Cheltenham festival changes for 2025

I think they are largely positive,, particularly the changes to the novice chases - should encourage more competition in the arkle and whatever the 3m1f chase is called these days.
 
They're basically sacrificing competitive handicaps that fill (too many now obv) in an effort to enhance the Browns and Arkle. No problem with this on my end.
 
I agree with the downgrading of the Turners race, but did both it and the NH Chase have to become handicaps?

Why does the cross country chase need to become a handicap again? The festival should be about identifying the best in each branch of jump racing and giving them their chance to shine. The argument that a lot of winners start at short prices should have nothing to do with it. By that logic horses like Constitution Hill are bad for the sport.
 
The fun of the NH chase in the olden times was the fact that runners were maidens at the start of the current season; allowing the Tiger Rolls and Corbett's Cross to run has not helped imo.
Removing the race from Amateurs is a backward step also.
Grass roots need their day in the sun as much as anyone else.
 
Won’t make much difference, they lost the plot ages ago. Cheltenham should be about pitting the best against the best and not giving the best opportunities to avoid each other. As Chris Cook says in today’s Racing Post “…when a quarter of all festival races end up with an odds-on favourite, someone has made a mess of things.”
 
I'm cool with it. The Cross Country has been a boring no bet race for a while.

Have top grade ones and the rest handicaps. Trying to go in the middle and please everybody is a problem I reckon.

The Cheltenham Festival is a success story, and us racing fans should continue to celebrate and support it as just that.

The sport has a lot more pressing and serious issues to worry about than the purity of this meeting.
 
Personally think it’s scandalous that the Amateur Jockeys Association knew nothing about the plans to open the NH chase up to professionals until the news was made public. Typical pomposity from Cheltenham management and the Jockey Club
 
Marb said:
I'm cool with it. The Cross Country has been a boring no bet race for a while.

Have top grade ones and the rest handicaps. Trying to go in the middle and please everybody is a problem I reckon.

The Cheltenham Festival is a success story, and us racing fans should continue to celebrate and support it as just that.

The sport has a lot more pressing and serious issues to worry about than the purity of this meeting.
Click to expand...
You are a million miles wrong with that -the festival has become less competitive since 2016.Odds on favourites are now a regular feature of the meeting.In my opinion the meeting is standing on the shoulders of the reputation it earned in the 80's &90's.
 
I can get the certain grievences for sure. The price of a burger and a pint no doubt.

The issue with debates around the purety of the races are that everyone has their own opinion. Many people critisized Aintree for lowering the fences a few years ago. Now it seems to be generally accepted they needed to do this, for the perception of the races sake as much as the reality.

Don't get me wrong, I have only attended Cheltenham once in 2016. It was a wet cold day and I couldn't see a horse. The best bit was linking up with old Maruco who yes, bought me a pint. It wouldn't have mattered if it was a grade one or weight for age grade three or handicap for that matter, I still wouldn't have seen a horse from where I was.

Ultimately, I'm just saying, is it really that important? Not to me.

If they raise a pint of Guinness to a tenner a pint I'll definately start a thread and write to the Racing Post though.

I've been spouting shite since 2005, Lucas.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top