General Chat

[Yosser]

What a mess. So not only will we probably never see our Antepost money again we have to go through a season of looking for handicap plots for the Turners.

[BigChaang]

How hard do you think we wil have to fight to get money back

Well , all the Main Bookies appear to have taken down the Turners market .

[Big Bucks]

Well , all the Main Bookies appear to have taken down the Turners market .

Yeah I'd be very surprised if they don't void them and pay us our money back.

[ComplyOrDie]

Woeful decision.

These changes need suspending until 2026 or there should have been an announcement stipulating changes to specific races way back after the last festival.

I really like the Turners, but now we get to watch Willie send 5 to the Arkle and 5 to the BANC, terrific.

[Yosser]

Prices being slashed all over the shop in the BANC and Arkle. I suppose it could end up in our favour if you have got a position early enough. I have horses in both races now being cut and if there is a refund on the Turners bets that could be re-invested in the ones you have been thinking about for the two races but it's still a farce. I might just use the refunds (if they are coming) to finish off my breeders cup bets. I was pretty heavily invested in Impaire Et Passe at 25/1 too Backed it the Saturday after Cheltenham.

[Runragged]

XCC decision is an awful one. There is already two similar handicaps earlier in the season. Would of been better having a graded win penalty system. Instead now half the field if not more will probably end up running out of the handicap as Elliott will still use it as a prep for the Grand National!

I assume novice chasers will be ineligible for the handicap chases? Otherwise it would just defeat the objective as well.

[Yosser]

XCC decision is an awful one. There is already two similar handicaps earlier in the season. Would of been better having a graded win penalty system. Instead now half the field if not more will probably end up running out of the handicap as Elliott will still use it as a prep for the Grand National!

I assume novice chasers will be ineligible for the handicap chases? Otherwise it would just defeat the objective as well.

Makes betting on the 3 races easier i reckon. They are no longer book builders races. Just trying to find the best handicapped ones. Saxon, you got more work to do this year

[Kautostar]

Woeful decision.

These changes need suspending until 2026 or there should have been an announcement stipulating changes to specific races way back after the last festival.

I really like the Turners, but now we get to watch Willie send 5 to the Arkle and 5 to the BANC, terrific.

Exactly this, the changes won’t have the positive impact that they think it will. British trainers will target aintree even more now as Willie will split his battalion between the 2 races

[Hurricane fly]

I really like the Turners.

Me too, it's against tradition but I think middle distance races are usually the best quality, and now we have to possibly look at even more plot jobs in the novice ranks

[Quevega]

Brilliant news.
They made us well aware that changes were coming, and it looks like all three wanky races (for different reasons) are going to be handicaps, which is a lot better IMO.
Just need a tweak to who can run in the open handicaps and then we're laughing, and maybe even some changes to the penalty system in the mares races.

[Atlantic Viking]

Mixed feelings. Wasn't a fan of the Turners and making the XC a handicap seems fair enough, but from an antepost perspective both offered opportunities whereas handicaps are a pain in the arse for the most part. For me anyway Obviously you can argue that it makes it easier to work out whether a horse is heading to the Arkle or BANC, but prices will naturally be worse as a result and whilst the intermediate trip muddied the water, it did reward being on the right side of taking a view. I really hope the NHC is left alone, it's been good to most of us I suspect.

[Faugheen_Machine]

Brilliant news.
They made us well aware that changes were coming, and it looks like all three wanky races (for different reasons) are going to be handicaps, which is a lot better IMO.
Just need a tweak to who can run in the open handicaps and then we're laughing, and maybe even some changes to the penalty system in the mares races.

I'm delighted with it as well. They haven't gone far enough yet imo but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

The Mullins issue I've seen mentioned is difficult to control. I'd imagine he'll run a few in the Manifesto at Aintree so they'll profit from this move too.

[Quevega]

Not sure it's all out there, and if they are going to drip feed the changes or not,
Kevin Blake is suggesting it may just be the 2 races converting to handicaps (turners and x country) and a further increase in the number of runs needed to be able to run in a handicap hurdle !!
Not sure how many 5 or 6 ?

Looks like they bottled making changes to the mares races in terms of previous grade 1 wins that was discussed in the summer (think a lot of trainers suggested it would mean a collapse in the mares in training) I disagree on that for sure. As previously discussed, they could have simply moved the race, so the best could run in the champion as well, rather than have the boring choice that seems to come up every season when there's a good mare about, which is most seasons now.

[Quevega]

I'm delighted with it as well. They haven't gone far enough yet imo but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

The Mullins issue I've seen mentioned is difficult to control. I'd imagine he'll run a few in the Manifesto at Aintree so they'll profit from this move too.

Yeah, his runners and the ammo he has is another issue and not really related to this IMO.

I actually think he'll probably not send as many, especially if they change the NH chase as well.
Reason being, is that he'll have easier decisions to make himself in terms of which race to aim his horses at and whose the best of them at 2 miles and 3 miles prior to March.

[Ballybeen]

Ladbrokes already returned my turners bets.