Cheltenham Festival future - a 28th race ?

A

Ardross

Senior Jockey
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Aug 8, 2007
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Alan Lee suggests in the Times this morning that the festival should be reduced back to 24 races - 6 a day and started at 2.00 as it was in the past.

He suggests the cross country , 2m 4f novice hcap chase and the Martin Pipe should be scrapped as not being up to the quality required .

A very sensible idea I reckon - I would suggest in consequence the Kim Muir and NH Chase should be converted to races for conditionals and amateurs - or perhaps the Kim Muir for conditionals only .
 
The number of races is only going one way...and its not down! Will be a 5 days festival within 5 years.
 
it was better on 3 days

now with 4
cross country no interest
no sense the 2m4f chase for novice chasers
4 miles chase the same


the breeders cup on 2 days is a joke

ebor was better on 3 days too
 
The privileged press boys don't have to cope with the crowds like the hoi polloi do. Does he present a convincing case? Given that the Kim Muir is a 0-145 and the top rated in the Cross Country last year was 157, it's hard to argue the one over the other if your sole criterion is quality.
 
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the cross country is ideal for the owner of the restaurants
racegoers have time to eat something or have a beer
 
I can guarantee you that, as far as connections are concerned, it's the same buzz and the same parade ring and winners enclosure as for the other races. I like it as well but I'd prefer it to be a conditions race. Maybe that could be the 28th race.
 
Axe the Conditionals race as it's of sub-Festival quality most years and also the Ryanair and the 2m4f Novice Chase as they dilute the quality of the Championship races - if an owner wants to run in a 2m4f Grade 1 event there's one a few weeks later at Aintree and likewise there's the Powers Gold Cup for Novice's.

XC is normally a competitive affair and it's one of the few races that Cheltenham has any hope of attracting international competitors too.

Martin
 
No problem with 4 days (prefer it actually), like the XC and would also keep the Ryanair

Chop the Mares, Conditional, Fred Winter and Novices H'cap Chase
 
Perpetual said:
No problem with 4 days (prefer it actually), like the XC and would also keep the Ryanair

Chop the Mares, Conditional, Fred Winter and Novices H'cap Chase
Click to expand...

No the Fred winter has made the Triumph a good race unlike the dross we got sometimes in the 90s




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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I really enjoy the Xc. Well pleased its moved to my usual day. Not that hard to find winners in too.

Five would be way too much and like many I think 4 I'd just about right

One thing I wouldn't be keen on is the suggested 40 mins between races. No thanks
 
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