Going Stick 8.8, anybody familiar to explain?

[luisbe]

That seems to be the reading today at Woo. Is this useful for handicapping purposes? Does anybody care to explain me the meaning and its importance?.
Thanks

[johnhannibalsmith]

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117193

[ReplayRandall]

That seems to be the reading today at Woo. Is this useful for handicapping purposes? Does anybody care to explain me the meaning and its importance?.
Thanks

The GoingStick

The GoingStick is a result of collaboration between TurfTrax Racing Data and Cranfield University. It is vaguely similar in appearance and application to an ordinary walking stick, the method favoured by many Clerks of the Course in the UK. But, unlike a walking stick, the GoingStick measures the penetration resistance of the surface, to a depth of 100mm, and the translational shear strength of the rootzone, in an action that almost mimics the loading and propulsion phases of a galloping horse.

http://media.pitchcare.com/T/gDCORjlHBBpbSrgQ1a0Z.jpgIt can be used in conjunction with a waypoint system that identifies specific sections of the racecourse to enable the assessment of the level of going in a given area (waypoint). At each waypoint the process of measuring penetration resistance and shear strength is carried out three times. The GoingStick then determines a mean value for the three measurements and converts the mean to a value of going, based on a 15 point index.

Literally, thousands upon thousands of measurements were taken to form the 15 point scale, which was developed with the assistance of the British Horseracing Authority's senior course inspector and a number of experienced senior racecourse clerks. As a guide, average readings of 3.0-6.9 indicate softer ground, 7.0-8.9 good ground, with anything above 9.0 signifying firmer ground. The highest average readings actually raced on in the UK are around 12.0.

[Clocker]

That seems to be the reading today at Woo. Is this useful for handicapping purposes? Does anybody care to explain me the meaning and its importance?.
Thanks

It is a measure of how hard or soft the turf is. I can't imagine it is useful since there is nothing to compare it to in the PPs, unless you keep your own records. Probably more useful is the listed condition, which is "Yielding" for Woodbine today.

Woodbine is the only track I have seen publish this. It seems to be more of a European thing.

[flatstats]

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there are huge problems with the going stick.

The first point is that it is subjective. The clerk of the course can take a reading, state it, but give an official opinion that is out of line with what the stick is saying.

The second point is that courses may be under instruction to maintain a specific turf going (good, or good to firm) and thus would use watering to maintain that going. In order to avoid embarrassment with over or under watering they would blatantly lie about the going stick reading.

In the UK it is nothing short of a shambles and in some cases a sheer conspiracy and yet there is never any remedial action or penalty. Basically the courses can give out misinformation, cover their asses and the betting public and racehorse owners have no course for compensation or correction.

Forget the stick readings. Wait until what the jockeys say after the first race and trust their judgement over the stick and the (possible corrupt or possible incompetent) clerk of the course.

[luisbe]

I don't know about the US but here in the UK there are huge problems with the going stick.

The first point is that it is subjective. The clerk of the course can take a reading, state it, but give an official opinion that is out of line with what the stick is saying.

The second point is that courses may be under instruction to maintain a specific turf going (good, or good to firm) and thus would use watering to maintain that going. In order to avoid embarrassment with over or under watering they would blatantly lie about the going stick reading.

In the UK it is nothing short of a shambles and in some cases a sheer conspiracy and yet there is never any remedial action or penalty. Basically the courses can give out misinformation, cover their asses and the betting public and racehorse owners have no course for compensation or correction.

Forget the stick readings. Wait until what the jockeys say after the first race and trust their judgement over the stick and the (possible corrupt or possible incompetent) clerk of the course.

I wish the jockeys would let me know it.