Last Thursday anyone who attended Cheltenham will have heard constant reference to the Ryanair being the feature race of the day, this came as a shock because the festival set up is to have one championship race each day, and of course Thursday is the Stayers Hurdle.
If you'd gone to the parade ring/winners enclosure you would also have seen nothing but Ryanair flags/banners.
I wasn't aware that Paddy Power has secured sponsorship of the Stayers Hurdle but I'm told this was announced on Trials Day so it's not as if the sponsorship was confirmed late in the day and before any badging could be created, so it begs the question are Cheltenham promoting the non championship Ryanair Chase above the championship Stayers Hurdle which as been run, in one form or another, for over 100 years.
Any knowledge views out there ?
If you'd gone to the parade ring/winners enclosure you would also have seen nothing but Ryanair flags/banners.
I wasn't aware that Paddy Power has secured sponsorship of the Stayers Hurdle but I'm told this was announced on Trials Day so it's not as if the sponsorship was confirmed late in the day and before any badging could be created, so it begs the question are Cheltenham promoting the non championship Ryanair Chase above the championship Stayers Hurdle which as been run, in one form or another, for over 100 years.
Any knowledge views out there ?
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