Which race will we lose next year ?

[Saxon Warrior]

One of those that I enjoy least is the Grand Annual, but with a tweak or two it could be much better.

It used to be a nightmare with so many entered at 5-day decs in case they fell in earlier Festival races and wanted another crack at a race. I think the changes to declaring only for one race now restricts this more.

I would put the race on QM Champion Chase day and make it a double 2M Chase day, increase the prize money and no more than 18 runners, and really look to make it the quality 2M handicap of the season, not some cavalry charge at the fag end of the last day.

[Humble Pie]

Can't they get rid of the Champion Hurdle this year please ? At least Honeysuckle would then be 100% certain to run in the Mares !!

Are you the same Lobos that was actively suggesting BDD May go down the Stayers route?

Personally I strongly disagree with extending the Festival to 5 days .

There’s only one race to cull IMO and that’s the Bumper

[The King Pimm]

One of those that I enjoy least is the Grand Annual, but with a tweak or two it could be much better.

It used to be a nightmare with so many entered at 5-day decs in case they fell in earlier Festival races and wanted another crack at a race. I think the changes to declaring only for one race now restricts this more.

I would put the race on QM Chanpion a Chase day and make it a double 2M Chase day, increase the prize money and no more than 18 runners, and really look to make it the quality 2M handicap of the season, not some cavalry charge at the fag end of the last day.

I like that idea SW, hopefully would tidy up the race and limit the carnage that it can create

[charlie]

Can't they get rid of the Champion Hurdle this year please ? At least Honeysuckle would then be 100% certain to run in the Mares !!

Haha

[robith]

Have everyone seen their announcement of some weird "park" zone for partying? The people running racing don't have a clue do they. I've done some work in the sphere and all the evidence points to connecting racing back to ordinary families, curbing ASB and elevating the status of the sport itself, and yet they keep chasing the Peaky Blinder cosplayers.

Maybe we're all in the wrong game. We chase the antepost prices but the easiest money to be made is to be selling bugle in the the cotsworlds in March these days

[Istabraq]

Interesting points re Grand Annual.
As the oldest race at the festival it needs to be retained and I don't believe there are any calls for it to be culled, but I do accept that the field size makes this a cavalry charge, the race has now been reduced to 20 as I'm sure many will know.
What I don't understand is why the final race can't be the County which for many years was the last.
I assume they don't want a chase earlier in the card so the Gold Cup is run on fresh ground though they don't do this for the Champion Chase or Ryanair so not sure why this is a requirement for Friday...