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“… as Flakey Dove, Annie Power, Epatante and Honeysuckle have shown.”
The last three of those could all have ducked the Champion and gone for the Mares’ race instead.
It’s connections who should be blamed for dodging Constitution Hill, not the existence of the Mares’ Hurdle.
Agree Glad but if a soft option is there connections will take it. They should not have the option.
The festival is a huge financial success but it could and should be better. It is not going to go back to 3 days but the existing days could be tweaked to try to ensure the best take on the best instead of ducking each other.
“… if a soft option is there connections will take it.”
So was the Mares’ Hurdle tougher than the Champion Hurdle in the years when Annie Power, Epatante and Honeysuckle won the latter? I’m confused.
In Epatante’s year the Mares Hurdle was a better race.
Annie Power was only in the Champion because Faugheen was injured. If he had been OK she would have gone for the soft option.
This year the Mares race is clearly a softer target than the Champion. I cannot blame Ricci and Mullins taking the option of an easy win but it is bad for racing as a whole.
” if a soft option is there connections will take it. They should not have the option.”
Kenny Alexander said he initially bought mares as he thought it would be an easier way- yes, a softer option- to be able to afford horses that could win at the Cheltenham Festival. Now he loves mares so much that he started a stud farm and seems to be in the racing game for the long haul, buying top quality fillies that will race in good races then produce British bred NH horsees. Result.
“it is bad for racing as a whole.”
If Lossie hacks up in the mares’ hurdle for the next 5 years- dodging the blue riband and also stifling competition in the mares’- it would be bad for racing. If she wins it this year then goes CH next year, at 6 years old in her absolute prime, it will be good for racing.
If there was no mares’ race and she went there this year and tussled with Impaire et Passe for third, would she be back next year for another go? I doubt it. She’d be off to make babies.
Lydia Hislop and Martin Dixon on RTV now suggested there should be a ratings limit for the Mares Hurdle. Anything rated higher would not be allowed to run and would in effect be directed towards the Champion.
Makes sense to me. Racing should be trying to present the best product it can, not a diluted offering.
I am with Gladiateur in that we need a mares programme so we can see good mares race.
And as far as Lossiemouth is concerned all she is doing is waiting a year to see where she is at as she has only turned 5 which would make it difficult in a Champion Hurdle. Only a couple of 5 year olds this century have managed to win and they didn’t have Constitution in their way. And the owner has very recent experience of the difficulty of the first season out of novice company with Vauban. If she was heading for the Champion Hurdle would they have only given her the 1 run? The Mares Hurdle was the plan by connections from the start of the season, the racing TV crew at the course were getting overexcited about her performance and were screaming Champion Hurdle but it never crossed my mind.
According to Brough Scott, Lossiemouth “had a number two” when in full gallop to the start. He has never seen a horse do that and win.
That is something you don’t hear every day…
I appreciate that the mare’s races have been beneficial for the breeding industry, and also the ‘keep yourself in the best company, and your horses in the worst,’ argument, The mares race may well be the easier option, deferring a Champion Hurdle bid for next year. But on a rough line through Rubaud, she’d be 2nd favourite, and a lot can happen in a year; injury, loss of form, foot-and-mouth, covid.
Coneygree never reached the same level after his novice year; if connections had been cautious and prudent we wouldn’t have witnessed on of the great Gold Cup performances. ‘Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.’Been a few years since I had a bet in Champion Hurdle, but went with Pied Piper who although miles short of the big two, should give me a decent run for my money
Pied Piper 40’s EW NRNB
“According to Brough Scott, Lossiemouth “had a number two” when in full gallop to the start. He has never seen a horse do that and win.
That is something you don’t hear every day”…
———————————————I seem to remember reading in professional gambler Alex Bird’s book something about never backing anything that poos on the way to post CAS… And also if I remember rightly, if pooing a little loose in the paddock.
Is an old book. Something about if trainers have got their eating times / digestion correct it should not happen and could be a sign of being got at.
Value Is EverythingLooks like you have found the ultimate lay system there ginger…
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
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