Cheltenham Festival Race Program

[Prestbury]

I think the changes that were made to the races this year were generally beneficial. However, in my view they did not go nearly far enough. Potential changes have been touched on in a number of threads and it would be great to harness the brain power on here to see what a "perfect" Festival program might currently look like.

In this spirit and to start the discussion I have had a go at what I might do if in charge (heaven forbid!) so feel free to agree / disagree. The only real constraint I imposed is that although I am an advocate of a 3 day Festival, I cannot see the circumstances where from a commercial standpoint it would be reduced from the current 4 days. I have therefore produced a 4 day program (of 6 races per day).

For completeness I have also added comments on Aintree as some of my suggestions impact that Festival too. Sorry, if its a bit long!

Removed Races - Cheltenham

Mares Hurdle / Mares Chase / Mares Novice Hurdle – These races generally take away from the championship races. The best mares should be in either the champion or stayers hurdle, the best novices in the Supreme and the best chasers in the Champion Chase, Gold Cup or Ryanair. The mares would have their championship day moved to Aintree.

Baring Bingham (Turners) Novice Hurdle – Runners in the Turners can generally be separated into speedier types (e.g. The New Lion) or staying types (e.g. Final Demand). These runners should be forced into either the Supreme or the Spa with the intermediate distance championship taking place at Aintree.

Triumph Hurdle – the best 4yo should compete in the Supreme. This would add another dimension to the race. In the past the Supreme has been won by Hors La Loi and Binocular has also gone close. In most years the Supreme would be enhanced by the addition of the best 4yos. The Fred Winter would remain as a 0-140 hcap allowing those horses the option of the handicap route. The 4yo championship race would be moved to Aintree.

Changed Races – Cheltenham

Ryanair – There is an argument to abolish the Ryanair. However, given the 10f gap between the Champion Chase and the Gold Cup there are some genuine middle distance performers, a lot of whom would not enhance the championship races. Therefore the Ryanair should become a Grade 2 (with a penalty structure for any Grade 1 winner who wants to run – thereby incentivising them to contest a championship race). The intermediate championship would be at Aintree where the Ryanair horses would meet horses stepping up/down from the Cheltenham championship events.

Martin Pipe – There would be two 2m 4f handicap hurdles. The first would be solely for novices, mirroring the Golden Miller for novice chasers. The second would be very similar to the current Martin Pipe in that it would be for conditional jockeys. However, the ratings band would be reduced to 0-140 and it would be only open to smaller trainers (for example those with a stable of 25 horses or less).

Hcaps – All handicaps with the exception of the XC should be capped at an OR of 155. Any horse rated higher should be running in a championship event. In addition, handicaps should not be open to novices (they have the rest of their careers to run in open events).

Novice Hcaps – Novice handicaps should be capped at 140 pushing those rated higher into the championship races.

Aintree
Aintree should be at least 4 weeks after Cheltenham to permit horses to go for both Festivals. The moving of Aintree to accommodate Easter is anachronistic and it should be set in the calendar a set period after Cheltenham. Bonuses should be offered to horses who are able to double up at the two meetings (higher bonuses for Grade 1 doubles but also bonuses for hcap doubles)

Aintree should have one day to host the mares championship races. The remaining two days should showcase the intermediate (2.5mile) championships where the best from the 2m and 3m divisions at Cheltenham can face off.

This would involve a culling of a number of races at Aintree that are simply weaker repeats of Cheltenham races (e.g. 3m hurdle, 2m novice hurdle/chase, 3m novice hurdle/chase). It would see the establishment of a Mares champions day, would also host the 4yo championship that would be removed from Cheltenham and have the Intermediate distance championships.

