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With racing welfare in mind would like to see restrictions put on how many times a two year old is allowed to run in it’s first year (max 6) with strict veterinary screening after every race.
Hard to believe that only 40 years ago two year old racing was not even considered, now with lure of high stud fees these young thoroughbreds are made to put pressure on their fragile limbs while they are still developing a lot do not make it past thatI suspect you made a typo Triptych but if not, two year olds were certainly racing 40 years ago and given that several of the famous 2yo races such as the Cheveley Park, Middle Park and Dewhurst were introduced in the 19th century it seems likely they’ve been racing throughout the history of the turf, though would be quite prepared to believe that there’s many more races now, pro rata
I would agree that care should be taken with the workload 2yos are subjected to and your idea of a maximum number of races has merit
It would be interesting to see some stats on how many horses raced at 2 are not seen again in subsequent seasons. As far as I’m aware this ‘natural wastage’, if indeed there is significant ‘waste’, has had very little publicity; so one can only assume it’s either deemed acceptable or purposely hushed-up
Thank you Drone mea culpa more of a Hypo than a Typo
. My concentration has been knocked these past few days with the dreaded flu bug I’ll blame it on the medication this time. But the sentiments remain the same and I hope that something can be done to at least limit the number of times these young horses have to race in their first year.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...You’re being selfish ( also a dislike for Michael O’Leary is affecting your judgement )
How am I being selfish? You’re being selfish! (I feel stupid for having just made that argument)
My pure, genuine, heartfelt hatred for Rupert Murdoch dwarfs my mere disdain for Michael O’Leary but I commend the move to revert the Stayers’ Hurdle to its correct name. Michael O’Leary is a prince compared to Khalid ibn Abdullah (an actual prince) and his family yet the latter’s support of racing and perennial sponsorship of the International Stakes is such that most instinctively refer to that established and prestigious as The Juddemonte. Michael O’Leary killed the Cathcart dead, created a new race (rather a black hole), slapped his horrible company’s name on it and declared it a championship. The difference between Mr Abdullah and Mr O’Leary is that one put a race and the integrity of the sport before himself and another put himself before a race and the integrity of the sport.
I feel like I should make a at least a partial retraction of this statement.
I remembered that the first renewal of the altered Cathcart (which had undergone numerous metamorphoses during its existence) was actually sponsored by the Telegraph. As such, I can’t give Mr O’Leary credit for “kill(ing) the Cathcart dead” and for that, I apologise. Nevertheless, it was under his sponsorship that the race was “upgraded” to Grade One status so his influence over that particular decision (of which I am unaware) would mirror the reproachment he deserves. I would find it unlikely that, on being informed of the news, he objected on the basis that it would be ridiculous to attach a championship standard to the race. Plus, he did decide that the name ‘Ryanair’ was more suitable than ‘Istabraq’ for one of Ireland’s most important two-mile hurdles of the season so he can still suck one.
That aside, I stand by the rest of my sentiments regarding the cackness of the race which deprived Vautour the opportunity to become a legend rather than a mere star and am more than happy to defend them. Although it would have to be quick as I’m going away again on Thursday.
” There is already a championship race for 2 1/2 hurdlers and it’s called the Aintree Hurdle ”
So the championship chase at one course, the hurdles at another. Do you work for the BHA ?
Why have a race for the novices ( the Neptune ) but not for the seniors ? Why cater for the novices at all the three standard distances, even throwing in a handicap for juveniles, and yet force them to wait for Aintree a year later ?
It’s utter nonsense. The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle event of the racing season ( with all due respect to Aintree which is a fantastic event )
Without the personal barbs at O’Leary and the facetious remarks about fantasy races, you don’t have a reasonable argument. The only real concern is that the odd horse might not run in the Champion Hurdle or Stayers. Well several of the the Gold Cups since the Ryanair was introduced have been better than those won by Best Mate and others before him. A few of the Queen Mothers have appeared weak because there has been a single outstanding performer – on a couple of occasions a true racing great in Sprinter Sacre.
There’s a dearth of top class chasers amongst the British elite stables and it’s not due to the introduction of the Ryanair Chase
And there’s still more evidence to say that Vautour would have been beaten in a Gold Cup and not deprived “the opportunity to become a legend rather than a mere star “. The fact is we saw an awesome display from a horse able to race at his ideal distance, not forced to drop back or step up in trip.
Enjoy your holiday.
” There is already a championship race for 2 1/2 hurdlers and it’s called the Aintree Hurdle ”
So the championship chase at one course, the hurdles at another. Do you work for the BHA ?
Do you? The Melling Chase is at Aintree, the Aintree Hurdle is also at Aintree.
