1. How many different trainers had 2yo runners in each season?
2. How many different trainers had 2yo wins in each season?
3. How many trainers used different types of 'Headgear' during the 2004-2005 seasons?
1. (A) Vision Restrictors
2. (B) Tongue Ties
4. Which courses were used most often for debut runs?
5. Which trainers had above average numbers of non-runners and withdrawals during the 2004-5 seasons?

    The trainer R. Hannon has had more than 90 runners in each of the four seasons with the yearly totals 99-112-97-100. The other trainer to have run more than 90 individual runners was SB Suroor in 2004 when he took over responsibility for the Godolphin 2yos from DR Loder.

    In 2006 trainer M. Johnston took top spot by number of runners with 102, followed by R. Hannon on 97 & M.R. Channon with 91.

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The group of trainers that have had more than 20 wins in the period 2002-5 is made up of :-

• Core group of five trainers with 20+ wins in each season = R Hannon, MJohnston, MR Channon, M Stoute and JHM Gosden.
• Second group of two trainers with 3 out of 4 seasons with 20+ wins = BW Hills (<20 wins in 04) and BJ Meehan (<20 wins in 02).
• Group of trainers with two 20+ seasons, including :-
• MLW Bell (<20 wins in 03 and in a moderate to poor 2005).
• M Prescott with 20+ wins in 2004-5 after three seasons (2001-3) below his usual standard.
• SB Suroor leading 2yo trainer by wins in 2004 following Godolphin decision to train 2yos 'in-house'. Less runners and winners in 2005.
• Third set of trainers with a single 20+ winner season, including :-
• DR Loder with 32 wins in 03 in his last 'gloves off' season training the Sheikh Mohammed/Godolphin 2yos. Moderate 04 as he restarted his independent traing career. Retired at the end of 2005.
• A Berry with 27 wins in 2002 but yard in decline for 4 seasons and 2005 saw a new low with a single win.
• EJ O'Neill in 2005 in his first season training at owner J Fretwell's new stable.
• JA Osborne with 31 wins in 03 when he made a concious decision to target 2yo wins and brought in A Skiffington to assist with yearling purchases. This produced good results in 2003 but 2004-05 have less good and possible health issue with the horses.
• KA Ryan had a remarkably good 2005 both in terms of quantity and quality of 2yo wins. The stable had shown an improved 2yo performance in 2002 and 2004.

• KR Burke (23 wins) and his best return and continuing his improvement in the last 4 seasons.
• BW Hills (31) who has now had 20+ wins in four of the last five seasons having missed out in 2004.
• MA Jarvis (22) with his best return having been consistently between 10-16 wins between 1999-2005.
• BJ Meehan (40) who has now had 20+ wins in the last four seasons although less than 20 in 2002. His best return since his 45 wins in 2001.
• KA Ryan (33) continued his overall improvement and recorded a new high for 2yo wins after his breakthrough 2005 year.

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The following table shows the number of 2yos that wore some form of headgear - blinkers, visors, eyeshields, cheekpieces and tongue ties  - during the 2004-6 seasons.
 

The 'Headgear category' can be split into two sub-groups with the largest being those horses which wore vision restrictors (VR) of some kind. These are blinkers, visors, eyeshields, cheekpieces and hoods and their use has to be declared by the trainer before the race. If there is any problem with their use on the day the horse will not be allowed to run. For instance, if the trainer forgets to fit the blinkers and the runner arrives at the start without them. Note that sheepskin nosebands, which have long been in use and well before the recent introduction of cheekpieces, do not need to be declared and are considered part of the normal equipment.
 

Note:  (a) The percentage figure in square brackets is the Wins-Runs percentage for all 2yo runs in the season.

Season	Total 2yo Runs	Total Runs in VR	% Runs in VR	% Wins to Runs in VR	% of Trainers using VR
2004	10,567	525	5.0%	7.6%   [9.4%]	35.9%
2005	10,601	533	5.0%	6.6%   [9.4%]	42.0%
2006	9,466	409	4.3%	8.6%  [10.1%]	32.9%

The following tables show which trainers, that had more than 50 runs in the 2004-6 seaons, used blinkers most often.
 