Here is what the two Festivals might look like :

Cheltenham – Day 1
Supreme Hurdle Novice Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m
Festival Chase Chase 0-155 Grade 3 Hcap 3m 1f
Fred Winter Hurdle 4yo 0-140 Grade 3 Hcap 2m
National Hunt Chase Chase Novice Grade 3 Hcap 3m 6f
Champion Hurdle Hurdle Open Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m
Hcap Hurdle (Cond) Hurdle 0-140 (sm trainers) Class 2 Hcap 2m 4f

Cheltenham – Day 2
Arkle Chase Novice Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m
Coral Cup Hurdle 0-155 Grade 3 Hcap 2m 5f
Grand Annual Chase 0-155 Grade 3 Hcap 2m
Kim Muir Chase 0-145 Class 2 Hcap 3m 2f
Champion Chase Chase Open Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m
Champion Bumper Bumper Open Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m


Cheltenham – Day 3
Spa Hurdle Hurdle Novice Grade 1 Non Hcap 3m
Golden Miller Chase Novice 0-140 Grade 3 Hcap 2m 4.5f
Pertemps Hurdle Hurdle 0-155 Grade 3 Hcap 3m
Ryanair Chase Chase Open Grade 2 Non Hcap 2m 4.5f
Stayers Hurdle Hurdle Open Grade 1 Non Hcap 3m
Festival Plate Chase 0-155 Grade 3 Hcap 2m 4.5f

Cheltenham – Day 4
Broadway Chase Novice Grade 1 Non Hcap 3m 1.5f
County Hurdle 0-155 Grade 3 Hcap 2m
X Country Chase Open Class 2 Hcap 3m 5.5f
Gold Cup Chase Open Grade 1 Non Hcap 3m 2f
Foxhunters Hunter Chase Open Class 2 Non Hcap 3m 2f
Martin Pipe Hurdle Novice 0-140 Grade 3 Hcap 2m 4f

Aintree – Day 1
Dawn Run Hurdle Novice (M) Grade 2 Non Hcap 2m
Mares Hcap Hurdle Hurdle 0-140 (M) Class 2 Hcap 3m
David Nicholson Hurdle Open (M) Grade 2 Non Hcap 2m 4f
Mrs Paddy Power Chase Open (M) Grade 2 Non Hcap 2m 4f
Foxhunters Hunter Open Class 2 Non Hcap 2m 5f (N)
Nickel Coin Bumper Open (M) Grade 2 Non Hcap 2m

Aintree – Day 2
Anniversary/Triumph Hurdle 4yo Grade 2 Non Hcap 2m
Freebooter Chase Open Grade 3 Hcap 3m 1f
Mersey Hurdle Novice Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m 4f
Manifesto Chase Novice Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m 4f
Topham Chase Open Grade 3 Hcap 2m 5f (N)
Bumper Bumper Open Grade 2 Non Hcap 2m 1f

Aintree – Day 3
Alder Hey Hurdle Open Grade 3 Hcap 2m
Red Rum Chase Open Grade 3 Hcap 2m
Aintree Hurdle Hurdle Open Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m 4f
Melling Chase Chase Open Grade 1 Non Hcap 2m 4f
Grand National Chase Open Grade 3 Hcap 4m 2.5f (N)
Handicap Hurdle Hurdle Open Grade 3 Hcap 3m

[Istabraq]

I applaud your creativity my friend.
This has been a theme in recent years and FJs generally advocate wholesale change when the powers that be will invariably tweak the existing programme and no more.

No way on Earth are they getting rid of any of the five races you suggest, the investment in the mares programme has been considered and considerable, no-one is hitting the reverse button any time soon sadly despite what we might think of the diluted product they create.

You are the first to suggest binning the Triumph and keeping the Fred Winter, not sure of your thinking behind that.

Four weeks between Cheltenham and Aintree would be ideal and has been achieved in the past, but there are other programme considerations and the Lincoln meeting, Classic trials, Sandown finale, Scottish National etc all have their set place before Guineas weekend.

Your suggested schedule will need a re-think, five hurdle races on day one will test conditions and the tracks ability to cope.
Similarly four chases on day four.
And reducing races to six a day will create income issues, not just because it wouldn't be right to continue to charge current prices but also the Worldpool is a big earner, reducing the events by four will have an impact.

[Hurricane fly]

I personally thought/think that the changes weren't a positive.

