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I suppose a decent extra Saturday card at Cheltenham would, in any other circumstances, be a welcome addition to the season, it’s this extra Saturday forming a fifth day of the Cheltenham Festival that rankles.
Maybe it should have an “Ascot Heath” feel to it – a reference to the days when that fifth day at Ascot wasn’t “Royal.”
It would be part of the Festival, but the worst six races of the week would be on it.
Both mares hurdles, the mares chase, the Kim Muir, and the two new races, perhaps?
That would leave the Tuesday to Friday as “the real Festival” in the eyes of purists and all the better for losing the above races.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I like the idea of the final day being akin to the old Saturday Ascot Heath fixture. I used to like going to that meeting.
Kevin Blake suggested something similar:
https://www.attheraces.com/blogs/kevin-blake/07-March-2022/a-five-day-festival
I disagree with his idea of the main race being the last race of the day. I expect the police would not like it much either.
I’m not sure why the Kim Muir should be moved; it has long been part of the Festival proper. I’d choose the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle.
But I doubt it will happen like this anyway, and expect one of the Ryanair and Stayers’ Hurdle would be moved so each of the five days had a flagship race.
If there’s a ‘consultation’ happening, that means it’s already been decided. They are now at the stage where for various reasons, they have to pretend that they will listen to feedback from the people who matter. After ‘careful consideration of all of the points raised’, they will decide to go ahead with it.
ITV has a problem though. Saturday after Gold Cup day is the final day of the Six Nations rugby with three matches on back to back (basically all day from about 1pm). Can’t imagine either the 6N or Cheltenham would be happy at being relegated to ITV4. ITV now has the rights to four of the six teams’ home matches so they are guaranteed at least one match on that Saturday, likely two most years and three is possible.
The Martin Pipe is an even better suggestion.
I’d forgotten about that – what a knobend contest that is.
You’re right so maybe the Ryanair could move to the Saturday as that’s the least popular flagship championship event with the purists.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Well put.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Based on the 2022 dates, the F A Cup quarter finals are also staged on the weekend at the end of Cheltenham week, which is more competition for TV time.
Another factor about the clashes with other sports, is that the firms who run the corporate hospitality are the same firms that do hospitality for the Six Nations. Likewise, many of the casuals that work on catering and the bars for four days at Cheltenham, move on to Cardiff or Twickenham on Saturday, or to Anfield and Old Trafford.
I’ll take your word for
all that Alan and that’s
some pretty deep research.
I guess some of it you
picked up in bars !Based on the competition from other sports described above, it is all the more reason to leave the Gold Cup on the Friday. If they must have 5 days.
Allaho’s performance this week is yet more evidence of how the Ryanair chase has been a disaster for competitive racing.
“Allaho’s performance this week is yet more evidence of how the Ryanair chase has been a disaster for competitive racing.”
The only people who gained from this are Cheveley Park, which was allowed to have two Cheltenham winners instead of one.
I wonder how Willie Mullins feels about it, now he knows he has run a potential dual Gold Cup winner in a race few people care about?
Nick Luck asked Mullins on Tuesday what would future plans be for Allaho if he beat everything up the next day. Mullins remained polite but was clearly a bit irritated by the question and said he had to go to the presentation for the previous race.
Yes, I know we are never going to get the three day festival back but whenever anyone defends the four day fixture or supports the idea of a fifth day, Allaho being kept away from the Gold Cup is a powerful counter argument.
Funnily enough, though I miss the three-day Festival and its altogether more appropriate media coverage within the context of an entire season, I like the Ryanair Chase.
I shouldn’t, it dilutes quality – and I’m no fan of its sponsor!
But there is a gaping EIGHTEEN-FURLONG chasm between the Champion Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup distances and I do have a respect for intermediate trip chasers.
Allaho has lit up the last two Cheltenham Festivals and A Plus Tard was the most impressive Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in years.
But the Ryanair aside, the dilution has been gross: three mares races, a conditional jockeys race, a 4yo handicap hurdle to weaken the Triumph, they even brought in a novices handicap chase.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“But there is a gaping EIGHTEEN-FURLONG chasm between the Champion Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup distances.”
Isn’t it only ten furlongs?
No better example against the Ryanair than Allaho. Why wouldn’t they take the easy option, I would myself. The fact is the opportunity shouldn’t be there. We managed okay prior to it and would probably have been deprived of the drama of the likes of One Man grinding to a halt up the hill in the Gold Cup only to bounce back superbly in the Champion Chase.
Just take the easy option and run in the Ryanair – Boring, boring, boring.“Isn’t it only ten furlongs?”
Err, yes.
I’m losing the plot!
I stand corrected, sir!
I still think there ought to be room for a NH Grade 1 at 2m5f between 2m and 3m2f, though, especially given the bewildering array of Group 1s on the Flat at single-furlong incremental distances.
But I can’t deny it’s created two penalty kicks for Allaho and his connections.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"
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