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Looking at the cards for Aintree really makes me remember how good the Cheltenham Festival used to be before it was stretched to 4 days.
The quality of the races at Liverpool is superb.
Personally, I am looking forward to the classy cards at the Grand National meeting more than I did the Cheltenham experience.
How about you?
Zip
Couldn’t agree more mate.
Top class stuff without all the handicaps and "filling" races that have diluted the quality of the Cheltenham festival.
Aintree is now the best meeting of the whole year IMO.
Absolutely. Those new races at Chelters, bar the Ryanair, have really taken away the gloss from the festival.
Zip
With the excitement of the Grand National I’d almost forgotten that we’ve got Thursday and Friday as well but, as I say every year the park course scares me much more than Cheltenham because of the flatness of the track and the speed at which they go, along with sad memories. Having said that, it’s racing at it’s finest and I can’t wait [especially as I have to go into hibernation afterwards].
Cheltenham for me
The races added haven’t changed the spectacle at all. As has been said the Ryanair is a good addition, as is the bumper, the cross country a spectacle and the other "poor" races haven’t replaced any of the better ones.Aintree is second choice( best) , thats why the best chaser won’t be going there, though a few very good horses will make it their "Cheltenham" because they have stamina reservations or prefer a flat course. Added to which some of the runners at Aintree don’t deliver due to the fact they have given their all at Cheltenham only three weeks previously.
There is more dross on Aintree Saturday than any day at Cheltenham
Cheltenham for me
The races added haven’t changed the spectacle at all. As has been said the Ryanair is a good addition, as is the bumper, the cross country a spectacle and the other "poor" races haven’t replaced any of the better ones.Aintree is second choice( best) , thats why the best chaser won’t be going there, though a few very good horses will make it their "Cheltenham" because they have stamina reservations or prefer a flat course. Added to which some of the runners at Aintree don’t deliver due to the fact they have given their all at Cheltenham only three weeks previously.
There is more dross on Aintree Saturday than any day at Cheltenham
Good post.
Particularly agree about the Saturday where everything centres around the one race. (although far too much attention is now geared to the so callede "peoples race" which is an utter waste of time and nothing more than a gimmic)
It is also interesting that those who continually criticise the "standard" of the races at Cheltenham suddenly go very quiet when it comes to the National, which has to be the "oddest" race in the calendar being over strange fences over an extreme distance in which even the handicap is "fixed". That doesn’t, of course, mean it is not a good race though!!!
I would actually have Aintree as the third best festival – I prefer Punchestown to Aintree.
I have no idea if there is anything in the forum rules about blasphemy but if there is Zippy you could be in trouble
There could be another 20 races at the Cheltenham Fetival but the fact remains the QMCC, The Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup would hold the meeting high above anything Aintree could come up with.
No matter what happens at Aintree nothing could compare with the sight of Kauto Star storming up the hill and proving he’s the best 3 mile chaser since the mighty Arkle.
Aintree races always have a good look about them but due to the fact many of the better horses, who run, have gone over the top and for the most part the form ends up not worth the paper it’s written on.
Master Minded, Kauto Star, Captain Cee Bee, all ran miles below what was expected last season and a few more I could mention. It’s simply too soon after the Festival.
Aintree could be better if it was run at the end of April instead of at the begining IMO. Still a good meeting though, but not a patch on Chelters.
I agree that Punchestown is pretty good, but has anyone ever tried to back a winner there?
They’ve dilluted the quality at Cheltenham in a major way by adding in the various handicaps and the Ryanair.
The addition of the XC Chase has improved the meeting IMO – a chance for the top class XC horses to take each other on.
The Melling Chase was always a great clash of the 2-2 1/2m horses who won and placed in the QM. Now the 2 1/2 milers duck the QM for the Ryanair.
Other than that both are great meetings and I was surprised how well the Tuesday of Cheltenham was organised given that all the other Cheltenham meetings I’ve been to have left me with the impression they couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery.
I went to Aintree for the first time last year (on the Thurs) and whilst it was a cracking card the place simply doesnt compare to the festival
I wont be rushing back…
I assumed the Grand National was the biggest meeting of the year before i got into horse racing properly so was quite shocked at seeing how popular cheltenham was. But after many years i much prefer Cheltenham. You get so many good horses there and imo Channel 4 do a brilliant job with the coverage. But it is a grand meeting can’t criticise it, just is pipped to the post by Chelters
A lot of Cheltenham now is boring. It is supposed to be the NH Championship yet there are far too many handicaps and races that just shouldn’t be there. You have to wait an hour some days now for the first "proper" race. It was much better when it was three days.
The argument that Saturday at Aintree is "dross" is utter nonsense. The whole country pays attention to the Grand National and whilst it may not be everyones cup of tea (mine included) it is the biggest race world over and is absolutely critical to our sport which otherwise doesn’t penetrate the concious of the general public.
Cheltenham is the professional and bigger Jumps meeting where everything is high quality.
Aintree by tradition is more of a fun based meeting and probably what Glorious Goodwood is to Royal Ascot.
The Grand National is still the biggest race of the whole year in Britain and dont forget in Australia the Melbourne Cup is regarded as the big race even though it is a handicap compared to the Cox Plate even though that is a Group 1 wile the Cup is a Group 1 Handicap.
Cheltenham for me, what with the anticipation of the big races and the early ante post market. I’d much rather watch a gold cup than a national.
Cheltenham for me, what with the anticipation of the big races and the early ante post market. I’d much rather watch a gold cup than a national.
I’d agree with your sentiments in that the anticipation of the festival (the Championship races) is the best part of the whole festival experience.
The festival could and should be amazing but rather than improving it the powers that be are taking away the "special" from it.
The main difference to me is; would I spend the whole week at Cheltenham if I could..definately; would I spend the week at Punchestown..of course, the atmosphere in Naas is fantastic, and I so wish I was going back this year..but would I spend a week in Liverpool [apologies to local people]…no. However, my one and only day at Aintree for the National, where I couldn’t see a thing is still one of the highlights of my life.
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