Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece I’ve looked at those trainers who have their horses ready to strike at Cheltenham’s Showcase meeting which gets underway on Friday.
Cheltenham’s Festival Obsession Risks Killing the Magic
A few days ago, Lee Mottershead broke an exclusive in the Racing Post about Cheltenham considering a Wednesday-to-Saturday Festival. I don’t think Uttoxeter will be pleased if Cheltenham races on a Saturday given it’s their Midlands Grand National Day.
It seems the track’s chief executive, Guy Lavender, has floated a kite. Personally, I’m against it. Hopefully, it’s quickly scrapped once they realise how daft it is.
Have they not seen what happened to the Derby when it moved to Saturday? What a great plan – shift jumps racing Blue Riband event to a day when it’ll clash with the Six Nations, forcing ITV to stick it on ITV4 and of course the end of the football season. Genius.
If I had my way, Cheltenham would go back to three days. Chance of that? Zero.
A Saturday won’t fix falling attendances. Nor will it tempt back fans who’d rather watch the Festival abroad for a fraction of the cost. It’s become an overpriced cash cow.
A Festival Losing Its Way
Don’t get me wrong — I love the Cheltenham Festival. But the obsession is choking the sport. There are plenty of good meetings and big races before March. It doesn’t happen on the Flat, and it shouldn’t here.
Over the coming months, we’ll be bored rigid by YouTubers droning on about which horses might run and in what race. And don’t get me started on Racing TV’s ‘Road to Cheltenham’ – it’s part of the problem.
Of course, I’ll have a few ante-post punts. But this winter, I’ll try to keep this column a Cheltenham-free zone until the week before.
The Festival has become overhyped, overpriced, and dangerously self-absorbed. Keep going like this, and it’ll lose the very soul that made it special.
Time to End the Flat with a Bang
You’d think the Flat season was over but it’s not. It staggers on for another couple of weeks until Doncaster in early November. It really shouldn’t just drift like this after Champions Day. If I had my way, it would end this Saturday at Doncaster. I’ve gone on about it for years. Why not finish with a bang – the Group 1 Futurity Trophy and an October Handicap to replace the November one?
I’m not in the camp that thinks the flat season should end on Champions Day. Doncaster should both start and close the campaign. It would also make sense to crown the Flat Champion Jockey and Trainer there too.
Some might argue about the end-of-season 2yo races at Newmarket. Why not hold a two day meeting before Futurity Day exclusively for 2yo maidens? It’s simple, logical, and far better than the way the season currently drifts to a close.
I began today’s column discussing Cheltenham. Of course, it returns for the first time this season with its two-day Showcase Meeting. The arrival of rain and hopefully more of it this week means the ground won’t be as rattling quick as it was recently at Chepstow for the Welsh Racing Festival.
ITV Racing are covering eight races on Friday, five from Cheltenham plus an additional three from Doncaster.
Cheltenham Showcase Meeting Trainers
Trainers are creatures of habit they target certain meetings and big races. Here’s a breakdown of the top performing trainers at Cheltenham’s Showcase Meeting since 2019.
Digging further into horsercacebase – Nicky Henderson is 2-2 in novice chasers and 2-3 in NH flat races, all his five winners.
More trainer takeaways
Gavin Cromwell is 3 winners from 3 runners +2.6 in novice chases.
Henry De Bromhead’s three winners have come in handicap chases – 3 winners from 7 runners +33, 5 places.
John McConnell is 3 winners from 7 runners +2.88 in novice hurdles.
Charles Byrnes is 1 winner from 2 runners in handicap hurdles, his other runner finished second.
The winners have been shared around yards with 24 of the 84 winners being trained in Ireland. So, it’s certainly worth noting any Irish trained runners over the two days.
Wednesday Racing
David Dunsdon gave Sirius a confident ride to land the Amateur Riders Derby at the Curragh yesterday. The winner travelled strongly and could be called the winner two furlongs out. As mentioned in Tuesday’s column, his proven stamina came in handy on testing ground.
I highlighted three horses in that race – the winner Sirius, runner-up Smooth Tom, and Layfayette, who ran respectably. Anyone perming the trio for the Exacta or Forecast was well rewarded.
Attention turns to Kempton tonight for racing under the lights, with a couple of London Series qualifiers on the card.
The first, a London Mile Series Qualifier (7:10), looks interesting. Sarab Star returned from a 340-day break to win a 7f novice here 56 days ago. Now two from three, he’s open to further progress. If he stays the mile on handicap debut, he’ll be tough to beat from what looks a lenient opening mark.
Local Hero is the danger. A three-time course winner, twice over this trip, he was beaten only a neck in the London Mile Series Final over course and distance last time. A 4lb rise isn’t ideal, but he remains on a fair mark and should go close again.
Good luck with your Wednesday bets.
John