Ive said quite a few times that making the Cross Country a handicap ruined the Cross Country calendar with horses just hunting for marks.(IMO - And I'm aware it became used
for national horses to hide from the handicapper)
I also don't see what a 2nd 2.5m handicap brings? Yes its
just for novices, but novices still dominated the handicaps so either ban them from open handicaps to force them into this or graded races or do away with the race again.

I would say that if the NH Chase was still level weights I think Lecky Watson probably would have gone there rather than BANC.

[FinalFurlong91]

Get rid of every graded bumper in the pattern and limit them to 4yos

Get these jumps horses jumping as early as possible

[Quevega]

I personally thought/think that the changes weren't a positive.

Ive said quite a few times that making the Cross Country a handicap ruined the Cross Country calendar with horses just hunting for marks.(IMO - And I'm aware it became used
for national horses to hide from the handicapper)
I also don't see what a 2nd 2.5m handicap brings? Yes its
just for novices, but novices still dominated the handicaps so either ban them from open handicaps to force them into this or graded races or do away with the race again.

I would say that if the NH Chase was still level weights I think Lecky Watson probably would have gone there rather than BANC.

Surely the result of the Cross Country race changed your opinion a little ?

They didn't introduce the Novice handicap to stop novices winning open handicaps, it was done to produce a more competitive race with more runners, from more stables (small and large) as was the NH chase. They achieved this and it had the desired effect of also helping UK trainers and smaller yards be more competitive.

Had they both been graded races still, the four races would have been rubbish.IMO.
The 2 left weren't great.

Splitting that bunch into four races with a sprinkle of 2 or 3 other Mullins/Elliot horses that had been beaten in Dublin would hardly have helped make the races interesting.
The only UK horse that may have ran is the O'Neill horse (RIP), as Nichols would have likely ducked the prospect with Potter.

[Prestbury]

I applaud your creativity my friend.
This has been a theme in recent years and FJs generally advocate wholesale change when the powers that be will invariably tweak the existing programme and no more.

No way on Earth are they getting rid of any of the five races you suggest, the investment in the mares programme has been considered and considerable, no-one is hitting the reverse button any time soon sadly despite what we might think of the diluted product they create.

You are the first to suggest binning the Triumph and keeping the Fred Winter, not sure of your thinking behind that.

Four weeks between Cheltenham and Aintree would be ideal and has been achieved in the past, but there are other programme considerations and the Lincoln meeting, Classic trials, Sandown finale, Scottish National etc all have their set place before Guineas weekend.

Your suggested schedule will need a re-think, five hurdle races on day one will test conditions and the tracks ability to cope.
Similarly four chases on day four.
And reducing races to six a day will create income issues, not just because it wouldn't be right to continue to charge current prices but also the Worldpool is a big earner, reducing the events by four will have an impact.

Thanks for the comments.

For the avoidance of doubt I agree that they won't make wholesale changes such as those that I have advocated (and lets be clear no-one is listening to me!). They will be small steps as they were last year. However, I think its an interesting exercise to see where people would like the Festival to get to - at least directionally. There is already a comment to get rid of the bumper (that I wouldnt be against) but

Re the mares races: there is a groundswell of opinion that this years Mares race was not good for the game - even in they eyes of some who were previous advocates (e.g. Peter Moloney). What options do they have? They can add penalties to the Mares or cap it to prevent horses like Lossiemouth running (though in either case this would likely mean downgrading to Grade 2) or they can move it elsewhere. My personal preference is for the latter but I'd settle for anything that avoids a repeat of this year (and a number of runnings from previous years).

Re the Triumph. My aim is that the best horses race each other. Having the best 4yo in the Supreme receiving 10lb would definitely improve the race as an event. The Triumph stops this from happening, hence I would remove it from the Cheltenham card (though move it to Aintree where the 4yo can have their championship race). I would retain the Fred Winter as it is always a competitive event and these 4yo are the young horses who will feed the horse pool in the coming years - therefore I don't want to disincentivise investment in new stock.

I agree that there are other program considerations but if everything was on set days then this could be resolved. The moving feast that is Easter is what throws this into chaos. Just set the racing calendar and let Easter fall where it falls - its not like we don't race on Good Friday anymore anyway.

