Cheltenham 2020 / 2021

Grasshopper said:
QMCC will have five runners.

Ryanair will be a max field.
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Allaho
Altior
Annamix
Battleoverdoyen
Chris’s Dream
Easy Game
Fakir d’Oudairies
Imperial Aura
Itchy Feet
Kalashnikov
Master Tommytucker
Melon
Midnight Shadow
Min
Mister Fisher
Real Steel
Riders Onthe Storm
Saint Calvados
Samcro
Simply The Betts
Top Notch
Tornado Flyer
Waiting Patiently
 
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These are all either Ryanair runners, likely Ryanair runners (because they don’t hold the QMCC entry), spoofers, hounds or potential social/fantasy runners, in the Fergus Wilson mould.
 
Thanks DG

Somewhat fitting that the Mares chase is in the same place as the Cathcart used to be - no one is interested. Meanwhile, they have moved the Grand Annual onto a different course and we have all three 2 mile chases in the first two days. The more I look at this running order, and how each day finished with pretty uninspiring races (except Wednesday), the less likely a five day meeting makes sense. At least, that's a good thing.

Diamond Geezer said:
Looks like they've finalised the running order for the Festival

Tuesday
1.30 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2.10 Sporting Life Arkle Chase
2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase
3.30 Unibet Champion Hurdle
4.10 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
4.50 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
5.30 National Hunt Chase

Wednesday
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
2.10 Festival Novices’ Chase
2.50 Coral Cup
3.30 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
4.10 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
4.50 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase
5.30 Weatherbys Champion Bumper


Thursday
1.30 Marsh Novices’ Chase
2.10 Pertemps Network Final
2.50 Ryanair Chase
3.30 Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle
4.10 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate
4.50 Daylesford Mares' Novices’ Hurdle
5.30 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase


Friday
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle
2.10 Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle
2.50 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
3.30 Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup
4.10 St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase
4.50 Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase
5.30 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
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Unless they move poorer the races to a Saturday with the Gold Cup and have 6 race cards.
 
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pdleech said:
Thanks DG

Somewhat fitting that the Mares chase is in the same place as the Cathcart used to be - no one is interested. Meanwhile, they have moved the Grand Annual onto a different course and we have all three 2 mile chases in the first two days. The more I look at this running order, and how each day finished with pretty uninspiring races (except Wednesday), the less likely a five day meeting makes sense. At least, that's a good thing.
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2.5 mile grade 1 hurdle.
The handicap back that was replaced by the Mares Chase.
Veterans Chase?

These are pretty much nailed for me to be introduced to get the fifth day they so evidently want. Probably next season to recoup the money they’ve lost this season.

Could possibly throw in a few other random races to get 7 races per card, think itll be 6 though
Move a few of the cards round, culminating with the Gold Cup on the Saturday.
 
Double J said:
Wish it was last year. Lost a bollock on Ilikedwayurthinkin in the last :lol:
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I feel your pain. Was all over him at 25/1 through the Skybet rick in their RequestABet section and then after the Betfair festival preview I started covering (fairly heavily) on Column of Fire after Ollie Murphy put him up as his nap of the week following word from Gordon during the Betfair preview.

Was a car crash of a race for me.
 
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Anyone sat on Easysland dockets for the Cross Country need to be wary.

French have put a ban on all cross border elite sports, 6 nations looks to be off.
 
Ian Renton on local radio an hour ago doesn't see even minimal spectators at the Festival, they still aren't issuing tickets and thinks it's touch and go whether even owners will be allowed to attend. They are positive about holding the Festival behind closed doors as it's a non contact sport and owing to strict protocols on the racecourse there hasn't been any cases of transmission between parties allowed into the racecourse.
 
Thanks Roger

Not the news I was hoping for. The one big issue that has not been covered above is amateurs riders and what will happen the 3 races if they are still banned from competing.
 
frontrunner said:
Thanks Roger

Not the news I was hoping for. The one big issue that has not been covered above is amateurs riders and what will happen the 3 races if they are still banned from competing.
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Professional riders would be the alternative surely. Either that or an exemption for the amateurs. I wouldn't expect the races to be cancelled.
 
I defintiely read the other day that the Hunter programme was being amended to enable professionals to ride instead of amateurs.

Surely that would apply to all such races.

Shame they jumped in with the altered programme early. The amateurs' handicap chase might not be much different from the Ultima now. They could have dumped it and kept the novices' hanicap.
 
Sure just cancel the restricted riders races and put on a 3 day festival!!!

Sent from my SM-J415FN using Tapatalk
 
I'd like to see the festival put back 3 weeks

It could be the difference between owners not attending and attending

Also could be the difference between betting shops being open or closed as well
 
frontrunner said:
Thanks Roger

Not the news I was hoping for. The one big issue that has not been covered above is amateurs riders and what will happen the 3 races if they are still banned from competing.
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The three amateur races, and the threat of them not going ahead, whilst irritating, does not remotely qualify as a “big issue”, Brian.
 
Truncheon said:
I'd like to see the festival put back 3 weeks

It could be the difference between owners not attending and attending

Also could be the difference between betting shops being open or closed as well
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Could also result in next to nothing running at Aintree. No chance of it happening, just to allow some space for owners to attend.
 
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It won’t happen, PJ, for the simple reason that it would be on the never-never. They won’t be able to predict in March, that they’d be good to go in early April - the situation is far too fluid. They certainly won’t delay the Festival and defer Aintree, when there is still a risk of losing both.

They’ll go ahead with both meetings as planned with or without the Irish horses, I reckon.
 
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Your point is grounded in logic and only someone in a cocoon would try predict with any great confidence

The whole industry could stop early Feb with little to no racing again for weeks. we can all agree that they would do all to get a festival in this event if even in late april

Discount no scenario yet
 
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Whilst travel is almost certainly going to pretty much stop for the forseeable future, there will continue to be exemptions, and elite sport will be one of them.

So whilst I can't completely discount a Festival with no horses, I'd be more than optimistic that specific arrangements will be in place, albeit with very strict criteria around quarantine and isolation at both ends.
 
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