Make All Graded Races Handicaps

[Cork All Star]

A list of the Irish graded races. 37 are Grade 1:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Irish_National_Hunt_races

[chestnut]

I think it is actually 13 flat and 50 NH

[ep1987]

My idea would be to maintain a decent number of grade 1 races such that a horse could be flexibly campaigned to only run off level weights if that was preferred. What need to be slashed are the grade 2 alternatives and there needs to be more incentive to run in handicaps.

One possible way would be to have a small number of top handicaps where for every lb above 150 in the OR you carry 1/4 less in these races, such that a 182 rated horse would race off 174.

So taking the couple of weeks just gone as an example: Scrap the Amlin, Peterborough and Many Clouds chases (as conditions races at least), reduce the distance of the Betfair to 2m 5.5f and make the ‘Hennessy’ a specially designated handicap as detailed above. The top staying chasers now have two big money options for their pre-Xmas run and both races are massively enhanced as spectacles.

I’d also revamp the programme in January and February including a Winter Champion’s day at Ascot (swap in the fixture list with Newbury’s early feb meeting) and a newly created valuable 3m G1 chase the week before at Sandown (the Cotswold at Cheltenham would become a handicap). According to the BHA top level racing pauses between the Xmas and Cheltenham which just makes me sad 😥 : https://www.britishhorseracing.com/racing/major-events/

[buckers]

It’s really good to see you back on here Steeplechasing, I’m sure I’m not the only one who missed your contributions

[Steeplechasing]

That’s much appreciated, buckers – thank you.

Good post, ep1987

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