I do disagree that 6 race cards would create income issues. A number of people had intimated that they would not attend on Tuesday as there were 4 odds on favs and the card was not competitive. If the Grade 1s were beefed up I think they would be more likely to attend. I think people would prefer (and pay for) 6 highly attractive races to 7 more mediocre ones, In any case, the attendance for the last race of each day is only about half the crowd anyway (especially for the bumper of Wednesday!).

[Istabraq]

Prestbury
I'm listening to you !
It may be worth digging up last years threads on the subject, there were some interesting ideas from members.

You realise 4yo already get a 10lb allowance in the Supreme ?
And this encourages very very few of them to target the race, there's clearly a maturity issue concern from trainers in taking on horses fully two years older, there'll be a physical difference.

Re beefed up races, there is a danger you simply create what many of the Irish races currently look like, 20+ runners but only 3/4 serious runners.
There are times when the number of horses create issues rather than add to the spectacle, think National Hunt Chase and Foxhunters from 20+ years ago....

[Prestbury]

Surely the result of the Cross Country race changed your opinion a little ?

They didn't introduce the Novice handicap to stop novices winning open handicaps, it was done to produce a more competitive race with more runners, from more stables (small and large) as was the NH chase. They achieved this and it had the desired effect of also helping UK trainers and smaller yards be more competitive.

Had they both been graded races still, the four races would have been rubbish.IMO.
The 2 left weren't great.

Splitting that bunch into four races with a sprinkle of 2 or 3 other Mullins/Elliot horses that had been beaten in Dublin would hardly have helped make the races interesting.
The only UK horse that may have ran is the O'Neill horse (RIP), as Nichols would have likely ducked the prospect with Potter.

The XC was the change that I had my doubts about, But as Quevega says the result helped support the change. And the changes to the novice races came just in time as the graded races would have been worse than anaemic.

Where I both agree and disagree with Quevega is with which horses would have gone Graded if there was no handicap. I agree with his assessment that only possibly Springwell Bay would have been re-routed and that Nicholls would have ducked with Caldwell Potter. However, it needs a mindset change (especially for people like Nicholls) which will take a little time. Part of the reason for missing Cheltenham and going to Aintree is that the races are less competitive at the latter and easier to win. If you create an intermediate championship at Aintree (with appropriate gap between the Festivals) that attracted potentially the winners of both the Arkle and Broadway (would definitely be possible this year) then it would become less of an easy option. This would lead to more trainers having a go at both Festivals. There were about 6-8 novices rated 145 plus who would have bolstered the graded events (and events showed across the Festival that if you arent in then you cant win).

[Quevega]

I'm often in agreement with floaty hair Kevin Blake on this subject.

THIS YEAR.

I think the changes they made for this year have been largely positive, and the field sizes in the chase handicaps don't appear to have been affected, which is probably more down to the ground being in the middle with no extremes. But a pleasant surprise that they all filled up.

The County being under subscribed seems to be more of an anomoly and might just be one of those things, although the prize money for the Kelso race and imperial cup don't help.

The Arkle and Banc had small fields but I'd be pretty sure this reflects the lack of graded horses in training really, especially over here. And also mardy trainers in Ireland.
And ironically and arguably - 2 mid trip types won both races.

Looking at the novice hurdles again this year, the number of UK graded chasers for next year ain't going to change too quickly.

Had we had four options this year then we'd have likely had four very short priced Fav's and fields of 5 or less in all of them.

The Novice handicap chase and the NH handicap were both competitive and good races all in all. Much better for the casual and normal racegoers (us antepost lot are not fucking normal, by a long shot for some of us) - It was good to see smaller yards winning and going close in these races.

Although I couldn't make my mind up whether I found it sickening that Multi Millionaires were wetting themselves having won a handicap with a horse they bought for North of £750k.
Or if I found it endearing that it mattered to them so much. Silly old fuckers.