Why have a race for the novices ( the Neptune ) but not for the seniors ? Why cater for the novices at all the three standard distances, even throwing in a handicap for juveniles, and yet force them to wait for Aintree a year later ?
Bear in mind that the Spa Novices’ Hurdle is a fairly recent addition… The Sun Neptune Alliance is ran at a distance appropriate for both two-milers (Faugheen, Hardy Eustace, Istabraq) and stayers (Brown Lad, Ten Plus, Denman). It tests the stamina of two-milers and the speed of stayers. As such, I’ve always seen it as a catchweight target for novices rather than a stand alone two and a half mile championship.
It’s utter nonsense. The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle event of the racing season ( with all due respect to Aintree which is a fantastic event )
It is argued that the season is too Cheltenham-centric although I’m not one who follows that line – Cheltenham is the most important week of the year. It is my love for the festival which makes me wish for the event to remain as prestigious as is possible. Leaving aside the Ryanair for a moment, I think that a two and a half mile championship would be disastrous for both the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers’. You need only look at the aforementioned Champion Hurdlers to get a glimpse into the effect and we would certainly have missed out on Faugheen v Hurricane Fly two years ago leaving Arctic Fire as a Champion Hurdler. The staying division is always thinly spread given the propensity of stayers to go over fences and we saw the Mares’ Hurdle cost us Big Buck’s versus guaranteed stayer Quevega for all the four seasons they could have met. Indeed, it was only Quevega’s presence and an injury to Faugheen that saw Annie Power contest the Stayers’ and the Champion Hurdle respectively. As such, we can only be thankful that the Mares’ Hurdle is restricted to Mares! Furthermore, as evidenced by the Neptune roll-call, there really isn’t any such thing as a two and a half miler as both two-milers and three milers are capable of performing just as well at the middle distance. Particularly among hurdlers around Cheltenham. Of the “two and a half milers” you mention in your initial post, Peddlers Cross (oft mistaken for a stayer), Oscar Whisky and Thousand Stars all would have been beaten by The Fly over two an a half, and Saphir Du Rheu, So Young and Zaidpour were all about a stone off being true champions. Solerina is the only one you could call a top class out and out twenty furlong horse and even if she didn’t have the Mares’ Hurdle, would one exception really be worth devastating both the Stayers’, and more importantly, the Champion Hurdle?
Without the personal barbs at O’Leary and the facetious remarks about fantasy races, you don’t have a reasonable argument.
I like that you think that with them, I do :D
Mr O’Leary thrives on barbs and of the fantasy races, I think a veterans chase with lady riders would be a great idea. Much better than yours. The 3m6f (because 3m7f would be cruel) Cross Country pony race looked brilliant in my mind but that’s because I was picturing Shetland ponies rather than pony ponies (which isn’t that impressive given that Battleship was a pony for all intents and purposes). But yeah, a Shetland Pony Cross Country Chase… like you would need at least 100 starters to stand a chance of there being finishers. When it comes to the bigger fences like the Canal Turn, they would have to batter it down I suppose until they created a gap or attempt to climb it… at the bank or cheese wedges, the child jockeys could try and co-operate to lift the ponies onto or over the fences. It would be like Lord of the Flies meets Lemmings. The race would probably take a good five hours to complete but everybody in the grandstands will leave knowing they have witnessed a show, nay, an incredible spectacle, nay… a life affirming moment.
I’ve lost my train of thought…
The only real concern is that the odd horse might not run in the Champion Hurdle or Stayers.
By odd horse, and just counting winners, you mean My Way de Solzen, probably Inglis Drever (was initially campaigned as a Champion Hurdler), Solwhit (Aintree Hurdle winner having first try over 3m) and More Of That (first try at 3m was in Stayers’) from the Stayers’ and at the very least, Annie Power, Faugheen, Rock On Ruby, Hardy Eustace and Istabraq from the Champion? If that doesn’t scare the sh!te out of you then nothing will.
Well several of the the Gold Cups since the Ryanair was introduced have been better than those won by Best Mate. A few of the Queen Mothers have appeared weak because there has been a single outstanding performer – on a couple of occasions a true racing great in Sprinter Sacre.
