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Royal Ascot has always been part of the aristocracy’s “Season” and as much a social event as a racing one.
Cheltenham is something completely different now; I can remember going to the Festival in the Eighties and there was loads of room (just look up some of the videos on YouTube for evidence).
It’s just a mass-market “event” now, not a racing one.
“And doesn’t help having that whole separate room for Cheltenham 22. very tempted to go on each and every thread there and type “who gives a ****” ”
Is it not better to have all that corralled in one place rather than gumming up, say, a thread for the Kauto Star/Feltham with Turners vs BANC speculation before during and after the Kempton race?
Anyway I’m glad Lingfield have reasonable entries. I’m slightly surprised not to see more Irish entries. I thought some horses that don’t suit quicker ground might come over for the prize money. I see Fakir d’Oudaries is enetered and Emmet Mullins has a couple in a handicap hurdle but that’s it I think.
There are a few interesting Irish entries on Sunday, GAG, especially both Darver Star and Saint Felicien in Goshen’s race.
Missed those two Gladiateur thanks. Will tune in anyway, both jumps days look decent.
AP – Not sure the comparison between this and flat’s AW Championship is like for like as I feel a lot of people that go jumps racing are on the whole a little more clued up to what is being presented to them in terms of class of horse and what are future targets for the winners etc.
Whereas on the flat a lot of people are out for the day for a jolly up with a bit of a flutter on the side and as such probably wouldn’t give any monkeys for what type of horse actually shows up to run in those races and as long as the numbers flood in that in of itself is enough for ARC to continue with it…the fact that it has been labelled as the AW Championship I doubt has much (if any) significance to a large number of the crowd as they likely see it as any generic race day.
Don’t get me wrong I do hope it will be well received by all and can be developed into a long term fixture but I do feel that unlike the AW CHampionship it won’t survive if you either don’t eventually attract some decent type horses or one or more of the races unearths some unknown quantities that go on through the ranks and you can then say: remember seeing them at Lingfield’s Winter Festival meeting.
The Cheltenham Markets remind me a bit of that scene from the excellent ‘The Big Short’. Before too long there will be ‘Synthetic CDO-esque’ markets speculating which race some Mullins novice hurdler is heading for.
And if Dave Jennings says “he’s got too much pace for the three miler, and Willie has RickyTheRichBanker for the Supreme, he has to be heading for the Turners / Ballymore / RSA, has he not?”, there will be a market formed – is DJ right or wrong?
All explained by Margot Robbie in a bubble bath – mine hopefully.
BUY THE SUN
Agree about the Ryanair – a 2m4f Gd1 Chase wasn’t needed; there’s already one at Aintree, the Melling Chase.
And when it was a Grade 2, which I tolerated through gritted teeth, it was won by Thisthatandtother & Fondmort. These two had won a grand total of ZERO open Grade 1’s between them. Obvious decision – promote the race to Grade 1 henceforth!
BUY THE SUN
Most of the races they have added to go from a 3 to 4 day Festival were not needed, I expect that a 5 day Festival is sadly just a matter of time as the only major race they are missing now is the hurdle equivalent of the Ryanair to cater for those hurdlers that are tapped for toe in the Champion Hurdle but don’t quite get home over the Stayers Hurdle trip.
“You get that for ascot too but no one claims its the be all and end all”
Exactly, Clive.
These boneheads in the media don’t treat the whole Flat season as being a road to one event – say, Ascot Champions Day.
They don’t refer to the Classics or the other Group 1s as “trials for Ascot.”
But when it comes to Jump racing, they all seem to have had their brains surgically removed and all they talk about is Cheltenham.
The Flat season is a rich tapestry – well, guess what? – so is the Jumps season!
Or ought to be.
I’ve suggested shooting live on air the next member of the media who says: “could this be a Cheltenham horse?” after it’s won a race – I’m pretty sure the rest would then stop rightaway – but apparently there are laws against that sort of thing.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“All that matters to them is selling loads of tickets to the lager-swilling masses.”
Guinness swilling at Cheltenham. 😉
Agree ian and I do feel strongly about this but do not agree with the punishment I’m afraid
Trussed up in an orange jumpsuit with a statement read out from newbury sandown and kempton followed a slow but efficient decapitation with the head displayed on a pole outside the Cheltenham members stand
Not only would I watch, I’d most likely temporarily dispense with the mute button for that one.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"More seriously you have pinpointed the biggest advantage flat has over jumps and I say that as a true jumps fan.
I’m also fed up with horses being barely campaigned by certain trainers. If kauto and dessie could run why not this bunch?
One spin over hurdles in 2022 for a run on “big day” in 2024 seems to be about it. No wonder owners are drifting away
Bob Olinger is a case in point:
Beginners Chase
Dodge a few possible races
Soft graded Chase win
Dodge Dublin Racing Festival
Cheltenham
Dodge Aintree
PunchestownHailed as a superstar despite never having won outside of novice company.
Ha ha, same here Clivexx; I’ve always considered myself a jumping fan first, but enjoys the flat; however the flat has waymarks along the season were you know horses will run, etc No saving them for Champions Day, etc
There was a time when it would get to September, and I’d be looking forward to the Chepstow’s Free Handicap 4yo Hurdle, and then the gradual build up of the jump season, as the better races/horses were seen.
Now we know it’s going to be small field graded races, with horses avoiding each other, if they even run. “Ground is too quick, can’t run him on that” or ” Can’t risk running them on that, it’ll rip their guts out”……oh dear….and repeat.
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