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Pace Cap'n
09-23-2003, 11:41 AM
[Quote]Club finally making headway with hi-tech timing system




ALAN AITKEN

Hong Kong Jockey Club's "Star Wars" timing is undergoing a final trial which will see it ready for the world in time for the International Races in December.

The Stride timing system has been on the list of coming attractions for racegoers now for over a year, and there were high hopes the system would be in place as long ago as the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup meeting last April. Jockey Club executive director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said delivery was now at hand.

"We had some holdups with the installation earlier in the year due to the Sars outbreak, but the installation is now complete," said Engelbrecht-Bresges.

"Last week, during the initial Happy Valley trial, there was a software glitch and one area was not working properly but that has now been overcome. I am now expecting that Stride timing will be ready for the public for International day on December 14 at Sha Tin."

Under the Stride system, a computer chip carried on each horse will allow triangulation - similar to the Global Positioning System (GPS) - to mark to within a high degree of accuracy where any horse is at a given moment in a race and therefore turn out the most accurate timing data ever known in racing.

Engelbrecht-Bresges said the Jockey Club had always stressed the system would not be in use until officials were 100 per cent satisfied with it.

"The important thing is that it is accurate and reliable when we do begin Stride timing," he said.[quote]

From a VERY interesting web site:

racing.scmp.com/english/index.asp

The amount of free information available is amazing. Check out "Trouble" and "General". Note what is available by subscription (about $35US/mo). Guess it's easier when they're only dealing with one track.

kenwoodallpromos
09-24-2003, 12:53 AM
fyi, yahoo says 1 US dollar = 7.76 hk dollars. That means purses were $80,00.00 US and up. My point is, probably many times more money changing hands and much bigger bets than US, so mmore demand for detailed stats.
I think the more technology the better all arounhd. I would like to se chips implanted in al US horses and workouts detailed better as to where on the track the workout took place! That goes for races too!

kitts
09-24-2003, 02:53 PM
I live in mortal fear of this precision timing effort. First, it might actually be effective as a handicapping tool which would drive mutuel prices downward even more. Second, it gives even more emphasis on numbers. In my opinion, handicapping (or, at least, my handicapping)is not that needful of precision numbers. I'll bet that many, many players are forgiving of 5 lengths or more. 'Nuf said.