General Chat

[Ice]

I bet Uttoxeter races are really dreading day five arriving at Cheltenham.

[Istabraq]

I bet Uttoxeter races are really dreading day five arriving at Cheltenham.

I think they’d move to the Sunday…

[Faugheen_Machine]

If they're going to do 30 races they should mix up a few of the race conditions.

I'd change the following:

1) Only have the bumper open to 4 and 5 year olds. They're bred to jump and the likes of Appreciate It, Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard running in the bumper at 6 is a joke as far as I'm concerned.
2) Supreme and Ballymore only open to 5 and 6 year olds.
3) Albert Bartlett changed to a 3m novice handicap hurdle.
4) Martin Pipe changed to a 2m2f handicap hurdle 0-145 to accommodate the above.
5) No novice hurdlers in the County, Coral or Pertemps. They have the Supreme, Ballymore, Martin Pipe and the 3m AB handicap to run in.
6) Like 4, no novice chasers in the Grand Annual, Plate or Ultima. Novices can run in the Kim Muir if rated low enough.
7) Have a 2m2f novice handicap chase 0-140 as a new race.
8) Turners ran over the same distance as the Ryanair. No idea who came up with the idea of them being over slightly different distances.
9) Can't particularly think of a 30th race as it's all covered already. A Cheltenham 'National' hurdle race over 3m2f to 3m4f - I don't think there's a hurdle race over this far so a unique race? A race open to 4 and 5 year old PTPers being sold at the Cheltenham sale over 2m5f? A handicap race for Cheltenham veterans - ran 3 or more times at the Cheltenham festival? Just making up stupid races though. No doubt a mares bumper will be added though.

Some good ideas there. I'd also like to see them stop novices from running in the open handicaps if they continue down the path of adding extra races.

[Odin]

If they're going to do 30 races they should mix up a few of the race conditions.

I'd change the following:

1) Only have the bumper open to 4 and 5 year olds. They're bred to jump and the likes of Appreciate It, Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard running in the bumper at 6 is a joke as far as I'm concerned.
2) Supreme and Ballymore only open to 5 and 6 year olds.
3) Albert Bartlett changed to a 3m novice handicap hurdle.
4) Martin Pipe changed to a 2m2f handicap hurdle 0-145 to accommodate the above.
5) No novice hurdlers in the County, Coral or Pertemps. They have the Supreme, Ballymore, Martin Pipe and the 3m AB handicap to run in.
6) Like 4, no novice chasers in the Grand Annual, Plate or Ultima. Novices can run in the Kim Muir if rated low enough.
7) Have a 2m2f novice handicap chase 0-140 as a new race.
8) Turners ran over the same distance as the Ryanair. No idea who came up with the idea of them being over slightly different distances.
9) Can't particularly think of a 30th race as it's all covered already. A Cheltenham 'National' hurdle race over 3m2f to 3m4f - I don't think there's a hurdle race over this far so a unique race? A race open to 4 and 5 year old PTPers being sold at the Cheltenham sale over 2m5f? A handicap race for Cheltenham veterans - ran 3 or more times at the Cheltenham festival? Just making up stupid races though. No doubt a mares bumper will be added though.

I like a lot of these as well, but disagree with 3. The Bartlett was perfect for that kind of change a few years ago, but minella info, monkfish and the nice guy all winning in recent years shows it's become a much classier race now and it would be a shame to lose that.

The turner's situation in particular is baffling, they're literally on the same course for god's sake!

[Faugheen_Machine]

Has anyone else backed Bob Olinger to be unbeaten through the 21/22 season with Bet Victor?

Just wondering if the T&C's mentioned Punchestown being included? The UK season ends on Saturday but I assume Irish season completes after the Punch festival so I'll need him to win there, or not turn up.....

[Quevega]

If they're going to do 30 races they should mix up a few of the race conditions.

I'd change the following:

1) Only have the bumper open to 4 and 5 year olds. They're bred to jump and the likes of Appreciate It, Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard running in the bumper at 6 is a joke as far as I'm concerned.
2) Supreme and Ballymore only open to 5 and 6 year olds.
3) Albert Bartlett changed to a 3m novice handicap hurdle.
4) Martin Pipe changed to a 2m2f handicap hurdle 0-145 to accommodate the above.
5) No novice hurdlers in the County, Coral or Pertemps. They have the Supreme, Ballymore, Martin Pipe and the 3m AB handicap to run in.
6) Like 4, no novice chasers in the Grand Annual, Plate or Ultima. Novices can run in the Kim Muir if rated low enough.
7) Have a 2m2f novice handicap chase 0-140 as a new race.
8) Turners ran over the same distance as the Ryanair. No idea who came up with the idea of them being over slightly different distances.
9) Can't particularly think of a 30th race as it's all covered already. A Cheltenham 'National' hurdle race over 3m2f to 3m4f - I don't think there's a hurdle race over this far so a unique race? A race open to 4 and 5 year old PTPers being sold at the Cheltenham sale over 2m5f? A handicap race for Cheltenham veterans - ran 3 or more times at the Cheltenham festival? Just making up stupid races though. No doubt a mares bumper will be added though.

