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Okay I obviously need to retract the statement about the Arc- it obviously already is a two day meeting.
Hands up and all that. I was more throwing a point out there for consideration without thinking.
Think I am just digging a hole with my end of season flat festival idea and will leave the idea.
As far as the Irish sending horses over. All I meant was for the hurdles scene – I am surprised how often the big boys take on each other in Ireland when there are easier pickings in the UK.
I am also surprised more chasers from the UK do not go to Ireland as I agree, there is some easy money to pick up!! :biggrin:
never mind aaftershock, but what I’d like to see for a change, is for our best chasers and hurdlers to visit Auteuil once in a while for their championship events, which come several weeks after Cheltenham, Aintree and all. ÂÂÂ
It’s a rare thing and notwithstanding Dawn Run’s tragic attempt some years ago, I would like nothing more than to see Kauto Star take on the best of the French on their own ground, in fact I’d like to see that Auteuil Grand Prix meeting turned into the jumps equivalent of the Breeders Cup.
I find it a more attractive and fairer course than Cheltenham with it’s horrendous 2nd last fence on the old course which should have been demolished years ago, and the nonsense of 2 flights in the last mile on the new course, oh and best hope the sun doesn’t shine eh?<br>
Quote: from aaftershock on 1:46 pm on Feb. 22, 2007<br>As far as the best horses not always running against each other – I don’t know why the Irish do not send over their horses more often to win prizes?!?Moscow Flyer used to come over a lot but the hurdlers (Hardy Eustace apart) seem to come once a year and I could not understand why Newmill has not been sent over this year with the awful state of the Irish ground.
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The arrogance of that statement is incredible. The Irish don’t need to come over to England. We’ve plenty of big races ourselves
<br>Not the real point he was making DB. Happily running WOA in ground he (suppsedly…although im not so sure) hates rather than going for a top prize at optimum conditions becuase "everything is geared towards the big day" is a bit unsatisfactory i feel on a number of counts
I agree that there is too much obsession with it but I would say its worse with us rather than the trainers.
<br>In my opinon, most good trainers like to aim there top horses for something big before Christmas and something big after. Cheltenham fits in nicely for summer horses and horses who need good ground so it would be pointless aiming these horses for peak fitness in early december.
By and large though most are acutely aware that putting all there eggs in one basket is not very clever.
Newmill is an obvious example of horse aimed very very much at cheltenham but dont forget that they are aiming for good ground and punchestown will also provide another option.
Horses like War of attrition have already been out and competed several times in conditions less than ideal before Mouse obviously decided that it was a bit pointless really since he is just not capable of winning the winter chases in soft/heavy ground.
So when we really think about it, and look at the facts, we will see that by and large, most horses who were pussyfooting around til cheltenham did so because they had to and by and large, most cheltenham horses had good campaigns behind them through the season.
Perhaps someone can name a string of horses to counteract this ….i havent really looked.
The cheltenham obsession for me is about anticipation, and it just seems to be human nature to really want that and to build on it. We have the ridiculous situation now whereby when a horse wins a race at cheltenham, we immediately start discussing how he is going to do in next years festival. Its nuts really.
As an owner, cheltenham must be the ultimate but as many owners know, a point to point in bandon can in some circumstances almost feel like the same thing. Winners are hard to find.
SHL
Short but sweet for me but cheltenham is the best 4 days of the yearb. The buzz you get when you watch a horse all year and when he wins is unreall.
Horses like War of attrition have already been out and competed several times in conditions less than ideal before Mouse obviously decided that it was a bit pointless really
<br>Good post SHl, but with reagrds the above point, it still bugs me that trainers would rather run horses in unsuitable conditions (although he has form in the heavy) rather than go for realistic prizes.
Clivex,
He has won only one chase on Heavy ground, beating Healy’s Pub by 5Ls, hardly bullet proof form.
JohnJ
I have to say it does, but I think Mouse Morris just aims him at the Gold Cup and Punchestown races, he is never knocked about too much in his prep races.
JohnJ.
Surely Clives point is that it would make more sense to not knock him about in chases where he would stand more of a chance of winning easily on ground which suits him better. Travelling is obviously not an issue considering his record at cheltenham…
I totally agree with Clivex, it would have been fantastic to see him in the King George. However the trainer would prefer to keep him in Ireland and not travel.
JohnJ.
<br>Just a comment on the fact that there are good historical reasons for the current structures of the flat and NH seasons.
The flat season, especially the timing of the Classics, was set more than a hundred years ago – because the courses had no watering facilities and the Guineas, Derby and Oaks were all run early in the hope of avoiding running young horses on rock hard ground.
The jumps season used to be almost all about the run up to Christmas, followed by a lull until March. Again that was due to the weather – I’m old enough to remember the winter of 62/63 when there was snow on the ground from Boxing Day until early March. That year there was only one meeting staged between Dec 21st and March 8th. Even fifteen years ago we had a five week break due to continuous frost and racing only resumed on Imperial Cup day just in time for Cheltenham.
When there was nothing else to talk about, Cheltenham got just as much attention then as it does now. The arguments about Arkle and Mill House raged all winter long if my memory serves!
AP <br>
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