General Chat

[Benjy23]

It's only interesting because there are 4 horses that belong in better races that are clashing .... there is absolutely no hope for all but about 6 of the entries - that can't be good long term even if this renewal does get your juices flowing.

On the point about them not being competitive in any other festival race, I disagree - they have handicaps over all the distances. I would so much rather see a brilliant weight carrying performance by a former Gold Cup winner than one trot about and sprint for a bit at the end.

If they made it a handicap again this year, you'd have all the same contenders AND give a chance to some of the others that are lower down, like all the ones that do get their head in front in the trials.... it would only add more horses who can in the mix, how can that be a bad thing?

The first paragraph is probably true and fair. But relies on the G1 horses getting older and continuing to drop into the Cross Country. And the rest just making up the numbers for a day out. Agree it's potentially a problem though.

I'd also like to see this but do you actually think that would happen, it never did for these races when the cross country was a handicap. Are all handicaps actually open to them?

I don't think you'd have Conflated running if it was a handicap off a mid to high 160s mark. I'm not sure on the others at this stage but I doubt Gordon would be targeting the race the way he is if it was still a handicap.

[Quevega]

A Ltd Handicap might work. 140-165. With the 2 cross country races held at Cheltenham earlier in the season as qualifiers where you get a ticket no matter what your weight.

Although the best option would be to simply revert to a handicap for the smaller yards, lesser known horses.

Then Fuck the NH chase off and let the amateurs ride these top class veterans instead. They could have a penalty system also for previous grade one winners (within last 2 years or so) to bring the 150 (veteran handicapper types) rated horses closer to the top ones.
Then the other Novice chase races should also swell up a bit.

[Kevloaf]

I don't think you'd have Conflated running if it was a handicap off a mid to high 160s mark. I'm not sure on the others at this stage but I doubt Gordon would be targeting the race the way he is if it was still a handicap.

I absolutely think that's a great thing though, Conflated is easily good enough to still be trying to win a Championship race

The fact they wouldn't run him in it is kinda the point



Pretty sure Kevin Blake actually put together an excellent article on what they should do with it and that's essentiually where my opinion lies now I'll try find it!

[Benjy23]

I absolutely think that's a great thing though, Conflated is easily good enough to still be trying to win a Championship race

The fact they wouldn't run him in it is kinda the point



Pretty sure Kevin Blake actually put together an excellent article on what they should do with it and that's essentiually where my opinion lies now I'll try find it!

Aye, I do appreciate that is the point. I'm just not sure that change would be making the festival better as a whole.

The Cross Country in its old form was a race to go and get a pint and take a break during. It's only very recently become interesting imo. Might as well scrap it, as revert to a poor standard handicap. And I appreciate the specialist won't appreciate this view.

Scrap it and get a veterans G2 Chase in

[Hurricane fly]

It's quite clearly becoming a National Prep for Gordon and others are taking note and trying it.

Poor Edna Bolger

[Kautostar]

I agree with benjy a lot of these wouldn’t run if it was a hcap. It’s like a veterans gold cup now for horses past their prime and gives them another chance of Cheltenham glory. I don’t get why people moan that they’re not running in the gold cup. To do what exactly? Just add to the numbers and either be pulled up or finish when the foxhunters is about to start! They don’t add anything to the gold cup at this stage of their careers. I’m actually looking forward to this race this year.

[FinalFurlong91]

Feel like most of the british horses I fancy for March are running on Saturday

[Kevloaf]

I agree with benjy a lot of these wouldn’t run if it was a hcap. It’s like a veterans gold cup now for horses past their prime and gives them another chance of Cheltenham glory. I don’t get why people moan that they’re not running in the gold cup. To do what exactly? Just add to the numbers and either be pulled up or finish when the foxhunters is about to start! They don’t add anything to the gold cup at this stage of their careers. I’m actually looking forward to this race this year.

So they've had their day in the sun.....

If they're no longer good enough, don't turn up at all, don't fashion it so that we see a second rate made up prize that we're pretending now matters

They COULD run in a handicap but choose not to, so be it



It's a soft graded race as it is, no need for it.




Why not have a race for Greys?
The vetrans chase is actually a better idea. There would be a place for that.

The Cross Country as a Grand National prep and therefore a handicap would also hold some credibility to keep it where it is.


I'd have no issue with no Cross Country race though, so the arguement that it would go back to being crap isn't really my point.

Not interested in it any more really maybe that's it

[Benjy23]

Feel like most of the british horses I fancy for March are running on Saturday

Aye. Then the DRF the following week.

Dreams will be shattered!

[Kevloaf]

Aye. Then the DRF the following week.

Dreams will be shattered!

Land mine after land mine for the next 8 weeks

[Faugheen_Machine]

I agree with benjy a lot of these wouldn’t run if it was a hcap. It’s like a veterans gold cup now for horses past their prime and gives them another chance of Cheltenham glory. I don’t get why people moan that they’re not running in the gold cup. To do what exactly? Just add to the numbers and either be pulled up or finish when the foxhunters is about to start! They don’t add anything to the gold cup at this stage of their careers. I’m actually looking forward to this race this year.

Why wouldn't they run if it was a handicap? I don't get that thinking.

Conflated wouldn't add anything to a GC or Ryanair this season? He's still a grade 1 horse imo.

[Kautostar]

Why wouldn't they run if it was a handicap? I don't get that thinking.

Conflated wouldn't add anything to a GC or Ryanair this season? He's still a grade 1 horse imo.

I don’t think they’d be as interested in lumping huge weights giving 2 stone to the field here knowing full well something will be cheated with to squeeze in off bottom weight and win.

I honestly don’t see what conflated would add to the gold cup this season, he’d finish 7-10th. I like the fact that there’s a race that these old legends can be competitive in rather than just making up the numbers in a gold cup or forced into running off top weight in a hcap.

[Lostinleith]

I absolutely think that's a great thing though, Conflated is easily good enough to still be trying to win a Championship race

The fact they wouldn't run him in it is kinda the point



Pretty sure Kevin Blake actually put together an excellent article on what they should do with it and that's essentiually where my opinion lies now I'll try find it!

Think this probably the one (with a follow up the week after).

Kevin Blake | At The Races

Kevin Blake | At The Races

[Kevloaf]

Think this probably the one (with a follow up the week after).

Kevin Blake | At The Races

Kevin Blake | At The Races

Thank you

"One final proposal would be to revert the cross-country chase back to it’s former format as a handicap rather than a conditions race. Having it as a conditions race has encouraged the connections of high-class chasers to reinvent them as cross-country chasers in an effort to chisel out a Cheltenham Festival win with horses that wouldn’t be out of place in open Grade 1 chases at the meeting. This has reduced the competitiveness of the race and made it an unrealistic target for most. Reverting it to a handicap would even the playing field."

[Rooster Booster]

Does anybody know typically how quickly the exchange markets come back up after entry stage. Stupidly I forgot about today and had a time sensitive wager to place. No matter how long I’ve been doing this for I still find stupid ways to balls up.