NOVICE HURDLES

I think the mares novice is getting better each year and is a competitive race now that Mullins doesn't dominate, and for the moment Willie is ensuring the other novice hurdles (supreme & turners) remain interesting to a point.
If he opted to run just one or two in either race though, and we'd have had a worse year for injuries in this division - they would have been fucking rubbish.

So having 3 grade one novice hurdles and the mares novices is on very thin ice for sure.

I personally would not be against them doing away with the Turners, as for example this year we would have got New Lion in the Supreme, and Final Demand and Yellow Clay in the other race.

For me - They could even copy Dublin and have the Supreme and another grade one over 2m 6f (this would help appease those traditionalists that want to keep the Baring Bingham or whatever the fuck it's been called over the years) - could just name the longer Novice hurdle after that.


MARES

Is the Mares hurdle in particular a good race most years and worthy of a grade 1 ? - I'd day yes.
Does it take away from other races at the festival ? - absolutely.

I think for next year they need to move the mares chase and mares hurdle. probably to trials day, and have one less 2 and a half mile handicap chase on trials day as these seem to be over done at other Cheltenham meets throughout the season, same horses most of the time. The Unibet should be scrapped. If any grade 1 gelding hurdlers want a prep for Cheltenham, they should go to fucking dublin. Obviously they could move the unibet (grade 2) to the Sandown meeting instead, for the horses that don;t like boats.

I'd much prefer to keep the Mares races graded as they are - Hurdle as a grade 1 and Chase as a grade 2.

Dropping the Mares hurdle to a grade 2 and having penalties might not do the trick.
If you look at the Mares chase which is a grade 2. Hardly any of the best Mares Novice chasers turn up in the arkle or Banc and are often talked about for the mares chase instead, which is not only a grade 2 but also against older horses. And the best older Mares now rarely get seen in any of the Championship races, even after running in grade ones during the season.

Brighterdaysahead for example should not be going for a grade 2 against older horses next season and should really be running in a grade 1 against the Novice boys.

If the Mares hurdle were also made a grade 2 with penalties, the option would still be there.
And in a worse case scenario, you may get very good mares avoiding grade 1 races all season so as not to have a penalty come the day. Diluting the early season graded races even further.

So best case is to move the fucking races. IMO

Where to ?

These 2 races would be much better on trials day at Cheltenham IMO as the natural thing to do for winners or those that go close is to take on the boys in the big races at Cheltenham. Bonuses and incentives could be offered also. (They could scrap the mares race at Doncaster the same day, and let them have the Unibet instead)

Having the mares races at Aintree would be after the parade really.
But the four week gap idea makes a lot of sense, none of the other meetings matter, they can make do around the 2 big festivals.

Racing in general has to cut the chaff and focus on the top end, in order to improve and survive.


OTHER SHIT

The Pipe should be for novice hurdlers only, and just the three runs required. This will allow more options for novices without having to cram 5 races in during the season before even getting to March.

The Bumper should be restricted to 4/5yr olds only.

The 2 Mares races do not need replacing with handicaps and I think this is what they will stutter and be hesitant about as they seem set on 7 races each day, when I reckon they could go with just the 6 on the Tuesday and 6 on the Friday. As long as the quality is up this would not bother most race goers. The Pool would not suffer too much as long as the races that remain are competitive and have healthy fields. Pool income is paltry in small field graded races anyhow compared to the big field handicaps.

I think to make the Tuesday slightly better they could probably switch the Coral cup with the Boodles (and move that back to Wednesday)

And I'd probably move the Hunters Chase to Thursday and the Kim Muir to the Friday. Better to have another handicap on the Friday card than a novelty race. And obviously one less handicap on the Thursday would help also

Then on each of the four days you end up with 3 grade one races and 3 handicaps, and on the Wednesday and Thursday you have the novelty races of the Bumper, and Hunters as the extra race.

They could probably also do with placing a restriction on entry's - Like no horse can be entered in more than 2 races at the festival.
Entering horses in 6 or 7 races helps no fucker, especially other owners and trainers, never mind us lot.

