We’re less than two months away from National Hunt Racing’s annual showpiece and, for weeks now, trainers and touts have been talking of little else but their aspirations for Prestbury Park’s magnificent spectacle. Few racegoers would doubt the allure offered by the Festival , but has Cheltenham undermined the remainder of the National Hunt season? Many top trainers talk of ‘going straight to Cheltenham’ – even before we’ve reached the New Year. The outcome is their good horses may only run four or five races in a season. Group races are following Flat Racing in that fields are becoming smaller and smaller. It seems to me that this ‘overprotection’ of their charges is partly determined by an over-exaggerated focus on Cheltenham- and to a lesser extent, Aintree. Trainers are no longer prepared to run top horses in handicaps- with the result that these prestige contests attract less and less quality. Look at last Saturday’s Betfair Hurdle....it was a shadow of Schweppes/ Tote Gold Trophy days – and hasn’t attracted a horse rated above 150 for the last two years. The race itself was an insult to what used to be arguably the most important handicap of the season. Strung out like washing, only two horses were in serious contention before they had jumped the second last! Maybe the racing authorities are also to blame, and that their framing of races and inadequate prize money is undermining the season as a whole. Take away Cheltenham and Aintree, and the rest of the calendar seems to offer more mediocrity year on year- notwithstanding there’s more races than ever. What do other members think?
I posted a few months ago Tam that there ought to be something akin to the QIPCO Champions series in National Hunt, in order to put more focus on top races during the rest of the season. A few years ago there was a million pound bonus offered for completing the Betfair Chase - King George - Gold Cup treble (I think by Betfair and I think they had to pay it out to Kauto Star one season, although don't quote me on that as the old grey matter isn't what it once was). I think a similar bonus was offered for the Fighting Fifth - Christmas Hurdle - Champion Hurdle. I also think there ought to be more encouragement for English and Irish horses to travel to each others top races outside the big festivals - the card at Leopardstown last Sunday being a prime example - not one English runner. Another worrying trend (albeit more in Irish racing than English) is the emergence of super-powerful owners (Gigginstown & Ricci) who seem to be mopping up everything - here there is the direct parallel to Ballydoyle on the flat. I got interested in racing initially via the flat in what I would call a golden age (the late eighties) where we would see the Maktoums, Aga Khan, Khaled Abdullah, Robert Sangster silks in almost all the big races and yet these days its usually Ballydoyle v Godolphin with the odd Qatari thrown in but I can't help feeling the general level has been eroded. Anyway I am starting to ramble .................. more later
Hi, Oddy. Yes, the QIPCO idea seems good. I suppose we've always had powerful owners like O'Leary, Ricci, and McManus. We have to live with that. What's a bit disturbing also is the lack of top hurdlers coming through. Good flat horses aren't put over hurdles anymore, so hurdlers tend to come from either French sources or the 'Bumper route.' Overall, you have to say the Bumper horses have been a failure- with few progressing to the top level (just look at Cheltenham's Bumper winners over the years- very poor progression). Also, I just can't understand this attitude of 'keeping horses in cotton wool.' Old Stalbridge Colonist who, one year, won 11 races out of 15- and ran 6 times in seven weeks- must be wondering what the hell is going on! Look at the Festival's favourites...Annie Power (no runs); More of That (one run); Sprinter Sacre (one run); Faugheen (two runs); etc, etc. And in a couple of months, the season will be over! Beats me!
I agree that the top horses don't see enough of the racetrack Tam. I've previously posted the idea of changing the entry conditions for the big Cheltenham races to include a stipulation that the horse must have run in at least 1 qualifying race in order to get into the race. For example, to run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase a horse must have run in at least one of a selection of races during the season e.g. Tingle Creek, Tied Cottage, Fortria Chase, Clarence House, Game Spirit Chase, Ascot Chase, or even any of the Class 1 or Class 2 handicaps. It's a bit like the Pertemps idea, where you've got to finish in the first 8 of a qualifier to be eligible for the final. It would be easy enough to define a number of races as qualifiers for The Champion Hurdle, QMCC, World Hurdle and CGC and you could then play all sorts of tunes on the qualification conditions - number of races, finishing positions etc etc. This, added to the minimum BHA rating condition, should ensure we got better fields for the qualifiers during the season. The only down side would be a horse who missed the big race because he was injured and only got back to race fitness in time for the Cheltenham festival - although I would argue these would be few and far between.
Re the paucity of top class hurdlers, I wonder if this might have something to do with training methods and also the lack of real options for a hurdler at 2m 4f (what I call the "Oscar Whiskey (RIP) syndrome"). I often look at the regally-bred horses John Ferguson gets hold of and yet many of them can't hurdle for toffee. Is this because the natural ability to jump an obstacle is being bred out of them? Or is it more an issue about how they are taught to hurdle? Nicky Henderson seems very adept at getting a horse to develop a very good hurdling technique. Not sure if there is much literature or debate out there (or much discussion between trainers on methodology? I suspect many would keep a winning formula close to their chests). If a good horse can't cut it at Champion Hurdle level over 2 miles he seems much more likely to be sent novice chasing (recent examples being Peddlers Cross, Overturn, Oscar Whiskey (RIP) and Rock On Ruby). I know many won't agree, but I think room needs to be found for a Grade 1 2m4f open hurdle at Cheltenham, much like the Ryanair for chasers. This might encourage more top hurdlers to be kept over hurdles. I never miss a chance to plug this race, so here an example of the closest you will get to hurdling perfection - neat, economical, fast and fluent. The one and only Brindisi Breeze (RIP). He pinged every hurdle in this race, never touched a twig, and was able to string out a very decent field as though they were selling platers. His jump at the last, although getting tired, put paid to any chance Boston Bob had of catching him.
