Hi all,
Inside today’s main piece I conclude my look back at Cheltenham’s December Meeting. Plus, you’ll find two future winners from Victor’s Notebook.
Hard Truths Racing Can’t Keep Dodging
John Leng of the Bar Stewards Podcast has written an excellent piece on racing’s current predicament, and it’s well worth your time.
I agree with much of what John says. Racing did dodge a bullet in the Budget. Public sympathy was never coming. And bookmakers and their supporters have badly misread the national mood.
John’s piece is powerful and raw. It reads like someone who has been thinking about these issues for years and has finally decided to say them out loud. That matters.
Several of John’s arguments really land.
First, his view on an off-course betting tax. It’s coherent. It’s defensible.
Second, breeder and stallion contributions. This is one of the strongest parts of the article. Racing has long protected breeders while squeezing almost everyone else in the food chain. John says it plainly.
Third, fixture cuts and track closures. Uncomfortable, yes. But unavoidable. Racing keeps pretending that volume equals health. It doesn’t.
Fourth, this line stood out more than most:
“I would also work with the Government and the Gambling Commission to ensure that only bookmakers offering guaranteed prices to EVERYONE with a minimum bet liability were licensed to take bets on UK racing.”
That argument is consumer-focused, long overdue, and very hard to argue against in principle.
Finally, the idea of a racing-only betting exchange. For me, this is the most compelling “exit route” of all. It quietly exposes how dependent racing has become on parasitic products it claims not to like but cannot live without.
Is it brave piece? Yes.
Is it coherent? Absolutely.
Will it stimulate debate? It should.
Whether it does is another matter.
Kempton: The Writing Is on the Wall
The Bar Stewards Podcast’s Sunday Sermon isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing is undeniable they break stories. And they did it again on Sunday.
This time, the bombshell was the possibility of Shadwell Stud no longer having horses trained in Britain. If that happens, it would be seismic. Watch this space when it comes to those iconic blue and white silks being seen or not on a British racecourse.
They were also ahead of the curve last year when they revealed that the Jockey Club WOULD sell Kempton Park to a housing developer. On Sunday, that story moved another step closer to reality, with Lee Mottershead strongly hinting at the same outcome in the Racing Post.
Losing Kempton would be sad. Personally, I’ve always liked the jumps track. But if the proceeds from a sale were reinvested wisely – for example, in acquiring Arena Racing Company racecourses, as Mottershead teases — then it could prove a smart, long-term move for the sport.
One thing, however, now feels almost inevitable. This year’s King George VI Chase will likely be the last ever run at Kempton Park.
Victor’s Notebook
It was a low-key opening day to Cheltenham’s December Meeting. The Cross-Country course returned for the first time this season, while all five ITV races were handicaps. Ironically, the two standout performances came in the opening races on the card, neither of which made the live broadcast.
Old Park Star – Festival Contender Written All Over Him
Old Park Star made a striking impression in the opening novice hurdle (2m1f). A winner on hurdle and stable debut at Kempton last month, the 5yo routed what looked a strong field. He travelled smoothly, jumped well throughout, and was clear of his rivals at the last. He looks a future Graded performer. While bred to be better over further, as he showed here, he doesn’t lack pace. If all goes to plan, he should line up in a Festival novice hurdle.
Sixmilebridge Steps Up Over Fences
Sixmilebridge followed up his chase debut success by making it two from two over fences in the Chasing Excellence Novices’ Chase (2m4½f). His jumping was much more assured this time and marked him down as a chaser worth keeping on side. His best hurdle form came on softer ground, so there should be more to come once he encounters deeper conditions.
Donoghue the Cross Country King
No jockey rides the Cheltenham Cross Country course better than Keith Donoghue, and he again showed why when steering Final Orders to victory in the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup. Always prominent, Final Orders took to the unique demands of the track immediately. He jumped soundly and only needed a shake of the reins after the last to pull clear. He now looks a leading contender for the Festival Cross Country. Donoghue’s record over the course stands at 7 wins from 15 rides, with nine placed efforts. An eighth success in March would come as no surprise, although choosing between this horse and last year’s winner Stumptown may not be straightforward.
L’Homme Presse Shows He’s Still Got It
All eyes were on L’Homme Presse in the Turners Handicap Chase. Carrying top weight on his first start since February, the 10yo was predictably rusty early on and looked vulnerable halfway through. To his credit, he rallied well and stayed on well to finish runner-up behind the improving Blaze The Way. It was a solid return.
Herakles Westwood, one of my recent eyecatchers, again shaped well in the same race. He was outpaced three out but stayed on dourly to finish a 5¾-length fourth. Running from 9lb out of the handicap, it was a good effort. He stays well and softer ground would suit. The Welsh National had looked an ideal target, although he’s since been taken out of that race.
The Doyen Chief, pulled up early in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, bounced back with a respectable fifth. He arguably jumped the best of the nine runners and only began to weaken after the last. He didn’t see out the full 3m2½f as well as those ahead of him, and a drop back to three miles could be the way forward.
Cheltenham Eyecatchers
Melon (Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
Melon, from a yard yet to hit top gear this season, ran an encouraging race when a 1¾-length third of 11 to Fortune De Mer in the 2m1f handicap hurdle. It was a solid effort against race-fit rivals. He won’t mind more testing ground and looks capable of winning a handicap if building on this performance.
Realta Liath (Warren Greatrex)
My second eyecatcher came on Saturday in the shape of Realta Liath. Modest over hurdles, the mare has taken well to fences. She made a winning chase and seasonal debut at Fontwell and followed up with a strong effort from an 8lb higher mark when a ¾-length third to Party Vibes in a competitive mares’ handicap chase over 2m4½f. A mistake two out didn’t help and, without it, she may well have won. This was only her second start over fences and there should be more races to be won with the 6yo.
Finally, an honourable mention goes to Game Colours in the concluding handicap hurdle won by Nurse Susan. Outpaced coming to two out, she rallied well on the run-in to finish third. She looks capable of winning a handicap back on softer ground over 2m4f.
Tomorrow I'll be looking at Saturday's Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle at Ascot.
Good luck with your Tuesday bets.
John