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Now the RSA Trial Novices’ Chases (Registered as Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase).
How unoriginal is that?
Why can’t the powers that be keep these races as feature events throughout the NH season rather than calling them "trial" races for Cheltenham and Aintree.
Obviously there aren’t enough connections between every race in the jumps season and the Cheltenham festival, so in case we weren’t aware they decided to rename each race to be called the XXX Cheltenham trial. Where do they get these idiots in charge of racing?
I’m sorry to keep beating the drum, but the OP is correct.
Graded NH Racing is getting worse and worse, as the Festival gets more and more important. And even that is diluted now with the additional day ruining its previous quality.
As for Ireland – that Graded Hurdle race was terrific entertainment today was it now.
While I have no problem with the (presumed) concept of there being a "road to Cheltenham", by trying to create a "narrative", these planks are actually destroying the narrative that has been naturally built up over the years with races like the Reynoldstown, Towton, Feltham/Kauto Star etc…
Instead we are being presented with a series of identikit races such as the "RSA Trail", "JCB Triumph Trial", "Neptune Novices Hurdle" etc… which to the casual onlooker have as much appeal as dry lettuce.
Why not present the concept along the lines of…..
"The RSA Road to Cheltenham continues with Ascot’s iconic Reynoldstown Novices Chase"
Although I agree with the sentiment, it’s probably all done to get more sponsers money.
Whatever sponser is attached to the "Reynoldstown" it would be forgotten in any writing or talk about the race. Therefore, sponsers will give more money if the name is changed.
RSA will want the race called the "RSA Trial" – because it not only gets the sponser’s name prominent in the race title, but publicises the sponser’s race at Cheltenham too.
In many races the bracketed name is not talked about, "Betfair Chase (Registered as the Lancashire Chase)". People have forgotten and nobody calls it "The Lancashire" anymore.
It does give the impression of everything is about Cheltenham, which is a bit of a shame. Wish it was different but nowadays will always be seen as such no matter what the name.
Yes, it would be nice to have good sounding names, but if it brings in more sponsers money then may be it is a price worth paying?
Value Is EverythingI’m already looking forward to the flat, especially the ‘Trial for the Qipco British Champion Sprint Stakes’ (Registered as The July Cup), and the ‘Trial for the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup’ (Registered as the Goodwood Cup).
I see they already have odds for the ‘JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial’ (Registered as The Derby).
Couldn’t they just call it – The RSA Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase?
I would have thought that would keep any sponsor happy.There’s so much emphasis nowadays on the Cheltenham festival. Adding to these "trial" races seems silly to me. The NH game needs to highlight and push to the fore the many great races that are run throughout the jumps season.
Couldn’t they just call it – The RSA Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase?
I would have thought that would keep any sponsor happy.There’s so much emphasis nowadays on the Cheltenham festival. Adding to these "trial" races seems silly to me. The NH game needs to highlight and push to the fore the many great races that are run throughout the jumps season.
Nicer title agreed. But for sponser it is all about association and publicity.
Even if RSA continued sponsership for 10 years, if the name has "Reynoldstown" in the unbracketed name it will always be referred to as "The Reynoldstown", not the "RSA Trial"…
Just like the Ladbrokes World Hurdle is beginning to be thought of (even by died-in-the-wool old enthusiasts like me) as "The World Hurdle" which (as it changed its name directly as Ladbrokes began sponsership) is associated with the Ladbrokes name, even if we ourselves don’t use the name "Ladbroke"…
Where as if it were called the "Ladbroke Stayers Hurdle" then everyone just calls it the same as it was always called "The Stayers Hurdle"; without neccessarily associating Ladbrokes with the race.
If you were sponsering a race wouldn’t you want your Brand getting maximum exposure and your upcoming Cheltenham race also getting maximum publicity OD? If I were to sponser a race for my company brand, I’d want the unbracketed title changed too.
Value Is EverythingGinger thanks for the patronising…..BUT…..is it right, no!
OK PC, I’ll only do one sentence, no explanation stuff like you from now on!
Value Is EverythingI explain my opinions PC, that might seem patronising to some. Very sorry and all that, I do go on a bit.
But I find with your posts it gives one or two sentences of opinion and I’ve got to guess your reasons. Take a look at your profile and you’ll see what I mean.
May be a cross between the the two of us would be ideal?
Value Is EverythingOf course any sponsor wants to maximise their potential return. However there can be a workable solution that suits both sponsor and racecourse / governing body. It’s up to racing to negotiate that bit tougher and project the traditions of the sport. Dare I say use those traditions as a marketing tool.
In fact use of the word "trial" is poor marketing IMO. Who wants to attend/watch/bet on a "trial" when you could do same at the main event in March? It gives the impression to the casual viewer that the Reynoldstown is a second rate race when it’s anything but.
Yes that’s fair enough GT. We all are well aware of the commercial reasons for the change, which you have kindly gone in to great detail explaining – but the bottom line is its wrong and bad for NH Racing.
As I said PC, I agree with the sentiment of the OP, all things being equal (like you) I’d prefer the original names to remain. But are
"we all aware of the commercial reasons for change"
? I don’t know what the figure is, do you? How much more can the BHA get from sponsers for just changing names of races? Everything depends on that figure. If the difference in changing and not changing is significant then imo
at some point
it becomes a price worth paying and therefore overall "good" for racing. I’ve just given the BHA the benifit of the doubt and presumed they’ve done the calculation.
Really do sympathise with your view, obviously traditon has some value/price, but what cost do you put on a word PC?
Should the BHA alianate important sponsers and turn down significant amounts for the sake of a word (or two)?Value Is Everything
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