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I’ll be delighted if Constitution Hill is the only horse that turns up in the Champion Hurdle.
I’m not too fussed about legacy more pay day
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
How can a genuine racing fan be “delighted” if the Champion Hurdle is an actual walkover? Ahh yes, his bank balance.
There we are.
I’d have no say over trainers pulling horses out so why would I be upset about a walk over if I’ve backed the only horse standing, maybe it’s trainers/owners that don’t understand what sport is meant to be about
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
I’d imagine all the second and third tier 1m4f flat horses being sold to Australia and Hong Kong is badly impacting the 2m hurdle division
Plenty of those geldings would’ve in the past been tried over hurdles
There’s very few proper 160+ 2m hurdlers or chasers in Ireland either
An increasing number of Irish hurdling prospects are brought over to the USA as well, where they fill out the stakes fields. On the other hand, we have a critical shortage of timber horses as not enough of the hurdlers seem to move up to the big fences. Perhaps there should be a deal where if you send over some of your excess 4-mile chasers we can agree to stop buying up the hurdlers.
Interesting that Ed Chamberlain said today the last time ITV showed a Grade 1 chase with eight or more runners was the 2023 Gold Cup.
The more I know the less I understand.
The golden era was the 70’s. The Whitbread Gold Cup usually drew a field of more than 20, once having no fewer than 28 runners. But Grade 1 equivilent races over 3m-3m2f have always had small fields. Pendil only had 3 or 4 opponents in most races, and the Pattern Races (Wetherby/Sandown/Doncaster/the Coventry etc) more often than not were just 3 runners or even just a match race (eg Crisp v Red Rum).
My favourite horses - Red Rum, Spanish Steps, Proud Tarquin, Esban, Go-Pontinental, Barona, Charles Dickens, The Dikler, Astbury, Black Secret, Vulgan Town, Huperade, Well To Do, Crisp, Quintus, Argent, Colebridge, Pearl Of Montreal, Nereo, Sonny Somers, Tubs VI, Tartan Ace, Red Candle, L'Escargot, Bula, Beau Bob, Rouge Autumn, Rough Silk, Frodo, Deblin's Green, Prince Tino, Eyecatcher, The Pilgarlic, Captain Christy, Mr Midland, Interview II, Credit Call, My Virginian, Flush Of Diamonds, Scout, Money Ma
Those were the days. Royal Relief always had a dozen or more races before heading off to the Champion Chase, AND usually had 4 or 5 races after, although of course his attempts at the National hardly lasted long enough to qualify as a race !
My favourite horses - Red Rum, Spanish Steps, Proud Tarquin, Esban, Go-Pontinental, Barona, Charles Dickens, The Dikler, Astbury, Black Secret, Vulgan Town, Huperade, Well To Do, Crisp, Quintus, Argent, Colebridge, Pearl Of Montreal, Nereo, Sonny Somers, Tubs VI, Tartan Ace, Red Candle, L'Escargot, Bula, Beau Bob, Rouge Autumn, Rough Silk, Frodo, Deblin's Green, Prince Tino, Eyecatcher, The Pilgarlic, Captain Christy, Mr Midland, Interview II, Credit Call, My Virginian, Flush Of Diamonds, Scout, Money Ma
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