The GoingStick

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The GoingStick Autumn 2008
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• Whats the ground like?
•  
• The going is one of the most important variables
  that will be taken into account when assessing a
  race.
• A GoingStick reading offers a consistent and
  objective numerical snapshot of a racecourses
  ground conditions.
• As of 1st January 2009, producing a GoingStick
  reading will be a requirement of the Rules of
  Racing.

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• So what is the GoingStick?
•  
• Gives an objective numerical reading that will
  reflect the overall state of the going at any
  given racecourse.
• Extensively and successfully trialled over
  130,000 official readings in the last 12 months
  alone.
• Can be interpreted to account for a wide variety
  of conditions.

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• How does it work?
•  
• Measures and records both penetration and shear.
• Statistics it generates form a credible bank of
  data for each individual racecourse.
• The more the GoingStick is used, the more the
  databank grows and the more the databank grows,
  the more useful the information becomes.

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Data available at www.turftrax.co.uk/going_stick_
archive.html
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• How is the number that I see in the paper arrived
  at?
• Averages approximately 9 readings per furlong to
  achieve an overall reading.
• Automatically discards strange or anomalous
  readings.
• Readings can range between around 3.5 and 12.5,
  but varying soil types will dictate that some
  racecourses are unable to produce readings at the
  extremes of this scale.
• Common sense approach encouraged for readings
  taken in areas of worn, spiked or aerated
  ground, as well as on ground that is part way
  through a watering cycle.
• Readings should always be viewed in the context
  of historic readings at that racecourse, rather
  than against what similar numbers might represent
  at other racecourses.

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• How will it be useful to me?
• Helps Owners and Trainers with both entry and
  running plans.
• Racecourses have increased information to
  distribute to industry and media contacts in the
  run up to a fixture.
• Can help ground staff teams in identifying areas
  of track that may require remedial work.
• Gives punters an objective statistic on one of
  the most important variables they are likely to
  consider when assessing a race.
• Increasingly valuable statistic for media and
  bookmakers to offer their customers.

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