How much deeper would those Gold Cups have been but for the Ryanair? Last year, Vautour, Valseur Lido and Road To Riches ALL would have contested the Gold Cup were they spread among different trainers/owners (ironically leaving actual twenty furlonger Al Ferof with the win – wonderful horse but a champion doesn’t get beaten eight lengths in his specialty). In the previous couple of renewals, the Gold Cup has also lost Don Cossack, Boston Bob, Cue Card and First Lieutenant among several arguable others (who for all we know, may well have risen to the Gold Cup/Champion Chase challenge). What an utter shame that we’ve missed out on some truly stacked fields due to an afterthought of a race. I’ve no qualms with the Sprinter Sacre aspect of this period – Badsworth Boy only met four rivals in the 1985 renewal and his main rival fell – as racing is cyclical. However, over the past few seasons, we’ve lost out on a Gold Cup era to rival the Champion Chase era of the early 00s.
There’s a dearth of top class chasers amongst the British elite stables and it’s not due to the introduction of the Ryanair Chase
No. It’s due to the Irish powerhouses buying up all the pointing and French talent then keeping them apart.
And there’s still more evidence to say that Vautour would have been beaten in a Gold Cup and not deprived “the opportunity to become a legend rather than a mere star “. The fact is we saw an awesome display from a horse able to race at his ideal distance, not forced to drop back or step up in trip.
Enjoy your holiday.
We have conjecture and speculation but very little evidence. And even if Vautour didn’t win the Gold Cup, he would have gone down on his shield in one of the deepest Gold Cups in living memory then found ample compensation in the Melling Chase.
Thanks man. I’m not going on holiday but I’ll will enjoy it as much as I can
I’m in agreement Bachelors; my wish would be C’Ham reverting to white=hot competition. Scrap the Ryanair, for reasons you have eloquently explained, the 3-mile novice hurdle, the JLT, reduce the value of the Mare’s hurdles to make the bigger races a more attractive target. I actually don’t mind the cross-country, as it doesn’t take away from the other races, and the 4 yr old handicap hurdle has made the Triumph a better contest
STD if you want to watch plodders in 3 runner affairs treading water for 3 and a half miles knowing who’s won the race halfway from home barring a fall then that’s your prerogative but I won’t stand for you talking such asinine especially when it pertains to Mr Gosden who play’s it with the straightest bat.
What is the point of “hating” O’Leary? Or even Murdoch?
They are trying to sell us airline seats and newspapers ffs not trying to bomb us in nightclubs or behead Christian children for fun
What is the point of “hating” O’Leary? Or even Murdoch?
They are trying to sell us airline seats and newspapers ffs not trying to bomb us in nightclubs or behead Christian children for fun
Your response demonstrates that Murdoch is doing much more than just selling you papers
oh really. care to elaborate…
Come on then….
I think the point is pretty clear. I cannot understand why I should “hate” anyone who is not a direct physical threat to me or my family or is seeking to destroy my way of life. Cheap airline tickets haven’t killed anyone yet as far as I can recall
Or perhaps you would like a row, you patronising gutless…?
O’Leary and Murdoch are haloed saints compared to some of monied that have, have had and no doubt will continue to have an involvement in Racing. Without wishing to be any more specific: more than several of those with loadsagrubbymoney from the Middle East, for example
We dustmen who enjoy racing do so in the knowledge that the gallant sport is, was and always will be funded largely by less than pleasant dukes
I’ve used Ryanair but have never stooped so low as to fly with them to the Arabian Peninsula
What is the point of “hating” O’Leary? Or even Murdoch?
They are trying to sell us airline seats and newspapers ffs not trying to bomb us in nightclubs or behead Christian children for fun
Not far off in Murdoch’s case: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jul/04/milly-dowler-voicemail-hacked-news-of-world.
Oh yeah. An employee of yours hacking a phone is just as heinous as slowly beheading a child.
jesus..
if I was to have a racing wish for this year it would be for another stable of tizzards size and background to burst through
Wouldn’t want to wish a slip in fortunes on anyone and in many ways the ball has rolled a little already but a slide in the dominance of the Mullins stable wouldn’t be unwelcome. They are not the most likeable of teams
I’m coming late to the party but my wishes for this year would be:
An end to these farcical NH races being run with half the jumps taken out or five furlong run ins.
The best horses taking each other on a la Cue Card and Thistlecrack. What are the odds on Faugheen and Annie Power avoiding each other?
And on a parochial note for the Scottish courses to continue to flourish. The improvement in facilities, crowds and prize money has been fantastic in the last 10 years.
Oh yeah. An employee of yours hacking a phone is just as heinous as slowly beheading a child.
jesus..
Well, if hacking the phone of a missing/dead child isn’t heinous enough for you then I could go on. The phone hacking at his organisation was pretty bloody extensive if you take five minutes to read about it. It went a little bit further than the odd rouge employee you seem to think was involved. Still, all in the name of flogging a paper or two eh?
Anyway, my point is that things like this are why people reserve such hatred for people they have never met.
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