Howdy
I have some suggestions from the perspective of a new trainer because well, i am one.
Disclaimer: None of my comments are criticisms, just suggestions.I assume the chance to upload to TOM between weeks 5 and 6 will happen again in the next season.
If so i think its a great opportunity for new trainers to join the league and not have to wait months (and potentially giving up and never joining).
Thing is, when i joined for week 6 there were virtually no maiden events (4 out of 38 races) to earn a rating so i was left with only group races (Grp 2 and Grp 3) which seemed to result in a higher rating than deserved.
It would be nice if there were more races a new trainer with un-rated horses could enter, even just for week 6.
Perhaps the default rating of 75 could could count as an actual rating, allowing them to enter handicaps.
New trainers are unlikely to have a strong stable and therefore unlikely to "scoop the pool" with unraced horses.
This would mean they could enter handicaps rated from 0-80 and up to 0-110 which would bring the number of available races to 14.
Better still make the default rating 70 and that would mean there would be 17 instead of 4 available races in week 6.
As well as, or instead of, throw in some double entry races for Maidens in week 6 and 7 and they would be up and racing.
None of these suggestions will help me now but i'm thinking you would all like to see new trainers in the League encouraged to "hang in there".
The other suggestions i have is to update the League info "sticky" posts.
The "FAQ Online League" post has this link
http://ukratimes.yolasite.com/frequently-asked-questions.php which no longer exists.
The "League Rules" post says the following:
"3. Handicaps - horses will be allowed in handicaps 2f either side of their best maiden run. If they have not run in a maiden then 2f either side of their best run. The exception to this is 2m + where horses will be elgible for 2f less than their best run and all races greater than their best run."
But it appears the rule is now applied slightly differently.....
simpleminds wrote:
Its taken from the first two Runs it says Maiden because when the rule was brought in week 1 was all Maiden races and most of week 2 was too the schedule has changed now so its the best run of the first two races a horse has so if your horses best run was 1m after two runs you are set on 6f - 1m 2f for the rest of the season.
Gray
For example, i entered a 5f horse in its first race at 7f Group 2, because it was the only race available. Now rated, i entered him in a 8f 0-110 believing he was a "7f" horse. He did better in the 8f handicap race and was subsequently not allowed to race at 5f anymore.
The rules in the post do not mention the best of the
first 2 runs.
Please refer to disclaimer above
Cheers