November 2nd 2022.

"Do you think in hindsight the last two runners should not of run now or are you happy with that decision? Or do you feel that sometimes after a long break there is too much pressure not to have a runner?"

Long-term member @chris fired over this question this morning, and as it was something I was already writing about, it felt appropriate to make the question, and answer available on the blog and app.

ZAMARKHAN and INDICATION ROCKET both ran on changing ground and to the naked eye, ran below expectations. So, with hindsight, should have they have pulled out and saved for another day?

ZAMARKHAN first, and without going over what has already been discussed over and over, the decision to run was pondered over and over, with the deciding factor being that race options are limited and the preferred option at Fontwell was looking very unlikely for him to get in. (of course, that race is now declared and he would have got in, and it looks easier. Of course it is).
We knew the trip was likely to be too far, but Eliza and Camilla felt he was more likely to stay than not, and to be fair we still can't be certain he doesn't. The ground changed on the day, and maybe he should have been a non-runner, but he needed a run and there was always a chance he could have ran in both. So with hindsight now including the declarations for Fontwell, I wouldn't have ran at Plumpton, but Fontwell ground is likely to be just as bad, and it would have still been his first run back, and it would have still the yards first runner since the virus, so it is far from certain we would have seen anything better.

ROCKET ran 6th, a well beaten 6th and after he floundered in heavy ground on his debut, many were surprised we ran again on bad ground.

Alternatives are thing on the ground for Rocket, and Bex was keen to get a run into him. He is due a short break, he was a breeze-up horse so is likely to have been in full work since early February and while he hasn't been over raced, that is a lot of time in work for a 2yr old.
The track and trip were ideal, and while the draw wasn't ideal, we weren't concerned and the plan was to get out and across as the rail has been hugely favourable at Redcar all year.
Rocket was too slow away from the stalls and left Phil on the outside and unable to get anywhere near the rail, and from the first furlong he was always up against it.
Conditions were tough, only the first 2 ran up to or better than previous form, with the rest all running at least a stone below their previous runs. Even the third placed horse was way below their best. The second pretty much had the rail and the winner tracked through and came home one off the rail. The winner may well have won anyhow, but the first two had a massive advantage with the race panned out.
Should Phil have suffered and tucked Rocket in and rode for luck? Maybe, and if he had done so he may have been 3rd or 4th, but should we have pulled him out? No.
Rocket will now have his break and come back fresh in mid-January, and he will show no ill-effects from the run yesterday. If there had been a race next week, or this month even, we may well have changed plans but there was nothing to lose yesterday but plenty to be gained. If he had got to the rail, and had been able to try and use his stamina, he would have had plenty of them in trouble yesterday and could have gone on his break with a place to his name at least.

Do we feel pressure to have runners? I would say no, obviously we feel the anticipation and eagerness for the horses to run but the whole point of having a string of horses for the Crowd to follow means that we can avoid the pressure to run horses in the wrong races at the wrong time.
Other factors will always come into play, such as the race calendar and ground conditions, but pressure isn't one.

We learned long ago, that we will NEVER please all our owners and/or members so we ensure we please the horses above all else. Every horse is there to do their best every time a jockey gets on board in the gold and green stripes, but with the best will in the world, UK weather is unpredictable, the other horses in the races are unpredictable and while doing their best, our horses are not machines and how races pan out, or conditions can effect the performances.

Hope this clears up some questions, but as always, any more and I will get them answered.

Craig McKenna