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Even as a flat racing fan, I would agree that thrills of jump racing is second to none. I would also agree that there is no better racing event than Cheltenham Festival in our calendar.
But from November up until Cheltenham, the racing is very sub-standard. The entire jump season looks like a trial event for those 4 days in march where proper group 1 races looks like a prep race for Cheltenham.
People start talking as early as end of october which horse will be going in which race in the festival. It kind of makes the other Group 1s insignificant. As a result, good horses from Ireland and England are seldom pitted against each other outside the festival.
In flats, there are crucial meetings in every month to look forward to – Guineas (May), Derby & RA (June), July meeting (July), Goodwood (Aug), York Ebor (Sept), Arc & Champions day (Oct). No one starts talking about Arc as early as May because there are plathora of good races & meetings in between to target.
For example, Envoi Allen and Shiskin will never meet outside Cheltenham just because there are not enough good G1 to make that happen. In flat, Enable & Magical battled against each other multiple times in the same season.
As much as I love Cheltenham, Jump racing needs to improve its racing calendar between November – March period.
Kindly discuss and let me know your thoughts
Hi Austin
I completely agree that there is too much focus on Cheltenham and I do get annoyed that so many people see every big race during the winter as a trial for March.
However I disagree that there are not enough good races. From the Fighting Fifth through to the Irish Gold Cup there are plenty of great races to enjoy. And Leopardstown at Christmas and in February are superb festivals of racing.
It is the attitude of those individuals who look at Cheltenham as the be all and end all that gives the impression that the rest of the season is disappointing rather than a lack of good races.
As for Shishkin and Envoi there are plenty of races they could clash in. It is up to the trainers whether to let them meet before March.
Ed Chamberlin has often stated how good the viewing figures for jumps racing on ITV are which suggests that racing enthusiasts appreciate the whole season.
Love the festival, but it has become a monster, devaluing the rest of the season. Al Boum Photo is an example; winning 2 GCs would usually result in legendary status in Ireland, rather than indifference. Istabraq, Captain Christy, Monksfield, Pendil, Dessie turned up at every bun-fight.
There is another reason why horses make fewer appearances in the run-up to Cheltenham than was the case in the era of, for example, Desert Orchid.
Which is the significant improvement in the program at Aintree – more Graded races, more prize money, not just the National – the development of the final day of the season at Sandown, which used to be just one NH race on a flat card, and is now a full NH meeting – and finally the changes at Punchestown, that rather mirror what’s happened at Aintree.
Trainer now know that they will have multiple opportunities in March/April, with an almost certain guarantee of the meetings going ahead without interruption by the weather. So they opt to keep horses fresh, give them a flu jab at the start of January and then wind them up for the Festival.
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