Never get sick of watching that race Oddy, poor horse and jockey. Would have been collecting a world hurdle the following year. RIP
I for one live for the Cheltenham Festival and a year to wait in-between each one for the best quality racing is far too long in my opinion. I have been thinking of a way that could improve the sport for a long time now and this is what I have came up with! It's just based on the NH season and is very basic. It is a very basic idea but something I believe would have many benefits to everyone involved in the sport. • A league style competition for over 30 weeks running from October to April • Top 10 stables compete in the top tier • Minimum of 10 horses in each race, stables other than top 10 can enter the league races but are not included in point scoring • 2 League Chases and 2 League Hurdle races per weekend at 2 different courses • Stables run 2 Chasers and 2 Hurdlers per weekend • As many (if not all) courses around the UK used as possible • Big races incorporated including Cheltenham Festival and Aintree • Point system used i.e. 10 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 10th (fallers/PU TBD) • Mixture of different graded races and distances • Prize money paid for league standing at the end of the season Below is a list stating the reasons behind it and the benefits I believe it would have; Reason for the League • To increase the popularity of the sport with the general public and make it more mainstream. • To increase the size of minimum field in Graded races. • To improve the quality of the Races. • To ensure all competing horses are in peak fitness reducing negativity of the sport in the public eye. • To increase prize money for owners, trainers and jockeys which in turn would be injected back into the sport. • To increase revenue at courses which in turn will lead to improved facilities. • Better TV coverage leading to more popularity, meaning larger sponsorship from bookmakers and other companies. Benefits to Trainers • Increased prize money/salaries/sponsorship • More coverage, recognition, higher profile • Higher income to improve facilities Benefits to Jockeys • Increased prize money/salaries/sponsorship • More competitive races • More coverage, recognition, higher profile • Increased number of rides in better quality races Benefits to Owners • Increased prize money • More competitive races • More coverage, recognition, higher profile Benefits to Race Courses • Chance to improve facilities through extra finance • More popular to spectators, higher income from gate receipts and food and drink sales • More coverage, recognition, higher profile, Increased chance for better sponsorship • TV coverage for all courses, better quality races for all courses Benefits to Bookmakers • More publicity will create higher levels of gambling • Better TV coverage will increase levels of advertising • More competitive races will create higher levels of gambling • Extra competition will create higher levels of gambling • Higher levels of gambling due to horses being run fully fit Benefits to TV Company • Advertising • Higher viewing levels due to better quality Benefits to General Public • Better quality racing • A competition to follow and support for the full season • Local fan base supporting local stable • Guaranteed number of competitors in race • More excitement/ Increase passion for the sport • No fears that horses may not be 100% fit What are peoples opinions on this kind of thing? Do you believe it could take of? What are the draw backs? all opinions and criticisms welcome!!
Oddy, I quite like your idea of having "qualifying races." Anything which boosts numbers and interest has to be worthwhile. Re. jumping prowess, surely it can't be inbred- rather how the horses are taught/schooled. Your Brindisi Breeze clip is excellent. Personally I always recommended watching Monksfield and Night Nurse jump hurdles(See their Aintree dead heat). The large angular horse (Night Nurse) stepped over them, whereas tiny Monksfield just brushed through the top with minimum of effort. Two great examples! Harchi, good morning. I think your proposals have a good basis for discussion. How would you decide the top 10 stables, though, without alienating the rest? And what amount of prize monies would the league races and league winners offer? Having said that, something needs to be done to improve quality down the line. Last Saturday's dire Betfair Hurdle almost made me weep when I think back to the race in 1968. I hitchhiked to Coventry and watched Persian War on TV slog it out under top weight against top class horses like Major Rose and Sempervivum. Most of last weekend's horses wouldn't have got into the handicap!
Hi Tam, thanks for your input! Starting the proposal off would be the hardest thing, as you say with deciding the initial top 10, it would have to say be taken on results over say the past 5 seasons, then all remaining stables being in a 2nd tier fighting for promotion to join the elite! Prize monies would depend on sponsorships and TV rights. The more popular the sport becomes, the larger sponsorship and TV rights become and prize monies increase. The main reason behind my idea is to ensure quality racing right throughout the season, with guaranteed amounts of runners and to try and increase the popularity of the sport. All the big races would remain thus keeping the history and traditions of the sport.
Interesting proposals Harchi, I would just worry about it tipping the balance further towards the big yards and creating a "Racing Premier League". It's hard enough for smaller yards to get by as it is (witness the recent decision by Charlie Swan to call it a day) and we already see the bigger owners putting the majority of their horses with the top trainers (an outstanding contradiction to this being JP McManus and, to some extent, Gigginstown, although they tend to have their 4 or 5 favourites (Mullins, Elliot, Meade, Hughes, Martin)).
A Racing Premier League probably is the idea behind it Oddy and you are correct that it probably would tip the balance even more so than what it is now. My theory is flawed slightly tho in that I would want the Stables to be the say the Team...i.e Team Seven Barrows and for them to gain local support as it became more popular, but this would not work because people tend to follow horses rather than back stables blindly.
Interesting ideas but I don't think you can compare the eras. Hasn't the emphasis switched to the festival season? Cheltenham is clearly the big one in March but then the other festivals kick in. Aintree in April, Punchy in May and even Galway in the summer. Most of the big UK based trainers don't even get going until November. Didn't Jonjo O'Neill lead the trainers championship well into November. He said himself that he had an abundance of poor horses and wouldn't be able to keep up when the big guns rolled up.
