| GELDING | | | | hooves rattle". |
| After being castrated a male or colt horse is said to | | | | Assessing the state of the going falls to the Clerks of |
| have been "gelded". There are a variety of reasons | | | | the Course, who are open to severe criticism when |
| behind this seemingly rather harsh practice. | | | | their assessment is questionable. |
| By taking a horses mind off sex it becomes more | | | | Recent advances in science have allowed the art of |
| amenable, and calm. A horse becomes less | | | | poking the ground with a stick to become far more |
| temperamental due to the shift in hormonal balance, | | | | scientific with the introduction of a dubiously titled |
| which occurs with all neutered animals, including | | | | device known as the "penetrometer". |
| humans. | | | | One should always examine the weather forecast for |
| After gelding, horses are generally regarded as being | | | | a meeting as an essential adjunct to basic form study, |
| easier to train and concentrate more readily on their | | | | and one should know a horse's preference for a |
| racing. | | | | particular type of going. |
| Even more practical for National Hunt, gelding can | | | | For example at the time a newspaper or formbook is |
| prevent the extreme discomfort experienced by | | | | printed the going for any given race may indeed be |
| "entire" horses when jumping over hard fences, | | | | good, but by the time of the race, heavy rainfall may |
| historically made from birch. | | | | have changed it to soft or heavy. |
| Irish horses intended for chasing are gelded | | | | In many cases where the going has changed |
| automatically at an early age. | | | | dramatically at the last minute, then a horse with a |
| Most chasers are in fact geldings. | | | | differing preference to the current going may be |
| For a long time, many big flat races were not open to | | | | withdrawn. |
| geldings, but this has now changed with most of the | | | | However, it may be seen that vice versa, a late |
| classics now being opened up to them. | | | | change of going can transform certain losers into |
| One obvious financial argument against gelding is that | | | | possible winners. |
| after winning a major, a colt is instantly worth millions to | | | | The "going" is therefore uniformly accepted as |
| big stables or stud syndicates. | | | | essential by trainers, and their running intentions for their |
| Whereas "The Arkle" who won the Cheltenham Gold | | | | horses. |
| Cup in 1964, 65, and 66, was valued at the same price | | | | Timeform, the Racing Post, and the newspapers |
| the day after the races as he was the day before. | | | | publish plenty of good information about the going. |
| National Hunt racing would not work without geldings, | | | | Comments such as "we will only run if we get that", or |
| who are much admired by racegoers, regardless of | | | | "he will only run if its soft" and "he's only good on good |
| stud decisions made by prejudiced breeders. | | | | ground" are all well worth noting. |
| GOING | | | | Finally it's important to note that some courses hold |
| Advance forecasts in newspapers and the formbook | | | | rainwater better or worse than others. |
| advertise the state of the ground for a race meeting. | | | | For example at Newmarket the ground rarely reaches |
| - Hard | | | | worse than soft. Good ground or good to soft are |
| - Firm | | | | almost always the state of the going irrespective of |
| - Good to Firm | | | | rainfall on the Rowley mile in spring through to autumn. |
| - Good to Soft | | | | GOOD WALKER |
| - Soft | | | | If you have access to the pre-race paddock inspection |
| - Heavy | | | | you should try to note whether the back or "hind" hoof |
| "Soft with heavy patches" in the formbook indicates | | | | coincides or overlaps with the point where the front |
| muddy patches. | | | | hoof has been. |
| Sometimes differences are noted on different parts of | | | | This feature is a sign that a horse will gallop well, and |
| the course I.e. Going: Round course, soft. Straight | | | | the horse is referred to as a "Good walker" |
| course, good to soft. | | | | GREYS |
| The outcome of a race is significantly dependent on | | | | A remarkable front running Grey, Desert Orchid, was |
| the state of the going. It is arguably THE most | | | | an outstanding public hero between 1983 and 1991, |
| important factor in determining a race day favourite. | | | | dominating the jumps arena with 34 wins from 70 |
| Comments including "likes some cut on the ground" or | | | | starts. |
| "likes some give underfoot" should be carefully noted. | | | | Greys account for only 3% of the entire horse racing |
| Other horses prefer to race when the mud is flying | | | | population, but this ratio gives no indication of their |
| and the formbook will note such horses as being a | | | | overall popularity, particularly in the National Hunt |
| "confirmed mudlark". | | | | theatre. |
| Still other horses don't like soft conditions at all and | | | | Foaled in 1704 and brought to England via |
| need good going, the formbook will state "needs the | | | | Constantinople by Sir Robert Sutton, all thoroughbred |
| top of the ground", while some prefer really firm going | | | | "grey" horses can be traced back to the original |
| eliciting descriptive comments such as "likes to hear his | | | | "Alcock Arabian". |