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In the 1980s BBC used cover the Punchestown mid February meeting, National Trial chase, Novice hurdle , Novice Chase to get a view of Irish trained horses pre Festival. 1985 the racecourse added a schooling race to the end of the card for other Cheltenham bound horses.
There was huge interest in Regal Dawn, a Mick O'Toole trained Soverign Path gelding that won a maiden p2p and was due to make his racecourse debut in Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Festival .Others to run included 1982 Champion Hurdle winner For Auction, and some other Festival fancy.
Regal Dawn wore a number cloth , the same number as three other M A O' Toole inmates as a type of subterfuge, but only one finished upsides For Auction and the other fancy. Regal Dawn started second favourite for Supreme Novice but finished sixth or so but the schooling race idea gained prominence after especially with the huge numbers of horses in training ; you could have up to 300 to 400 horses showing up at Thurles, Tipperary or wherever on a schooling day, with all the top jockeys present.

<blockquote data-quote="edgt" data-source="post: 2421703" data-attributes="member: 65887">In the 1980s BBC used cover the Punchestown mid February meeting, National Trial chase, Novice hurdle , Novice Chase to get a view of Irish trained horses pre Festival. 1985 the racecourse added a schooling race to the end of the card for other Cheltenham bound horses.There was huge interest in Regal Dawn, a Mick O&#039;Toole trained Soverign Path gelding that won a maiden p2p and was due to make his racecourse debut in Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Festival .Others to run included 1982 Champion Hurdle winner For Auction, and some other Festival fancy.Regal Dawn wore a number cloth , the same number as three other M A O&#039; Toole inmates as a type of subterfuge, but only one finished upsides For Auction and the other fancy. Regal Dawn started second favourite for Supreme Novice but finished sixth or so but the schooling race idea gained prominence after especially with the huge numbers of horses in training ; you could have up to 300 to 400 horses showing up at Thurles, Tipperary or wherever on a schooling day, with all the top jockeys present.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="edgt, post: 2421703, member: 65887"] In the 1980s BBC used cover the Punchestown mid February meeting, National Trial chase, Novice hurdle , Novice Chase to get a view of Irish trained horses pre Festival. 1985 the racecourse added a schooling race to the end of the card for other Cheltenham bound horses. There was huge interest in Regal Dawn, a Mick O'Toole trained Soverign Path gelding that won a maiden p2p and was due to make his racecourse debut in Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Festival .Others to run included 1982 Champion Hurdle winner For Auction, and some other Festival fancy. Regal Dawn wore a number cloth , the same number as three other M A O' Toole inmates as a type of subterfuge, but only one finished upsides For Auction and the other fancy. Regal Dawn started second favourite for Supreme Novice but finished sixth or so but the schooling race idea gained prominence after especially with the huge numbers of horses in training ; you could have up to 300 to 400 horses showing up at Thurles, Tipperary or wherever on a schooling day, with all the top jockeys present. [/QUOTE]

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