		2004	Season						2005	Season
Trainer	Total Number of Runs	% Wins-Runs without VR	Number of Runs in VR	% Runs in VR	% Wins-Runs in VR		Trainer	Total Number of Runs	% Wins-Runs without VR	Number of Runs in VR	% Runs in VR	% Wins-Runs in VR
W Turner	106	10.9%	31	29.2%	22.6%		M Dods	61	6.0%	11	18.0%	0%
M Dods	53	7.7%	14	26.4%	0%		KA Ryan	174	15.9%	29	16.7%	6.9%
A Duffield	53	7.1%	11	20.8%	0%		K Burke	123	14.4%	19	15.4%	10.5%
JS Moore	78	7.7%	13	16.7%	0%		JS Moore	111	9.8%	17	15.3%	5.9%
B Meehan	207	14.0%	25	12.1%	17.9%		JR Weymes	80	4.4%	12	15.0%	0%
P Haslam	133	4.3%	16	12.0%	0%		P Haslam	84	1.4%	12	14.3%	0%
P D'Arcy	53	4.3%	6	11.3%	16.7%		J Gosden	144	19.2%	19	13.2%	5.2%
DR Loder	146	12.3%	16	11.0%	18.8%		B Meehan	201	11.3%	24	11.9%	8.3%
PD Evans	92	6.1%	106	10.9%	20.0%		BR Millman	100	12.4%	11	11.0%	0%
IA Wood	149	9.8%	16	10.7%	6.3%		W Turner	110	7.1%	12	10.9%	25%
WR Muir	98	3.4%	10	10.2%	0%		WR Muir	68	11.5%	7	10.3%	14.3%
A Berry	179	6.8%	18	10.1%	11.1%		M Quinlan	73	9.1%	7	9.6%	14.3%
T Easterby	238	8.4%	23	9.7%	4.3%		T Easterby	276	6.8%	26	9.4%	3.8%
K Burke	105	16.1%	10	9.5%	10%		PD Evans	134	7.4%	12	9.0%	8.3%

    In 2004 less than 50% of trainers use vision restrictors and of those that do the vast majority do so for a small number of 2yos that have given problems of some kind. Only 4 horses in the whole 2004 season (out of 2,904) wore a restrictor on their debut and only 40 on their second outings. Many of the major 2yo trainers hardly ever use this equipment - M Johnston had no runners in vision restrictors in 2005, R Hannon used them just 5 times and MR Channon 11 times (1 winner). These three trainers account for over 1,100 2yos runs in the season and therefore more than 10% of the 2yo total.
 

		2006	Season
Trainer	Total Number of Runs	% Wins-Runs without VR	Number of Runs in VR	% Runs in VR	% Wins-Runs in VR
A Duffield	80	8.3%	20	25.0%	20.0%
MW Easterby	115	4.1%	17	14.8%	5.9%
BJ Meehan	262	15.9%	17	6.5%	5.9%
KA Ryan	227	15.6%	16	7.0%	0%
WR Muir	74	6.9%	16	21.6%	6.3%
WGM Turner	106	5.5%	15	14.2%	33.3%
PD Evans	97	9.8%	15	15.5%	0%
KR Burke	155	15.5%	13	8.4%	7.7%
JS Moore	101	13.3%	11	10.9%	27.3%
MDI Usher	53	2.3%	10	18.9%	0%

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(B) TONGUE TIES

Runners wear tongue ties (TT) to keep the tongue in place and to stop it moving back into the throat and interfering with the horse's breathing ("swallowing the tongue"). The tongue tie can be made out of a variety of materials with strips of ladies' tights and specially made leather straps amongst the most common types.

