”GM23, this is why NH racing is dying; Arkle, Desert Orchid, Monksfield, Night Nurse, all built their legend over the NH season. I agree the Gold Cup is the ultimate prize in NH racing, but it’s the cherry on top, not the whole cake. The Irish Gold Cup is a great prize in it’s own right, and not just a prep.”
Running a horse often isn’t what makes the legend. What the horse does when you run him is what counts. 4 runs a season for a top class Gold Cup contender is plenty for me. 5 runs for anything else.
Solness ran like 10 times last season including winning 2 G1s. He’s not a legend now and likely never will be.
I don’t think NH racing is dying. The biggest problem with the sport is bookmaker power. Since online took off, the big firms have grown astronomically and can now pretty much buy anyone. Trainers love easy money.
They also have ai and algorithms in place which mean they have pretty much anything worth of backing undervalued now.
Punting has always been a mugs game but that’s never been more true than it is now.
Those horses you mention were from a different era when everyone trained and planned seasons differently. The horses nowadays appear to be more fragile, whether that’s to do with the breeding, peds or both, I don’t know.
You simply can’t run your horse in 4 or 5 stiff contests before the festival and expect to win a Grade 1. There will always be a other trainers who’ve kept their horse fresh for the big day and then you have no chance.
The Irish Gold cup is a huge prize and should be supported by the top Irish yards but the fact is, It will never be anywhere near as prestigious as the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
It takes place very close to the festival in March so there is no point in a UK trainer bringing their horse over for it if it’s got a realistic chance at winning the Blue Ribband.
The Savills in December is a different story but then I’d rather win a King George over it also.
I also feel that Willie made a huge blunder by running Galopin at the DRF last season. He had the chance to put that horse along side Best Mate and Arkle but chose to give the horse 3 hard runs beforehand and the rest is history.
To be the first Irish horse since Arkle to win 3 Cheltenham Gold Cups would have cemented the horse into history more than winning any amount of Irish Gold Cups.
Who’ll be remembered more in 50 years time, Best Mate or Florida Pearl.
Just in case you think I’m being harsh on Irish racing. I’m a proud Irish man but the King George and the big Cheltenham G1s will always be the pinnacle for me.