The middle and lower tiers of the industry are being wiped out, and small-field races dominated by the same faces don’t create interest or appeal as a betting medium. Point-to-point fields have also reduced alarmingly.
As we have documented in detail here before, the numbers for horses in training, licence-holders, owners, entries, field sizes, on-course betting turnover and attendances have fallen off a cliff. Notwithstanding that we live in more austere economic times and the effect of the digital revolution, the sport has lost a large proportion of its once loyal following and core base.
Good article one reads and can apply circumstances of real racing to our own game .
Certainly trainers struggling both old and new alike could the game look at a A progressive trainers’ series
for trainers of 0-8 seasons or 8-16 season a regional series that replaces local cups .
in part the local cups has become a benefit for class one stables has not really directly given lower classes a chance to win silverware nor prizemoney to help them along.
i suppose in the end does the game help the very old who remain the same or helps along the ones to progress up the ranks
I thought the local cups were great when I was moving up through the classes. I couldn’t wait to get into C3 and have access to even more, then again going into C2. My early time in C1 I also enjoyed them and found them nice for my developing horses. Nowadays I find that the majority of my horses don’t qualify, which is a good thing as I should be past this level.
Ok, I could keep certain horses and aim for these cups, but that’s not my style, or indeed the aim of the cups. As I said I don’t really compete in that many of them nowadays, but they worked for me once, I hope they still work for others now.