After some discussion with staff and the chat on here, this is what's going to happen.

Maidens this week will be split into divisions as needed to facilitate everyone getting a rating for your horses - No horses will be balloted out of maidens.

Sorry ESA, I know you adjusted your noms already. Sorry to anyone else who's done the same.

Handicaps - Won't be split. Any horses running over inappropriate distances for maidens, just to get a low rating will be removed first, then if we still have over 30 entries, we'll continue with the lowest rated horses being removed, until we drop to 30.

If we split handicaps, this could create two very different races, especially if one race has a horse running of max handicap limit. Makes it more difficult to assess form for the relevant trainers, handicapping, etc.

With the handicapping project in place, and the stewards watching for horses running over inappropriate distances for maidens, just to get a rating for a handicap coming up, some horses will be removed from handicaps anyway, here and there, as a result.

I would ask all trainers to be sensible and realistic about their declarations. Most horses will find suitable races most weeks, but it's fair to say that occassionally you won't have a race to suit. Not every horse can run every week.

I can understand anyone wanting to see as many of their horses running as possible, but sometimes we'll see things like 1m2f+ horses running in 6f, 7f or 1m races, so a trainer can be represented. Not much you can gain from this, even if it's handicap rating is low. The chances are they'll tail off anyway.

Also, watch your horses performances. If it tails off several times, try again at a slightly adjusted distance or wait until more suitable ground appears. Try some handicaps, but really no point in entering it into a race that's beyond it's abilities, just for the sake of it, unless you are quite confident that factors such as draw, the ride given to it by the jockey, getting blocked, etc, could have contributed to a poorer performance.

Either way, we'll all have to face the harsh reality that one or more of our horses aren't up to the task, regardless of what standard of races we'll enter them into. New Trainers and Experienced Trainers alike, will face this. Retirements and transfers are coming to allow anyone to remove the unwanted horses from their stables, and upload fresh, and hopefully improved replacements.

Keep watch on alternative races. For example, you'll see the Lincoln is over sub-scribed this week, there's Race 5 and 13 that will provide some outlets for trainers who don't feel their horse is up to Lincoln standard. Or try another maiden.

Thanks all, and good luck.

Colm.

Just sent you an email with idea mate but might be too late. No probs

Colm, I have left you a message on jims forum mate could you please check your messages, you too westy.

No worries ...more than happy...

Hi JC. I'll do that for you mate. I replied to your message also.

Take care,

Colm

Thank you colm.

I have sent a message to you both. JC sleep on it and re consider

I have made my mind up westy,

PS. colm I have sent you another message hope you got it yet, could you see to it please mate, I thank you in advance.

I did JC, that will be done for you.

has jc gone?

what happens with the 3yo listed races if they are over subscribed?

Once noms close, I will begin the scratches and will post on the league forum, who's been scratched.

If you have a horse entered in a race that you think might get scratched, now's the time to change it.

We need to keep things simple and straightforward as far as balloting out horses in graded races is concerned, so there's no confusion.
1. Remove all unraced horses
2. Remove lowest rated horses including ties.
Making judgements on the quality of horses based on one run or no runs would be a minefield.

There are quite a few un-raced horses in the Easter and Masaka stakes in particular. The stakes races that include un-races horses, as you could imagine, we can't pick and choose who goes and who stays of the un-raced horses.

Get them into a maiden so you can earn a rating for future handicaps and stakes races, if you think you might be ballotted out. The maidens will be split, so any horse in those races are guaranteed a run.

We are conscious of the number of horses that could be balloted out of the Masaka and Easter stakes, and might prevent difficulty for placement in future weeks.

To enable everyone to get a run and rating for the horses entered into the two races mentioned above, we've created an over-spill maiden to match Course, Distance and Ground.

Any horses that get removed from the two races above, will automatically be entered into the maiden. You still have the option of choosing another race before midnight, if you prefer the distance or ground conditions in those. After that I'll manually move the horses as necessary.

Thanks for your understanding..