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A two runner race, they really ought to be able to catch up 10 minutes now, and 10 minutes after it.
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You’d have thought so, Gerald, but it would seem they instead managed to send a two-runner race off 2 minutes 32 seconds late.
Perhaps I am just being cynical but wonder if crowd size had any bearing – it is very busy here with near Festivalesque size queues at the catering outlets.
Most trainers seem happy to run. I’d imagine every spectator there would rather it go ahead with reduced fields than it to be abandoned. Can’t see what the problem is.
Perhaps I am just being cynical but wonder if crowd size had any bearing – it is very busy here with near Festivalesque size queues at the catering outlets.
Paul
I think your lack of a chocolate fix is starting to influence your judegment!
Rob
Henderson,Henderson,Henderson,Pipe, twenty something non runners, half the remainder being "minded" on partially frozen ground.
Sherwoods Folly the only punctuation in a frosty yawnfest.
The coolness of Barry Geraghty was a great spectacle though….even if I did back Katchit.
Hold Em (sad news r.i.p) apart… if all horses have gone home well tonight, I’m sure most of the paying public there went home happy, so well done for getting it on I say.. Shame when it’s like that and it plays havoc with the amount of non-runners etc… but it was better than nothing for me.
The “praise” for Cheltenham today is, in my view, misplaced – they have been very lucky.
The decision to race, announced at 11:30, was a surprise – even to the most seasoned observers.
It was no surprise when a second inspection was announced after the first race.
The bigger surprise came when the go-ahead was given to continue racing.Luckily for Cheltenham the decision was vindicated, however it could so easily have gone wrong and questions must be asked.
I have long advocated the decision to race in such circumstances should be taken away from courses, jockeys and trainers all of whom have vested interests and placed in the hands of an independent inspectorate. By all means listen to the views of riders and trainers but make the decision making process more objective.
Imagine the PR disaster it would have been had the meeting been abandoned after the first race. Conversely what would have happened had a horse been seriously injured, or worse, due to conditions.
We did lose a horse this afternoon, the well loved Hold Em. Whilst his loss is devastating it probably cannot be attributed to the conditions.
Chelltenham have been very lucky today – let us hope it does not become complacent and pat itself on the back for “great” decision making.
The BHA are holding an enquiry into the Haydock debacle, they also need to look closely at what happened here at Cheltenham this afternoon.
Methinks the hacks criticising the decision to go ahead overdid the booze last night.
Clearly there were commercial decisions to consider e.g. a large holiday crowd, sponsors, C4 terrestrial TV etc and every chance was given and effort made to get the meeting on.Racing is also an entertainment business and the large crowd wanted to see racing.
Realistically had it been a routine Monday at Plumpton it would have been called off early doors and no-one would have really cared.
Agree with DJ. It was up to connections to walk the course, make an assessment on the suitability for their horse and decide whether or not to run.
It was good enough for the likes of Nicholls, King, Hobbs, Henderson, O’Neill and Pipe to have runners. They, along with others, also chose to withdraw some of their other runners.
During the televised races on C4, I didn’t notice horses returning lame.This suggests that the authorities made the correct judgement , rather than "getting away with it".
Hold Em was regettably destroyed but was one of two horses brought down by a faller in a chase. This type of incident happens in NH racing.Unfortunately some will use it to pursue their agenda to attack Cheltenham for racing today.
To my mind Hold Em had been extremely highly tried and over-raced in recent months but that is another debate.I don’t think that any praise of Cheltenham is misplaced. Well done in providing a large crowd with an afternoon’s entertainment and guaranteeing racing some terrestrial coverage.
What is a ‘seasoned observer’? How many of these ‘seasoned observers’ did you speak to? I think we need to know why your idea that the course was unraceable should be taken more seriously than those making the actual decision. Seems like you are trying very hard to put yourself on a very shaky pedestal.
What puzzled me was the implication that somehow a majority were against racing going ahead.
That didn’t seem to tally with Nicky Henderson’s interview when he stated the track was raceable and he had a bigger query with the going description. As well as Henderson several high profile trainers had runners today – would they have run them if the track was unraceable? I doubt it.
The commercial aspect will always win , I agree with Paul, its becoming the norm to race if at all possible and be damned to the consequences
TV coverage , large holiday crowd , it was always a cert that somehow the management would keep the show going , whether thats right or wrong only time will tell
Money comes first , horses come second , Jockeys after that !!!like it or hate it thats the way it is
cheers
Ricky
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Money comes first , horses come second , Jockeys after that !!!like it or hate it thats the way it is
Money does not come first today as Cheltenham were considering a money back special to those who went and lets not forget the queues outside, if they were so money orientated then I am sure them people would have been let through the turnstiles.
Mr Wilson , we obviously live in a different planet , still thats what makes this forum tick ….
just for once could you please consider the big picture as to the commercial aspect of racing happening today
If you still disagree thats ok
cheers
Ricky
Absolutely the right decision to race today well done Cheltenham.
Safety is of paramount importance but there comes a time when things start getting silly.
What is a ‘seasoned observer’?
Industry professionals who go racing every day
How many of these ‘seasoned observers’ did you speak to?
A damned sight more than you did
What puzzled me was the implication that somehow a majority were against racing going ahead.
because the majority of trainers and jockes spoken to before the 11:30 inspection stated they did not consider the track fit for racing
That didn’t seem to tally with Nicky Henderson’s interview when he stated the track was raceable and he had a bigger query with the going description.
So he was telling lies when he said he was withdrawing Punchestowns because he did not want to risk the horse on the ground
As well as Henderson several high profile trainers had runners today – would they have run them if the track was unraceable? I doubt it.
I think you will find Gary Moore, Alan King, Sue Smith, Venetia Williams, Nicky Henderson and David Pipe all took runners out – 30 non-runners in all
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Great racing today I thought! I wasn’t there and I’m not a jockey or a groundsman but according to Nigel Twiston Davies, Nicky Henderson, Jonjo O’Neill and AP McCoy they made the right decision and the ground was tiring but ok.
They took every precaution and even held another inspection after some did complain but decided to go ahead.
Lotta hulabaloo about nothing as far as I can see. You always get a lot of non runners when ground isn’t as expected. BTW Nicky pulled Punchestown out and left others in that like the ground and won 2 races but his comments were made prior to his winning.
Incidentally the reason Nicky Henderson withdrew Punchestowns was a combination of things, apparently because he wouldn’t like the ground, he’s a novice, the ground was uneven and it’s very easy for an inexperienced horse like him to make an error and end up with a leg.
It should be noted in the three chases there was only 1 faller…..sorta says it all.
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