When doing our form study, one of the most important factors is barrier positions....right?
Well, tell that to the Hawkesbury Race Club. Today, I witnessed Race 1 at Hawkesbury which had seven starters.
Horses were duly loaded but from barrier 5 outwards! That is, the inside runner started from barrier 5. As I am a keen form student, this occurence has the potential to completely affect my final calculations detrimentally and is something I will have to be very observant about in future. The track was dead(later changed to good) but by manipulating the starting positions, the race club has intervened and may affect the whole pattern of racing. Some horses will be unfairly advantaged and some disadvantaged. However, my point is whether this practice should be allowed to continue.
What is the point of doing hours and hours of form study then to have all our efforts brought undone at the whim of the race club.
It's just another variable which makes picking winners all the more difficult...what do you think? Any comments welcome.