever passed by without me even noticing (it was at Catterick if you are interested).

A few final stats, my top three most visited courses are Ascot (106), Towcester (87) and Leicester (60). Whilst Ffos Las, Great Leighs, Kelso, Musselburgh and Perth all have the least visits with three each – there could be a geographic clue there!!!

Lists can be good but they can sometimes be more trouble than they are worth.