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Osborne keen to support trial races that increase variety of the programme

Jamie Osborne: wrong-footing his Twitter fans proved a bit of an eye-opener
Jamie Osborne is a supporter of the BHA's new £30,000 optional claiming handicapsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Eyebrows were raised when only five went to post in the first of ten £30,000 trial races that form a new BHA scheme at Yarmouth on Wednesday evening.

Nine horses, however, have been declared for the Dickies Workwear At Junction 32 Outlet Optional Claiming Handicap (8.05) at Pontefract on Friday night in the second race of its type.

The concept of 'buying' a lower weight in the handicap by risking a lower published claiming price is a new one in British racing, and Jamie Osborne – one of the trainers consulted when the scheme was drawn up – believes it may take time for some of his colleagues to work out the best way to use the new additions to the programme book.

In the Pontefract race Osborne saddles Qassem, a five-year-old previously with Andre Fabre and Hugo Palmer when owned by Al Shaqab, and has elected to take weight off in an effort to find the gelding a winning chance.

"We've got only 7lb to play with but there are fixed values according to rating and age and Qassem is in for the lightest amount I'm allowed under the current rules, which equates to a claiming value of £27,500," said Osborne.

"The idea is to create a bit of trade and there are some slightly older horses who have been over the guns a few times, who run consistently and never get a break from the handicapper. They can run their guts out for three years and never win."

Osborne is in favour of a more varied race programme and believes the new optional claiming handicaps make a contribution to that effort.

He said: "Our programme is incredibly dull – 70 per cent of races are handicaps and you’re driven down certain routes as soon as you get a rating. To give the programme a little variety, I’m all for it.

Hart Stopper (right) was scoring for the first time in a year when winning the first optional claiming handicap at Yarmouth on Wednesday
Hart Stopper (right) was scoring for the first time in a year when winning the first optional claiming handicap at Yarmouth on WednesdayCredit: John Grossick 07710461723

"It’s a shame the Yarmouth race didn’t get eight runners –unfortunately I couldn’t run any of my entries in the end – but I don’t expect these races will fill straight away.

"People will take their time to get a feel for it but I hope that, going forward, they can be part of the programme for British racing because I think there's a place for them."

French claiming system worth a second look

Osborne believes the BHA can go further and re-examine the entire system of claimers, which are in many cases a ghetto for lowly rated horses.

"I cannot understand why we don't adopt a similar system to France, where you state the minimum claiming price," the trainer said. "You can claim for as much as you want and the highest bid gets it, and you split the difference between claiming price and actual price with the racecourse.

"I think that's a superb system. British racing is missing out on a revenue stream and an interesting concept. When you get 12 claims in for the same horse and it's decided by ballot, clearly you're missing a commercial opportunity."

Among the other trainers to have declared runners in the Pontefract race, David O'Meara has chosen to take weight off Bravery and Sultan Baybars but will saddle Waarif off his 'correct' rating.


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Scott BurtonFrance correspondent

Published on 19 July 2018inNews

Last updated 20:15, 19 July 2018

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