I think JP's idea which is counter productive for him, but Magnanimous McManus I'll now call him.
To reduce the number of handicap runners should help the rest of the season in that to get in you're going to have to have played your hand at least a little bit.
Maybe 18 runners Chases, and 20 hurdles.
I wouldn't go too much.


IF 7 races was a must

I would not be against a Veterans (10yrs +) hurdle on the Tuesday and a Veterans Chase on the Friday myself, both over 2 and a half miles. Probably best as handicaps or a conditions race of some sort.

Be quite nice to see old champions (Hurdlers on the Tuesday obviously, and chasers on the Friday) kept in training to run in these races at ages 11 and 12, against horses their own age and not against the younger lot. A qualifying rule of having been placed at a previous Cheltenham festival as an entry condition, maybe ? - To ensure we get old favourites returning.


Tuesday

Supreme
Arkle
Ultima
Veterans hurdle
NH chase
Champion Hurdle
Coral cup

Wednesday

Turners
Fred Winter
BANC
Cross Country
Bumper
Champion Chase
Grand Annual

Thursday

Mares Novice
Novice Handicap Chase
Pertemps
Hunters Chase
Stayers
Ryanair
Plate

Friday

Triumph
County
Bartlett
Veteran Chase
Kim Muir
Gold Cup
Martin Pipe


I'd make the best race of each day the 6th race and have it at 4:30, and have a very competitive handicap as last race on each day at 5-10
Racing would start earlier at 1pm, 1:40, 2:10, 3:50 etc.
Keeping punters and crowds for longer and giving those at work a chance to watch the big race of the day.

The four O'clock idea was an improvement though, and I would settle for that.

[chunker86]

A very obvious change for me is to swap the Brown Advisory and the Triumph on the race programme.

The Triumph is a 2 mile hurdle, it should be on the same course and days as the Supreme, champion hurdle, Arkle & Champion Chase - the other 2 mile Grade 1s.

The Gold Cup Day should be all about the Gold Cup horses of the future - put the Browns on the same day and same course as the Gold Cup and make it a proper Gold Cup trial for novices.


I do think moving the feature race to 4pm was a positive.

[archie]

This is principally a betting forum so I know that looking at it from a breeder's point of view will be at odds with the general thinking. However, the industry needs to be collaborative to progress. Without breeders and owners there would be nothing to bet on. Without punters there would be no reward for breeding or owning. Clearly, the huge chunk of proceeds taken out of the industry by bookmakers leaves everyone else short in any return they get from being in the business but that horse has long bolted so we have to make the best of what we have and try to be fair to all interested parties.

As Istabraq said, they created and invested a fair amount of effort and money in the mares programme to improve the breed by having more race-hardened broodmares. With my breeder's hat on I can see that it takes just as much time, effort and money to breed a filly as a colt but the comparative rewards, both in the sales ring and racing, were previously just not equitable. No-one has suggested binning/downgrading the Oaks to get the best fillies in the Derby and I would be strongly against reducing the status of the races for mares or taking them out of the Festival. However, I can see a case for changing the distances if you're breeding for hardiness. Having the Mares Novice at 2m4f (and no 4yos) and the Mares Hurdle at 2m6f or even 3m would be a step in the right direction. I think there's a case for moving the Mares Hurdle to the New Course. I believe that it was Patrick Mullins who said that there's a temptation for trainers to try for an early win on the board in an easier race when it's run on the Tuesday. I'm happy that the MNH is a G2 and the Mares Hurdle a G!. The Mares Chase is still a work in progress so G2 is right for the moment.

In my view, novice handicaps don't really belong at an Olympics because even the handicapper is only guessing. In particular, the Fred Winter has taken away from the Triumph. Failed flat horses should find another venue. Physiologically speaking, I'm not convinced that 3yos should be sent over jumps at all but, again, from the breeding point of view, I can understand why breeders like an early return on their NH breds similar to their counterparts in France.

[Quevega]

This is principally a betting forum so I know that looking at it from a breeder's point of view will be at odds with the general thinking. However, the industry needs to be collaborative to progress. Without breeders and owners there would be nothing to bet on. Without punters there would be no reward for breeding or owning. Clearly, the huge chunk of proceeds taken out of the industry by bookmakers leaves everyone else short in any return they get from being in the business but that horse has long bolted so we have to make the best of what we have and try to be fair to all interested parties.

