Gaps between runs

I have been following horses that run sooner than the normal 2 week gap. This started when I became aware that often my bet was beaten by a runner whose form update I missed because the winner had run since my card had been printed.

On Sunday there was 2 updates from the more than 100 runners on the day. Both had run & won & penalized within 84 hours. Both won again! What are the chances of co-incidence?

There are many examples of this and a few trainers have realised that if his horse can beat the lion today, it can beat it tomorrow.

My own nag runs with a 60 day gap. In human time, thats like playing soccer twice per year starting at 16 years old and retiring at 27 for 20 games.

How many times a week are horses given a "hard" piece of work? whats wrong with one of these "hard" pieces of work being a race?

Jack one of my pet hates.

Buddy Maroun had a different way of training as opposed to the 4/6 week break, I am aware many horses different, however would love to hear more views.
Did Pharlap not win a race per day in the build up to the Melbourne Cup, many jumpers run 3/4 times in a week

Lets here from the trainers

Another point:

"Will need the run" so how comes first timers can win first time out?

Correct.

I understand that good horses running against good horses may have to be timed to the minute, but moderate is moderate and once fit there's only so fast they can go. There is nothing to wait for, no clever strategy thats going to work. All those horse have going for them is "every dog has his day".

Nothing worse than a bad horse on the same schedule as Pocket Power's 7 or 8 runs p.a. It's theft and/or negligence in my opinion.

Totally agree jack, we wanna see our moderate horses run more often cos as you say every dog has his day n that's what we hope for OUR DAY. A good eg is juan belmonte, two weeks on 11 oct he ran at flamingo park unplaced, ran on the 14 oct at the vaal and won, ran again on the 21 oct at the vaal and won.
Are the trainers to orthodox in their methods? Believe me juans wins weren't flukes cos paul peter gave me confidence both wins

Protect good horses let the others run as often as what they can handle without being abusive in the training program.

Sure the trainers are gonna love this thread.

Sideline experts and all.

And just this weekend in PE, American Dan won on Friday only to follow up with another (pulverising) win on Sunday. At least that's what I'm sure Schoeman the commentator said.

I was on course and he could have won by further

Here is another example of a horse running at the highest level makes you think why we need 4/6 weeks between races?
Old school, my father used to do it so I do it. So You Think should make the trainers think.

No worries for awesome So You Think

Flemington: Mackinnon Stakes(Group 1) 1m2f, turf, 3yo+

AUSTRALIAN superstar So You Think (Bart Cummings/ Steven Arnold) came through his Melbourne Cup trial in great style with an awesome performance in the Mackinnon Stakes.

The dual Cox Plate winner took his unbeaten record to five this season when making light of filthy conditions to stroll home by about three lengths ahead of Caulfield Cup winner Descarado and New Zealand's Ginga Dude in the Aus$1million (£615,000) event at a rain-hit Flemington.

Sent off 3-5 favourite against a field full of Group 1 winners, So You Think settled nicely off the pace in fourth before being unleashed just over a furlong out and powering away from his rivals.

Now ‘Cups King' Bart Cummings, in hospital recovering from a respiratory condition, will be eyeing his 13th Melbourne Cup victory as he steps the four-year-old up six furlongs inthe Melbourne Cup.

"I am very confident he will run a big race," said owner Dato Tan Chin Nam about So You Think, who has won eight of his 11 career starts.

"It was very authoritative and it puts himin good stead for the big one on Tuesday," added Dato Tan's racing manager Duncan Ramage.

Defending Cup champ Shocking was sixth as he is prepared for his title defence but Metal Bender will miss the Melbourne Cup as he faces a three-month ban after bleeding from both nostrils in the Mackinnon.

So you think won on Debut for o`Brien at the Curragh yesterday,Him and Workforce are due to meet in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in a few weeks RACE REPLAY

This gets to the heart of my issue with "run on merit" (ie sound and fit enough to run to ability) that I believe needs attention.

Joe Soma stated,in the afterrace interview, that he knew Happy Landing could bridge the distance that it had been previously beaten ,and they worked the horse twice a day to get it fit enough to do so...........you have to wonder why its not "fit" more often?
I know horses are not machines,but manipulation of training and feeding programmes etc. cannot be confused with "thats racing"
You frequently hear about how fit De Kock's horses are by the jockeys (and he talks about how fit horses in the UK are)

Is the difference between our top trainers and the 'not so top' perhaps the soundness and FITNESS of the runners?

Are there not too many runners "needing the run"?