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Thanks apracing, appreciate your deep knowledge as always.
Re your example of Carlingford Lough making a nonsense of the term “novice”, a very similar example that sticks in my mind is Rule The World. As you’ll know, he won the Grand National as a novice in 2016, though this was his 14th chase start and was more than 16 months after his chasing debut. He had already finished second in the Irish National the previous year too.
I’m not sure it is wise for the sport to be allowing any horse that it terms a “novice” to participate in the Grand National, though Rule The World was clearly perfectly suited for the task and a novice in name only.
Thinking some more about why I’d be reluctant to lose the novice divisions, it’s also that I like how they increase the sense of breadth of the sport, and I enjoy seeing horses gradually progressing through the ranks. I acknowledge this works better though when the divisions are well-populated and competitive, which has become more of an issue in recent years.
France would be a net exporter of jumpers , produce vast numbers to still fill fields at age group racing with ones not sold . Not sure how UK would fill fields confined to tight bands . Just not enough horses nowdays .
Was it Quixall Crosset or similar name , was a novice still after 100 odd runs over fences .
Horse call Amrullah went around Sandown novice chasing for years in 80sSlightly galling that a nice prospect in Nick Alexander Hombre Da Guerra has been rather exposed by finishing a second to a Nicholls hotpot in Caldwell Potter at Carlisle. Race conditions mean it’s handicap mark won’t be changed but a ncie quiet prospect from my TRF Ten To Follow is now exposed. I’m not bitter… much!
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