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Bumpers are an integral part of National Hunt racing. Very often they are the best quality races on a card. It is ridiculous to suggest there shouldn’t be a Champion Bumper because it is a flat race.
I don’t remember the three day format but I can only imagine it was a glorious thing. For me there are too many races in it’s current form, with opportunities everywhere for horses to avoid each other.
I’d be tempted to cull the following:
Ryanair
Mares Hurdle
Mares Novice Hurdle
Albert Bartlett
Fred Winter
Martin Pipe
Kim Muir
JLT
0-140 novice handicap chaseI’d give the novice chasers a 2m 4f handicap with no 140 ceiling.
That would leave 20 races. I’d keep the Cross Country, Foxhunters and definitely the Champion Bumper, which I was surprised to see mentioned.
It may have quality in the bumper as far as the future is concerned but my point was and is that it is a flat race and should not be part of the Cheltenham festival
Absolutely! Not only that, but with the rash of black type bumpers, we have the ludicrous situation where ‘jumpers’ can get black type without jumping a twig. This is especially pernicious where mares are concerned. It’s irrelevant how many champions have come out of it. They would have been champions anyway, it did nothing to further their career, and it probably ended a few.
The Ryanair esp; Uzixandre must have gone close in Dodging Bullets’ championship, and Vautour in Last year’s GC. I accept it’s always competitive tho. The 4-yr-old handicap had been a welcome addition, makes the Triumph less of a lottery. Mixed feelings about the Mares Hurdle, but deprived us of Quevega vs BB
It may have quality in the bumper as far as the future is concerned but my point was and is that it is a flat race and should not be part of the Cheltenham festival
Absolutely! Not only that, but with the rash of black type bumpers, we have the ludicrous situation where ‘jumpers’ can get black type without jumping a twig. This is especially pernicious where mares are concerned. It’s irrelevant how many champions have come out of it. They would have been champions anyway, it did nothing to further their career, and it probably ended a few.
This is 2017, not 1967. A rash of black-type bumpers? You make it sound like there are 50 a season. Rather a few competitive bumpers than any number of less competitive mare’s hurdles and chases. Why do think the top yards don’t seem to have a problem running in bumpers? It certainly isn’t irrelevant how many good horses emerge from them. It just confirms that they are very effective starting point for many top horses. Perhaps you can list these ‘champions’ whose careers were ended by running in bumpers?
Stilvi both Louise and I are entitled to an opinion!!
And my opinion is get rid of THE flat race during the premier jumps festival in the world!
Stilvi both Louise and I are entitled to an opinion!!
And my opinion is get rid of THE flat race during the premier jumps festival in the world!
Who said you shouldn’t have a opinion?
However, it would be nice to hear some form of justification for that opinion beyond some sort of personal prejudice.
Go back to 3 days. That would revive a quickly dying antepost market at a stroke by depriving the monoliths that are Mullins and Gigginstown of soft options.
It is not a personal prejudice Stilvi. It is the definition of the word “jumps” in this instance. A NH flat race doesn’t not involve the jumping of a fence or hurdle and therefore should not be included in the festival.
I agree totally that the Bumper has showcased the talents of numerous classy horses over the years but so have lots of other flat races run throughout the season and for me that does not qualify it to be included. Examples could be given of certain maiden races being important to future success both on the flat and over jumps but no one would expect maiden races to be included in the festival.
I know I may be rambling on but I do feel strongly about the bumper being ran at any of the big jumps festivals even though all three (cheltenham , Aintree and Punchestown) have them.It is not a personal prejudice Stilvi. It is the definition of the word “jumps” in this instance. A NH flat race doesn’t not involve the jumping of a fence or hurdle and therefore should not be included in the festival.
I agree totally that the Bumper has showcased the talents of numerous classy horses over the years but so have lots of other flat races run throughout the season and for me that does not qualify it to be included. Examples could be given of certain maiden races being important to future success both on the flat and over jumps but no one would expect maiden races to be included in the festival.
I know I may be rambling on but I do feel strongly about the bumper being ran at any of the big jumps festivals even though all three (cheltenham , Aintree and Punchestown) have them.A Festival should showcase the best of a sport and whether you like or not, as I alluded to earlier this isn’t 1967 and these races are now an integral part of the sport. You can’t have them every day of the week and then when the Festival comes around pretend they don’t exist. That’s crazy.
Go back to 3 days. That would revive a quickly dying antepost market at a stroke by depriving the monoliths that are Mullins and Gigginstown of soft options.
That would be awesome. You’d have more clashes in the top races and even Mullins would have to run the likes of Faugheen and Annie Power in the same race. That’s what the sport is all about. Don’t keep them apart till the end of their careers, just let them run against each other.
It is not a personal prejudice Stilvi. It is the definition of the word “jumps” in this instance. A NH flat race doesn’t not involve the jumping of a fence or hurdle and therefore should not be included in the festival.
I agree totally that the Bumper has showcased the talents of numerous classy horses over the years but so have lots of other flat races run throughout the season and for me that does not qualify it to be included. Examples could be given of certain maiden races being important to future success both on the flat and over jumps but no one would expect maiden races to be included in the festival.
I know I may be rambling on but I do feel strongly about the bumper being ran at any of the big jumps festivals even though all three (cheltenham , Aintree and Punchestown) have them.Raymo, just think of the placed horses in previous Festival Bumpers: Go Ballistic, Back in Front, Rhinestone Cowboy, Iris’s Gift, Rite Of Passage, Refinement, Al Ferof and so on…. This is pure quality, this is what defines the game of NH racing in my opinion. With the Bumper you get a premium race year after year.
I’ll probably be laughed off the forum but how about introducing a non-h’cap Selling Hurdle final — week in and week out we have selling hurdles and they run their hearts out and it could give them something to aim for – it could be made say a 0 to 120 — or would the purists be too horrified at this suggestion?
You may call me or my opinions crazy Stilvi but I still believe that Bumpers have no place in Festivals.
At no point did I say to pretend they don’t exist and just because they happen every day of the week that does not mean we have to have them in Festivals.
Claimers happen every day of the week and sellers but nobody expects them to be in Festivals!! So according to your logic to not have them in festivals is pretending they don’t exist!!Go back to 3 days. That would revive a quickly dying antepost market at a stroke by depriving the monoliths that are Mullins and Gigginstown of soft options.
I think you know that is never going to happen. Not even sure of your reasoning either. These days horses don’t have to run at Cheltenham. Plenty of races available at Fairyhouse, Aintree and Punchestown if you want to find the removed option.
Ante-post betting should be a challenge. If you have a problem second guessing Mullins don’t back his horses. It isn’t impossible to do that and still make a profit.
You may call me or my opinions crazy Stilvi but I still believe that Bumpers have no place in Festivals.
At no point did I say to pretend they don’t exist and just because they happen every day of the week that does not mean we have to have them in Festivals.
Claimers happen every day of the week and sellers but nobody expects them to be in Festivals!! So according to your logic to not have them in festivals is pretending they don’t exist!!Your comparison is ridiculous. I have said that the bumper will often provide the best quality race on a card. The Festival Bumper is as I have also said about showcasing the best of these horses. Claimers and sellers will by their very nature invariably be rubbish and the best of these would add no quality whatsoever.
Using your argument regarding quality Stilvi then how come we have handicaps being won by horses rating less than 140 ?
If it is just quality you want then just have Championship races for novices and older horses over fences and hurdles and three distances and forget the rest! twelve races and that is it!
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