'You're going to hemorrhage money' - overwatering and the impact on summer jumpers

The weather has been unpredictable in recent weeks and saw Ballinrobe cancelling their meeting last Friday after 43 minutes and 49 seconds of rain made the ground unsuitable. Further to that, a host of non-runners were declared at Tramore due to the drying ground.

When discussing ground issues and over-watering on the latest episode of The Irish Angle, Paddy Flood believes climate change is not the cause but rather changing attitudes within the industry.

Smaller tracks losing out

“It is unpredictable, we're probably lucky that we're this side of the country, whereas in the west, they do get hammered when it rains, it rains hard, and to be fair to Ballinrobe, they do a hell of a lot well, and they haven't got a whole lot of ground to work with.

“The bigger and better meetings have to take priority, and I'm sure if there's a water line on the track, they're not going to risk one; destroying the track, and two; having something silly happen. So they abandon it.

“I was surprised it was an abandonment more than a reschedule. I don't know, are they going to reschedule or have they looked at it?”

Good to firm no longer accepted by connections

Paddy continued: “We've got to the stage in Ireland where the ground can be no better than good for a jumper for most people to run.

“I won't blame Willie Mullins for it, but there used to be a time you'd go around in Kilbeggan in a maiden hurdle with a lesser-grade horse who didn't mind quick ground and you'd have a chance of winning it.

“Whereas now you could bump into a future Cheltenham star. Willie has so many horses, and Gordon and Henry too - they're going to run them all year.

“They're demanding a cut in the ground. All these smaller tracks didn't have to worry about watering, your Kilbeggans, your Tramores, back 15 years ago, because a little bit of water would have done.”

Winter horses running in the summer a big factor

“Once it wasn't firm, you were getting away with it. People still ran their horses because they were summer horses, but there are probably winter horses running now that have just taken a bit of time during the year, didn't come to hand in the winter, but are still in training, and people want ground on the easier side.

“I can't be blaming climate change that much, I think it's more trainer opinion and better horses running through the summer.”

Emma Nagle added: “Yeah, I'd agree on that. The idea of winning an easy summer maiden or summer bumper has gone out the window in the last few years.

“It's difficult for the tracks as well because there is that safety element, but I remember back maybe 10 years ago we had a horse who wouldn't run unless the ground was like concrete, he just wouldn't go on it at all.

“Now if you had that horse, he'd just be considered no good because there'd be no ground hard enough for him to win a race on, and he won a few races on nice firm ground!”

Proper summer jumpers lose out

Johnny Ward agreed with the sentiment: “You've summed it up well. I've been interviewing a trainer who is livid over how much they've watered the ground.

“And then as somebody who's a clerk of the course or looking after the track, do you want a situation where a jockey is badly injured or worse on fast ground”?

“To be honest, I'd be more on the side of summer horses having a place as well. If you don't want to run your horse on the ground, don't run them.

“In the summer, there should be summer ground. You should be able to have good to firm for jumps horses.

“If you don't have that ground at all, you could have invested in a horse that's basically worthless and you're going to hemorrhage money because he's never going to get his ground and it's going to be over-watered.

“I would tend to be on the side of, particularly from May onwards, if the ground is on the fast side, so be it.

“You don't have to run your horse on it. But you don't have to run on soft ground all year. That seems to be going out of fashion a bit.

Emma Nagle added: “Yes, it seems to be. I remember, was it Shark Hanlon a few years ago in Limerick? He was fairly animated about how much watering was going on, and it wasn't just Limerick, there were a few different tracks he was displeased with.

“I'm not sure it'll ever go back to the way it was, probably not, just with the safety element of it all.”