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i dont see why newbury should try and restage the meeting after the tragic events on saturday.
the tote gold trophy hasent been restaged in the past when abandoned so why this time? also they never restaged the ladbroke the last 2 seasons.
the game spirit was this year just a glorified handicap and as for the aon chase…this saturday we have the grade one ascot chase worth nearly 4 times as much so why cant the horses run in that?,2m5 1/2f round ascot is nearly like 3miles at newbury.
besides,going back to newbury so soon just wouldnt feel right.Next Sunday at Newbury would seem ideal, it’s about time we started having some better quality racing on a Sunday.
I agree with what runandskip has said, it would be wrong to try and race at Newbury again so soon.
Apart from the Tote Gold Trophy, which could be rescheduled at Ascot, the Aon and Gold Spirit chases were not great races, and it wouldn’t be an awful loss if they weren’t restaged.
Isn’t the Aon Chase only famous as the race that McCoy parted company with Denman last year? I don’t know much about it but the small field & mid range prize money would suggest that it’s hardly a race dripping with prestige.
The meeting has been rescheduled for Friday by the way. I bet that’s gone down well with Wincanton.
Just heard on Radio 5 Live they are planning to restage the meeting this Friday afternoon
Surely it is Sandown who would be put out if Newbury race this Friday.
I was thinking more along the lines of the number of horses entered for the Kingwell who will now go to the re-arranged Totesport Trophy instead.
There is so much redundancy built into the NH season I cannot for the life of me understand why (apart from basic commercial greed) whole meetings are now being restaged.
As others have said, apart from the Tote Gold Trophy, which wouldn’t be an insurmountable loss either, races like the Game Spirit and Aon have equivalents coming up so aren’t needed.
There are far too many Conditions races between Christmas and Cheltenham and we get farcical situations such as happened with Sandown and Ffos las running almost identical conditions events which became paid exercise gallops for one trainer and his horses which is frankly absurd.
There needs to be a rigorous overhaul of the post-Christmas pattern to eliminate these paid exercise gallops and put on proper competitive races between the main championship contenders as the Irish seem to do so much better.
Of course, the Irish are also happy with 30-runner maiden hurdles (a couple per week) while we have three 10-runner races because the bookies want the extra races for the punters to lose more money and so pay the courses to hold them.
Cant see Sandown being affeted that much as it is Military Day their and will as 4 of the races are only for the professional jockeys all the top ones will be a lot happier at Newbury as it is a more quality card.
Just wonder if C4 will cover it as they do Ascot the following day so cant take a lot of hard work to get about two cameras up their and just use the Racetech feed or even host from Ascot with a reporter at Newbury.
There are far too many Conditions races between Christmas and Cheltenham and we get farcical situations such as happened with Sandown and Ffos las running almost identical conditions events which became paid exercise gallops for one trainer and his horses which is frankly absurd.
There needs to be a rigorous overhaul of the post-Christmas pattern to eliminate these paid exercise gallops and put on proper competitive races between the main championship contenders as the Irish seem to do so much better.
I agree that many of these conditions races are uncompetitive but I don’t know that getting rid of them is the answer. As you also say, Ireland has loads of these races and they tend to be reasonably well supported – but the Irish also seem happier to race their good horses more than 3 times a season. The real problem is a reluctance among UK trainers to run. I think conditions races can work – the key is setting conditions that encourage them to become more competitive. Bigger allowances etc.
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Just because you guys on here don’t like the look of certain races doesn’t mean the meeting shouldn’t be rescheduled. If it wasn’t, it’d be the owners and trainers who’ve been waiting for these races who miss out. Ask the trainers and owners if the Aon and Game Spirit should go ahead, I’m sure the answer is yes but because you think they’re all weak except the Totesport Hurdle lets cancel, cause your opinion is what counts.
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One of the very best handicap hurdles run throughout the whole season, and punters are up in arms because it’s re-staged?
Unbelievable!
One of the very best handicap hurdles run throughout the whole season, and punters are up in arms because it’s re-staged?
Unbelievable!No, not at all, it’s winter and had Newbury been under three feet of snow on Saturday I doubt we’d be having this conversation.
In the past, extra prize money would have boosted other handicap hurdles or chases to make up for the loss of a particular meeting and series of races.
If the Tote Gold Trophy has to be re-staged (and no one has convinced me of that) why not run it at Ascot on Saturday ? Boost the prize money for the Ascot Chase and draw in those that were going to run in the Game Spirit and Aon but that’s not how trainers want it – they want the race they want over the distance they want at the time they want.
methinks it has a lot to do with the BHA and newbury officials being put under pressure by the bookmakers to get it on at newbury at all costs to avoid refunding antepost bets despite the fact that it has been reopened to five day declarations (again) and they will now be running for reduced prize money which may lead some trainers/owners to bypass it in favour of other more valuable races.
hope im wrong but if im not its an absolute disgrace to anyone thats wagered antepost that may not get a run because of this.- Total Posts 17716
Nothing to do with it being one of the showpiece races of the whole season, and with one of the richest prizes, then?
Bookmakers, punters, the press, trainers, owners and jockeys all want it to take place, and more power to Newbury and the BHA for facilitating it – or maybe it’d suit the whingers better if the course was covered in snow?I agree with Reet.
This is no ordinary handicap. The Totesport is the best handicap hurdle race to be run all year. It just would not be the same moved anywhere else. Sure, it is not going to be worth the same money, but most trainers who had runners in the race have pledged their support.Had the race been abandoned or moved, I could have got my ante-post wager on Tocca Ferro back, but recognise this card is best held at Newbury. At least those who were at Newbury on Saturday have the chance of going on Friday.
There is a full card available to be run with the Totesport, including two Grade 2’s, so why not run them all at the same venue, just 6 days after the original intended meeting?
I will be there.
Value Is Everythingnot whinging at the fact that have got the card back on again, infact im really glad as its the makings of a cracking meeting with the totesport the obvious highlight.
im just annoyed that with the prize money significantly reduced there is potential for owners/connections to withdraw their horses in favour of other races. from an antepost view its moving the goal posts somewhat.
i do hope im wrong and that everyone supports the race and we have literally the same declarations that we had for saturday.for what its worth im on soldatino, so hopefully nicky will be one of those trainers supporting the rescheduled race. but they may be others that won’t.
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