Charity Flat Race - Cheltenham

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Good cause and all but shouldn't be there at Cheltenham of all places..

By Tom Kerr 1:49PM 22 DEC 2009
CHELTENHAM has added another race to the third day of the 2010 Cheltenham Festival with a charity Flat race for lady riders joining the six scheduled races.
The race will take place following Thursday's scheduled races headed by the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and the money raised will go towards this year's chosen sponsor for Ladies' Day, Cancer Research UK.
Georgie Browne, partner of Paul Nicholls, is one of those scheduled to compete and she said: "I am thrilled to be Ladies' Day Ambassador for 2010 and riding in a Flat race will be one of the highlights of what I am sure will be a memorable day."
Applications are being taken for the 1m5f race, which will have a maximum of 12 runners and is open to any lady riders, licensed or not, providing they raise a minimum of £5,000 in sponsorship each.
 
No offence to any ladies looking in, but this is a sick joke.

Edited to avoid offending any sensibilities during the season of goodwill.
 
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Miserable feckers. Charity races happen all the time without stay at home punters being aware of them, or needing to complain that they exist. This is simply another one. No-one has complained about the camel racing, pony racing and pursuit cycling which have taken place at the track at previous Cheltenham meetings this season.
 
Those are not fair comparisons, rory - we're talking about the Festival here, and a race under Rules.

Also, the paranoic in me thinks this could be the thin end of the wedge. How much longer before this 'race' evolves into an invitational Bumper or somesuch, and is used - along with other pointless mince - to pad-out a 5th day at the Festival?

I can almost hear Gillespie salivating at the prospect all the way from here.
 
Don't really see the problem here. It's really a take it or leave it type deal, isn't it?

There's a charity race at the Punchestown Festival and I've never heard a bad word said about it. Indeed, it attracted Moscow Flyer a couple of years back; I'd imagine a similar affair at the Festival would have even greater pull for some of the stars of Festival's past.
 
I'm with Rory and trackside - charity races are a pretty common occurrence yet most of the time you lot are blissfully unaware of them. They're not generally televised (although I'm sure a recording of this one will be shown at least), they're not run under rules, they don't have any SPs returned on them, they basically get on with it without hindering many people at all.
 
An arab race on the Tuesday would tie in nicely with the mascot handicap hurdle final being move to the new course on Friday.
 
Race conditions for those who are interested:

CHARITY FLAT RACE AT THE FESTIVAL ON MARCH 18, 2010

The British Horseracing Authority has granted exemptions from the effects of Rule A38 for this race as it is being run outside the Rules of Racing. Therefore, it will not count for any purposes on the horse’s career record.

For four-year-olds and upwards who have run at least twice under the recognised Rules of Racing

Distance – One mile, five furlongs, to be started by flag

Weight.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 stone

All horses to be rated 80-125 for hurdlers/steeplechasers (also open to such horses rated 79 or below) 0-80 for horses that have run twice in a NH flat race

All horses to be vaccinated in accordance with Rule E18/19 of the Rules of Racing and to come from yards of trainers licensed by the British Horseracing Authority

This is an invitation race for lady jockeys only. Riders are responsible for finding their own horses. Riders must be passed fit to ride by the racecourse doctor on the raceday.

All riders must provide their own equipment including the new mandatory back protector and new skull cap as laid down under the Rules of Racing January, 2002 Standards

Each rider will be insured by Cheltenham Racecourse for Personal Accident & Public Liability from Weighing Out until Weighing In

Each rider is requested to raise £5,000 in sponsorship and must deposit £1,000 of this 28 days before the race with a further £1,000 14 days before the race. The outstanding balance must be paid within 48 hours of the race.

A maximum of 12 riders only

For further information about the race, or to receive an application form, please contact Sarah Oliver on 01886 884488 or via sph.oliver@btinternet.com
 
I'm in a better humour about this today, but can't shake the feeling that novelty races such as this tend to devalue what is the premier Jumps meeting of the season.

I just don't see that they are necessary during the Festival, which should be all about excellence, and devoid of gimmicks.

All for a good cause though, I suppose, and I'm now nudging towards 'Ho-ho-ho' and away from 'Bah! Humbug!' about it, on my Christmas-ometer.
 
Galileo said:
Good cause and all but shouldn't be there at Cheltenham of all places..
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How can you say that when one of your local tracks has been hosting charity races for years and years at its festival. Moscow brought the house down when he won and they have proven popular races over the years. I'm not sure if it should be restricted to lady riders though. I would much prefer to watch a charity race that six greyhounds running up the hill!!!
 
Cantoris said:
How can you say that when one of your local tracks has been hosting charity races for years and years at its festival. Moscow brought the house down when he won and they have proven popular races over the years. I'm not sure if it should be restricted to lady riders though. I would much prefer to watch a charity race that six greyhounds running up the hill!!!
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I love Punchestown, but Punchestown is not Cheltenham. Moscow Flyer is the one example thrown up - great effort and it was a great day but what about the rest of them? I think it would be a worry if this charity race became an option to bring back old horses that really should be retired.

Like someone else said, much of my dislike regarding this relates to Cheltenham's unending wish to make the festival longer and bigger when it was perfect as it was.
 
Galileo said:
Punchestown is not Cheltenham
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I think the Kildare hoody mob are heading around your gaff this evening to take you away and put you in a home for blasphemy!

I remember Robert Hall, Frank Berry and Jonjo O'Neill fighting out the finish of one of those Punchestown charity races. Maybe it's a personal thing but I love these types of races. Gives the ordinary Joe (or Jane) a chance to take part in the greatest racing event of the year (sorry to the flat boys in advance). They brought in a race for the conditionals and a cross country so why not a charity race. My only issue is that it should really be for a racing charity. That's the only thing that bugs me a little about the Punchestown event, although it is for a great cause outside of racing.
 
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