- This topic has 14 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 1 month ago by
.
- Posts
After the recent debates over whether many of the British grade 1 races are currently worthy of their status, should there be a minimum requirement/rating to be able to run in these races. Looked at the first day of Aintree and in the Juvenile Dan Skelton has entered two horses, both just having their second ever runs over hurdles, which were beaten 52 and 21 lengths on their debuts, albeit in listed and Grade 2 events. Of the four Grade 1 events on the first day, the Bowl looks a good race and worthy of it’s status but not the others for me.
The 2 that need looking at is the Ascot Chase as it’s too close to Cheltenham and The Betfair Chase needs to be moved from gaff track Haydock.
Without lots of Irish runners coming over those Aintree grade 1s are looking pretty poor.
Not sure of the merits of having a ratings cut off though.
Hypothetical example, let’s say you had a novice hurdler who wants good ground but the winter is very wet and there are no options to run on anything other than soft or heavy. Might achieve a rating of 125 on that ground. But on proper good ground like at Aintree he might be 20/25 pounds better.
Where would you put your cut off?
Pointless having cut off points which would make small fields even smaller. There are cut off points when the maximum number of runners for a race is reached, which doesn’t happen too often because there is far too much racing but the inept BHA don’t want less racing.
Cut off points would also produce less money for racing from less entry fees etc.Fair points, I just look at these races and apart from the Bowl they are not Grade 1 standard.
Minimum ratings exist for most Grade 1 races already as per this link https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/minimum-ratings-group-grade-1-races-introduced/
I think this was to prevent owners entering markedly inferior horses into prestige events in order to have a “day out” or hoping to sneak some place money if a small field arose.
I can see some justification for barring a horse that is totally out of its league, but think setting the cutoff point too high is not a good idea for many of the reasons given above already.
think this was to prevent owners entering markedly inferior horses into prestige events in order to have a “day out” or hoping to sneak some place money if a small field arose.
A NH trainer did this a few years ago in a small field event and the horse hacked round for quite substantial place money but I can’t remember anything useful like what course it was or even which code, think it was hurdles but can’t remember.
The Skelton’s put up Solomon Grey to pick up £7.5k in the Cyrname/Altior Christy 1965 Chase a couple years back. Ratings; 176, 175, 138. Beaten 65L.
Twitter - @danny_TLDR
Oh I’d forgotten that one. The one I’m (not very effectively) thinking of was a bit longer ago, a smaller trainer and a worse horse I think. Cannot remember for the life of me remember the name of it. Something Wolf maybe??
Gray Wolf River might be the horse your thinking of. Trained by a Mr R Harper, came 5th of 5 in Yanworths Christmas hurdle win.
That’s the very one Wex- OR 63, the next lowest rated was Ch’tibello at 145. Beaten not quite 100 lengths but got round and collected her prize money. The trainer had done similar before- fair enough it pays some bills and his horses kept out of everybody else’s way.
Besides the prospect of picking up some minor money I believe many owners will run their fillies/mares in Group races in order to pick up ‘black type’ to enhance the paddock value of the horse concerned.This is done mainly lower down the order but nevertheless provides a boost to values when the race career is considered over.
This happens in both codes.
good luck to allI don’t think this is an issue which especially warrants addressing. Indeed, it looks more a reaction to a “poor” Cheltenham performance by an arbitrary region than a broad issue endemic within the programme (my qualms with the Festival structure notwithstanding). While certain renewals may look substandard, this is an inevitable consequence of the law of averages. If every season’s crop is outstanding then none of them truly are. One year, the field for an Aintree Hurdle might consist of a borderline Grade One performer and some jumped up handicappers, the next can be a veritable clash of champions.
With regards to novice Grade Ones, it is accepted that they won’t be as strong as those in the open category, but they are still generally representative of the available strength. Especially as they can often emerge as stronger than their initial appearance due to horses peaking during either the spring or their own individual developments. The Manifesto Chase rarely looks like much beforehand, yet it has thrown up a slew of top class horses since its promotion to Grade One including Cyrname, Dodging Bullets, Frodon, Sizing John and Uxizandre. So while the credentials of tomorrow’s renewal might not be immediately apparent, it is not difficult to imagine one or two of those young chasers becoming something quite special.
The Anniversary Hurdle has the two strongest British based juveniles, an undefeated filly in the mould of several previous winners, the (summer) ante-post Triumph favourite on a redemption mission and a Skelton runner representing connections who aren’t just up for a day out. Very difficult to disparage this year’s edition.
The Bowl won’t be a championship decider but it is still a very strong, deep and competitive contest featuring some of the most popular horses in training. The Aintree Hurdle looks below average for what it can be but there is still Grade One potential among the younger horses with an accomplished old guard to keep the upstarts honest.
Of the countless things worthy of complaint within racing, one needs to reach in order to include tomorrow’s card at Aintree.
Cap’n, trained by Claire Dyson, picked up £5000 for turning up at 100/1 in the three-runner Contenders Hurdle in 2018 and the Kingwell two weeks’ later at 250/1, finished fifth of six (the other horse pulled up) for some more place money.
Had no official rating at the time, ended up as 98 after winning a three-runner novice chase at 20/1!
Last seen off 91 being pulled up (80/1) in a Class 5 hurdle at Taunton in March.
The 2 that need looking at is the Ascot Chase as it’s too close to Cheltenham and The Betfair Chase needs to be moved from gaff track Haydock.
From memory, when the pattern was re-classed in 1990/91 season there were an even number of Gd 1 races – two per division; one lot of races run from December – February. The second lot were run at Cheltenham & Aintree.
Haydock actually hosted the 2m4f division Gd 1 chase, won by Sabin du Loir. The second 2m4f Gd 1 chase was won by Blazing Walker.
I wonder whether the Tolworth is worth being the 2m Nov Hurdle Gd1 race; it tends to be run on soft ground – and instead of seeing future Champion hurdlers, they tend to be stayers/ chasers.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.