I like most of these ideas with a few tweaks, and the Cheltenham specialist veteran race would prove popular I'm sure.

My most revolutionary idea though would not be moving to five days, but holding the festival over consecutive weekends FRI/SAT & FRI SAT.
Feature race at 5pm each day, and the races structured so that some exceptional horses can have the option of running both weekends.
I would re name all races to be Championship races (with sponsors)

i'e Champion 2 mile Novice hurdle. Champion 3 mile novice hurdle. - Like the Yanks. Not everything they do is stupid.

If it is the pinnacle/olympics of this Sport then they should make it look like it.

[DenmanSacre]

I like a lot of these as well, but disagree with 3. The Bartlett was perfect for that kind of change a few years ago, but minella info, monkfish and the nice guy all winning in recent years shows it's become a much classier race now and it would be a shame to lose that.

The turner's situation in particular is baffling, they're literally on the same course for god's sake!

I wouldn't particularly change the AB either. It tends to get a decent field size each year but there are a number of classier ones who could easily run well in the Ballymore, increasing the field size there while also having the stayers in the Martin Pipe moving up to the 3m handicap hurdle. Field sizes in both races should then be increased, which is what I think Cheltenham need to think about with any changes as we don't want small field sizes.

[DenmanSacre]

I like most of these ideas with a few tweaks, and the Cheltenham specialist veteran race would prove popular I'm sure.

My most revolutionary idea though would not be moving to five days, but holding the festival over consecutive weekends FRI/SAT & FRI SAT.
Feature race at 5pm each day, and the races structured so that some exceptional horses can have the option of running both weekends.
I would re name all races to be Championship races (with sponsors)

i'e Champion 2 mile Novice hurdle. Champion 3 mile novice hurdle. - Like the Yanks. Not everything they do is stupid.

If it is the pinnacle/olympics of this Sport then they should make it look like it.

A move to Friday/Saturday on consecutive weekends actually sounds a good idea. You could have the Champion Chase on one weekend and the Ryanair on another to try and tempt a Shishkin/Energumene/Allaho showdown for instance. Or the Ryanair/Gold Cup on different weekends.

The changing of the race names would make sense from a marketing point of view.

[Quevega]

A move to Friday/Saturday on consecutive weekends actually sounds a good idea. You could have the Champion Chase on one weekend and the Ryanair on another to try and tempt a Shishkin/Energumene/Allaho showdown for instance. Or the Ryanair/Gold Cup on different weekends.

The changing of the race names would make sense from a marketing point of view.

The profile of the Sport and event would be massively enhanced with two build ups and a breather in between.
I'm sure the locals would like ti too, as it's likely that plenty would stay during the week also, especially if the town made the most of it with other events also.

[Istabraq]

Has anyone else backed Bob Olinger to be unbeaten through the 21/22 season with Bet Victor?

Just wondering if the T&C's mentioned Punchestown being included? The UK season ends on Saturday but I assume Irish season completes after the Punch festival so I'll need him to win there, or not turn up.....

I suspect you need him to win FM.
The '2021/22' season stipulation in the bet for an Irish based horse has to include Punchestown, I'd be shocked if it didn't...

[Atlantic Viking]

Has anyone else backed Bob Olinger to be unbeaten through the 21/22 season with Bet Victor?

Just wondering if the T&C's mentioned Punchestown being included? The UK season ends on Saturday but I assume Irish season completes after the Punch festival so I'll need him to win there, or not turn up.....

I'm on the same bet and i'm 95% certain at the time I placed the bet, the qualifying period fell about a week short of the Punchestown Festival, therefore making it a winner unless for some reason he reappeared before then.

[Eggs]

I'm on the same bet and i'm 95% certain at the time I placed the bet, the qualifying period fell about a week short of the Punchestown Festival, therefore making it a winner unless for some reason he reappeared before then.

…..that would be a major plus.

I’m also on the PP 25-1 Bob O/Honey unbeaten but I assume that includes Punchestown. I’m still hoping Bob O is put away until next season.

[Atlantic Viking]

Just spoke to BetV customer service who confirm it ends the weekend of 23rd/24th April.

[Atlantic Viking]

…..that would be a major plus.

I’m also on the PP 25-1 Bob O/Honey unbeaten but I assume that includes Punchestown. I’m still hoping Bob O is put away until next season.

Yeah i'm on that one too, that definitely specified Punchestown.

[HarryTrotter]

…..that would be a major plus.

I’m also on the PP 25-1 Bob O/Honey unbeaten but I assume that includes Punchestown. I’m still hoping Bob O is put away until next season.

In the exact same boat here eggs. Constitution hill not running certainly helps the honey part so I’m the same position with Bob and hoping they play it safe and wait for next season