As Istabraq said, they created and invested a fair amount of effort and money in the mares programme to improve the breed by having more race-hardened broodmares. With my breeder's hat on I can see that it takes just as much time, effort and money to breed a filly as a colt but the comparative rewards, both in the sales ring and racing, were previously just not equitable. No-one has suggested binning/downgrading the Oaks to get the best fillies in the Derby and I would be strongly against reducing the status of the races for mares or taking them out of the Festival. However, I can see a case for changing the distances if you're breeding for hardiness. Having the Mares Novice at 2m4f (and no 4yos) and the Mares Hurdle at 2m6f or even 3m would be a step in the right direction. I think there's a case for moving the Mares Hurdle to the New Course. I believe that it was Patrick Mullins who said that there's a temptation for trainers to try for an early win on the board in an easier race when it's run on the Tuesday. I'm happy that the MNH is a G2 and the Mares Hurdle a G!. The Mares Chase is still a work in progress so G2 is right for the moment.

In my view, novice handicaps don't really belong at an Olympics because even the handicapper is only guessing. In particular, the Fred Winter has taken away from the Triumph. Failed flat horses should find another venue. Physiologically speaking, I'm not convinced that 3yos should be sent over jumps at all but, again, from the breeding point of view, I can understand why breeders like an early return on their NH breds similar to their counterparts in France.

Why would moving the Mares races from the festival itself damage the mares programme ?

Mares winning the Champion hurdle and/or Irish Champion hurdle has done far more for getting more mares in training and for broodmares than the mares hurdle alone.
You will know the cost of having a baby with Annie Power, Honeysuckle, Apples Jade VS other mares.

The Mares programme was a great initiative and has served the sport well, much like DEI was a reasonable idea to begin with, and had good intentions. But sometimes you have to appreciate when something has become more of a problem than was originally intended, and recognise this and make changes. (Not advocating Trump and his cronies and the way they do things, in any way here, by the way, he's still a cunt, but DEI has in many cases over stepped it's mark) -

The Mares hurdle being at the festival and/or as a grade 1 has over stepped it's mark to the point it has become damaging. Even some of the main people supporting the programme agree on this.

One of the issues NH racing faces is the lack of graded horses in training in the UK in particular, meaning many graded races over the season and now at the festival itself, are lacking competitiveness, and the clashes the sport needs to promote itself and thrive are sadly lacking. So IMO, they need to make tweaks and changes, and this may mean losing some graded races and moving others around, in order to encourage more competition by giving connections less options.

The Mares race, without the competition of the Champion hurdle would be an event in itself, and would allow the best mares to then go on and take on the boys a few weeks later.

And the Guineas, Derby Oaks being mentioned is a sore point with me.
Those races are held at the beginning of the flat season, and have not suffered from low number fields and odds on favourites as much as Cheltenham has.

Punters know full well that there is every chance we will see the best Colts and Filly's facing off later in the season, in the King George, International, St leger, Arc etc.
There are still too many options of graded races though, in the flat scene IMO.
They also have issues.

But as a comparison to the issues surrounding the Champion hurdle and Mares hurdle being 40 minutes apart, it's a non starter.

[FinalFurlong91]

A very obvious change for me is to swap the Brown Advisory and the Triumph on the race programme.

The Triumph is a 2 mile hurdle, it should be on the same course and days as the Supreme, champion hurdle, Arkle & Champion Chase - the other 2 mile Grade 1s.

The Gold Cup Day should be all about the Gold Cup horses of the future - put the Browns on the same day and same course as the Gold Cup and make it a proper Gold Cup trial for novices.


I do think moving the feature race to 4pm was a positive.

Iv never understood why the BANC isn't on Thursday or Friday myself

That switch seems ideal

[Faugheen_Machine]

Some effort to mention Trump in the mares hurdle discussion

[Quevega]

Some effort to mention Trump in the mares hurdle discussion