Talk about a gut punch for those going to Ascot and potentially some for the very first (and after this experience likely last) time to see 3 headline Cheltenham Festival winners only to be served up a 7 card meeting with:
a 3 horse race
a walkover
a 5 horse race
a 2 horse race
a 4 horse race
a 7 horse race
and a bumper field of 8 for a flat race
With all the headline acts being a no show because the ground is deemed unsafe by connections – wonder how that will play to the newbies wondering why all the other horses are running if its a welfare issue?
Incidentally, the times such as they are indicate again it isn’t the dreaded good ground they all fear and it sure didn’t look too quick for Goshen as that was a little bit of a slow motion finish….6.38s slower than standard
Can’t say I am shocked by the turn of events but don’t give me that old bs about horse welfare the main concern because we all know come Cheltenham they would have run – assuming Cheltenham would have let it get that ‘quick’ in the first place.