The use of the tongue tie must be declared by the trainer before a race and a runner will not be allowed to compete if the tongue tie is not in place. For instance, there have been non runners during 2005 when the tongue tie has been dislodged and lost on the way to post. There have also been delayed starts while jockeys (with gloves) and officials try to unpick knots in ties made of tights before trying to refit them (all very scientific).
 

Season	Total 2yo Runs	Total Runs in TT	% Runs in TT	% Wins to Runs in TT	% of Trainers using TT
2004	10,567	178	1.7%	9.6%  [9.4%]	14.5%
2005	10,601	145	1.4%	8.3%  [9.4%]	13.9%
2006	9,466	80	0.8%	6.3% [10.1%]	10.5%

In 2004 the majority of these trainers used tongue ties on odd occasions for individual horses. The notable exceptions were :-

• SB Suroor - used tongue ties 42 times out of 208 runs and on 20 different horses. The 20 horses were a mix of selected runners who always ran in tongue ties from debut onwards and others who ran in tongues ties after their debut runs. The 44 runs produced 9 winners (20.4% wins to runs) compared to his 31.8% wins to runs figure with runners without tongue ties. It is interesting to note that he had 14 horses run before June 26th and none of these earlier runs were in tongue ties. Prior to June 26 these 14 horses made 21 runs and won 9 races (42.8% wins to runs).
• N Tinkler - used tongue ties 14 times out of 43 runs on 6 different horses. All of these horses ran in tongue ties from debut onwards. The stable did not have a 2yo winner during the 2yo turf season.

• SB Suroor used tongue ties less in 2005 with only 9 different 2yos wearing them for a total of 17 runs and 3 wins. The 17.6% strike rate for runners in tongue ties was a little below the stable's overall level.
• JHM Gosden used them on 4 horses out of a total of 57 that ran for the stable. Three of these four were winners and the other only ran a single time.
• N Tinkler only used a tongue tie on one horse and for 3 runs out of a stable total of 68 runs.
• W Turner  used tongue ties on two horses which ran 12 times in total and both were winners. A strike rate of 16.7% and above the stable's overall level. He is also a notable user of vision restrictor headgear.

• SB Suroor ran only 18 horses and a total of 31 runs with none wearing tongue ties.
• The main user was new trainer (previously trained in Norway) RA Kvisla who used them on all three of his runners and on 10 of their total of 12 runs.

The following table shows the top eight most used courses for debut runs for the seasons 2003, 2004 and 2005. Note that 'Newmarket' is the total for both the Rowley and July courses for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
 

Note: (a) Kempton closed after two meetings in 2005

		2003				2004				2005
	Course	Number of Debuts	% wins to runs on deb		Course	Number of Debuts	% wins to runs on deb		Course	Number of Debuts	% wins to runs on deb
1st	Newmarket	304	7.2%		Newmarket	343	6.7%		Newbury	234	6.0%
2nd	Windsor	182	1.6%		Windsor	169	5.9%		Newmarket July	197	6.6%
3rd	Newbury	170	5.9%		Newbury	156	5.8%		Newmarket Rowley	187	5.9%
4th	Doncaster	131	5.3%		Lingfield AW	144	4.2%		Windsor	173	2.9%
5th	Nottingham	127	3.1%		Kempton	127	7.1%		Lingfield AW	142	6.3%
6th	Leicester	109	11.1%		Doncaster	116	6.9%		Leicester	139	4.3%
7th	Lingfield AW	102	5.9%		York	111	8.1%		Nottingham	130	7.7%
8th	Salisbury	94	7.4%		Yarmouth	110	6.4%		Doncaster	128	4.7%

The following table shows the eight least used courses for debut runs during 2003, 2004 and 2005.
 

Note: (a) Kempton closed in April after two meetings. Ascot closed throughout the season. (b) No debut winner at Chester in 2003-5. In 2005 only Figjam (unplaced) at 13/2 had a debut SP less than 8/1.
(c) Trainer M Johnston has provided 2 of the 3 debut winners at Epsom. His other two debuts there in the period have been placed.

