Kevin Blake made some very sensible suggestions on ITV racing this week - going back to 2 grade 1 novice events (one speed at 2 miles, one stamina at around 2m6f) over both hurdles and fences, adding more handicaps. They need to do something urgently.
On the theme of trainers looking to get as many winner as possible and without wishing to trigger Sir Barney I do think the most unfathomable decision of the week belonged to the Ivy Grower. Has 2 intended runners across the 4 days and puts them both in the same race. Chianti Classico won so he did have a 50% strike rate and the same number of winners as Nicholls and 1 more than Hendo. However surely Trelawne should have gone in either the 2.5 mile Grade 1 Novice Chase or the handicap. He was entered in these races I think and only taken out at 48 hour decs. Trelawne had never gone beyond 2.5 miles so was a huge ask to go 3 and a bit round Cheltenham in that ground. A previous run at Cheltenham suggests he is closely matched with the winner and runner up in the Turners. Also in that same race he finished ahead of the Trustrader Handicap runner up too. Just seems barmy to me when you’ve so little ammo that you point them both at the same target. I bet the stable jockey was not best pleased.
Probably because it seems to rain about 70% of the time here. I am not even joking when I say I don't think we have had 3 days in a row where it hasn't rained since last July, it has been relentless. It's a Winter game, good safe ground once it is within reason and not waterlogged. I guess the trainers here are just used to it compared to some of the England trainers who are used to more tropical climates being down nearer the Equator.