		2003				2004				2005
	Course	Number of Debuts	% wins to runs on deb		Course	Number of Debuts	% wins to runs on deb		Course	Number of Debuts	% wins to runs on deb
29th	Folkestone	35	11.4%		Musselburgh	35	8.6%		Musselburgh	35	17.1%
30th	Ascot	30	16.7%		Hamilton	33	12.1%		Chepstow	33	6.1%
31st	Musselburgh	30	10%		Ascot	29	9.7%		Ayr	31	6.4%
32nd	Catterick	26	0%		Catterick	27	3.7%		Southwell	29	6.9%
33rd	Carlisle	20	5%		Carlisle	27	11.1%		Brighton	27	3.7%
34th	Brighton	20	10%		Brighton	19	5.3%		Kempton	19	10.5%
35th	Chester	16	0%		Chester	17	0%		Chester	19	0%
36th	Epsom	9	11.1%		Epsom	9	11.1%		Epsom	11	9.1%

    In 2006 the notes (b) & (c) proved to have predictive uses with the 16 debut runners at Chester managing a single placed run (an uncompetitive third). The only debut winner out of the four first time out runners at Epsom was Five A Side (at 10/1) for M. Johnston.

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Therefore in the 2004 & 2005 seasons there were between 4.5 to 5.2% of declared horses which did not particpate for come reason. A horse classified as a non-runner (NR) was not declared as ready to run at the course on the day of the meeting. This usually means they have been diagnosed as not fit to run and will not have travelled to the course. A withdrawn (WD) horse will have made it to the course on the day and been declared ready to run. Some problem between saddling for the race and the start will then cause a withdrawal, for example, bolting on the way to post or refusing to be loaded into the stalls.

The Table below summarises the trainers who had more than 50 declarations to run during the season but had percentages of non-participants above 8% compared to the overall 4.5 to 5.2% average range.
 

Note: (a) Trainers above 8% in 2 seasons between 2004-6 are coloured in Pink. All three years in Dark Pink.
(b) AP O'Brien had a 12.7% non-participation rate in 2005 but only 47 declared runners

	2004	Season				2005	Season
Trainer	Number of Declarations	Total of NRs & WDs	% of NRs & WDs		Trainer	Number of Declarations	Total of NRs & WDs	% of NRs & WDs
A Bailey	63	9	14.3%		S Kirk	115	22	19.1%
J Weymes	62	7	11.3%		B Palling	54	8	14.8%
JS Moore	87	9	10.3%		W Haggas	90	9	10.0%
A Duffield	59	6	10.2%		M Wallace	76	7	9.2%
C Dwyer	50	5	10.0%		MW Easterby	132	12	9.1%
M Wallace	76	7	9.2%		P Cole	99	9	9.1%
N Littmoden	103	9	8.7%		N Littmoden	80	7	8.8%
P Blockley	72	6	8.3%		WR Muir	74	6	8.1%
J Ramsden	73	6	8.2%		E Dunlop	111	9	8.1%
S Kirk	122	10	8.2%
J Noseda	62	5	8.1%

Note: Overall increase in non participating horses in 2006 and the related increase in trainers with >8% figures.

	2006	Season
Trainer	Number of Declarations	Total of NRs & WDs	% of NRs & WDs
A. Duffield	93	13	14.0%
EJ O'Neill	130	18	13.8%
P. Blockley	64	8	12.5%
WJ Knight	64	8	12.5%
MDI Usher	60	7	11.7%
A. Berry	62	7	11.3%
B. Smart	107	12	11.2%
S. Kirk	81	9	11.1%
NA Callaghan	100	11	11.0%
JHM Gosden	86	9	10.5%
N. Littmoden	51	5	9.8%
CG Cox	73	7	9.6%
KR Burke	171	16	9.4%
MJ Wallace	69	6	8.7%
WGM Turner	116	10	8.6%
IA Wood	70	6	8.6%
BJ Meehan	286	24	8.4%
R. Hannon	468	39	8.3%

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