Why the Cheltenham Festival ain’t ‘all that’

Don't worry Barney. At around 17.35 on March 18th it will all be over. Fontwell Park on the 19th.

 

Spot on there, Nicky! Look at the tripe that ran in last Saturday's Betfair Hurdle. Why didn't Mullins run say Faugheen or Arctic Fire in the race?
Because stupidly owners and trainers have made Cheltenham the only thing they want to talk about all season; the venue they just have to target at the exclusion of almost anything else; and they know that in most cases their top horses aren't good enough to give weight away. And they can't have that. People might believe their horses aren't as good as they keep telling us they are. Take the classic example at Cheltenham.. Best Mate won three Gold Cups against extremely mediocre opposition. He only ever ran in three steeplechase handicaps- two of them 'limited.' He won one off bottom weight (4 runners); lost one off top weight (4 runners); and was pulled up in his last effort off top weight. Balls to that- "no way are we doing that any more." He ran about three times per season over sticks in his last four years. And they called him a great horse!
The problem is, Barney, most top trainers have been following his example ever since!! Pathetic.
Anyway, I like your Article, even if you're almost as cynical as I am!

 

I tell you what else is wrong with it. It only lasts four days, they should add a fifth day for Barney, he'd love that.

 

The unfortunate, and inevitable, thing is that by the end of the decade they probably will add a 5th. 28 races already only 2 more needed to make it 6 races a day over 5 days. The addition of a mares only bumper and mares only steeplechase seem assured.

Personally, if I can add some positivity to the thread I’d love to see the addition of a veterans race – for beasts 10 years and above over something like 24 or 28 furlongs. Imagine the excitement of seeing so many old favourites battling it out. Now that would be something I think. A shining light amongst the blandness.

 

We have some great races throughout the NH season but to my mind these are now being marginalised (is this because of some concerted attempt to do so by the media and the Cheltenham Executive??? I don’t know) with the focus, seemingly, on Cheltenham in March and nothing else. Sometimes I don’t know whether to laugh or cry when after winning a big race the gloss is taken off it somewhat by an interviewer, almost dismissing it and asking connections, ‘Where will this one go at Cheltenham???’. If you win a Hennessy / Paddy Power / Betfair Hurdle (delete as appropriate) you’ve won a top races, and lots of money as well, focus on that for heaven’s sake!

Makes me recall the age old response when a winning trainer was asked what the plan was with his horse now after he’d just won a big race. Trainer responded with a glint in his eye, ‘That was the plan, dear boy!’

I think Nick Williams and Lizzie Kelly have been most honest recently after big races successes from Tea For Two and Agrapart saying that before, and after, their big wins the Cheltenham Festival couldn’t have been further from their minds.

 

Couldn't agree more. Look, I love the festival and will, as always, be taking the week off work for it but, like you say, it encourages a debasement of the other decent races. The worst example is St Stephen's Day where more often than not they are happier to talk about which of the King George participants looked good for March rather than the merits of the race itself .

 

Tamerlo and Sir Barney, you are both a couple of right bounders (godda be half-assed polite I guess), honestly. Best Mate won three (3) consecutive Gold Cups, and to say all three were sub-standard gets a bit boring. Now listen, Sir Barney, if N.Henderson had trained the winner of three (3) consecutive Gold Cups, with the same horse, you would have creamed your boxer shorts, and you would not have stopped talking about it to this day, and you damn well know it. So, both of you, try to be fair if you can. Best Mate was not the greatest, some critter called Arkle was, apparently. Must have been, to give a decent jumper like Best Mate 30lbs and a beating, that is according to the Sage of Greenford?

End of rant.

 

See below- comment duplicated

 

I love Cheltenham too but fully agree with point vi and vii of SBC's opener. I think point iii is harsh for the first 3 days but spot on for Friday based on my 2 visits to to see the CGC. The promoters would argue that Cheltenham is a very diverse affair, from your Jeremy and Gemima's and their littl'uns in matching tweed outfits down to your lucky heather sellers. Both of these tribes tend to arrive in huge 4 wheel drives and likely pay a similar amount of tax.

 

My boss's daughter is called Gemima - I don't like my boss...

 

All said and done, "Roll On The Cheltenham Festival", one of the world's great spectacles of horseracing. For a few days we can forget about the gloomy situation the world is in at the moment, i.e. a few, mad, power-drunk politicians/dictators bound and determined to destroy this planet? Very few of us actually win at the meeting, that's hard to do, but the joy of a winner, or two, overrides all that. So, ladies and gentleman, enjoy this great show and take no notice of the negative comments on the Festival.

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.....but Dan, do you like Gemima?

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I don't think I've ever met one

 

I saw this thread a few weeks ago.
I must say that although I am getting excited as usual about the prospect of the festival,I am probably less excited than in recent years.
I think that is partly down to some of the high profile horses that wont now be there this year such as Faugheen, and the fact that the Gold Cup field just isnt as high class as in recent years with the likes of Kauto Star, Denman and Best Mate. Also we are now up to an almost ridiculous 28 races, and looking at the ante post lists the quality certainly isnt there in all 28 races!

I have however enjoyed the NH season probably more than ever, and appreciated the big races during the season for what they are - big races in their own right.
Cheltenham will be another success, that I am sure of, but maybe I have learnt this season there is more than just this one week, a pity that the media dont also realise this.

 

Gave it up years ago. Prefer a 3 nighter surrounding 'Trials Day' at the end of January plus a trip to Paris at the start of November for 'Le Weekend International de L'Obstacle. Two days 'jumping at Auteuil easily of the same class as any day at the NH Festival. Entry price about the same as your racecard at UK tracks!!!! No rip offs for your drinks and grub!!!!

 

I’ve been out into the grounds (pronounced ‘grinds’ if you wish to appear somewhat posher than you actually are) of Chuckle Towers and dug up this thread from 13 and a half months ago. Now seems a good time to revisit it as we’ve actually had 2 Cheltenham Festivals since it was first penned.

Is it still relevant??? Should there be some new inclusions??? Am I talking rot?!?

I’d add to the orginal list of 10 –

(xi) the ridiculous decision to erect a statue of one Mr Anthony McCoy. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve one, put up elsewhere at some minor venue, as he’s ridden a lot of novice and selling hurdle winners but countless numbers of trainers and saddle monkeys have far better records at the course and are much more deserving. Makes you wonder what they will do when Ruby Walsh and Mr Henderson retire. Stuff the former and put him on a plinth in the paddock??? Mount the latter in the Royal Box???

(xii) the way the leading owners have made a mockery of the meet by running star names in ‘lesser races’ rather than the main events. Horses should be run in the races right for them. Not the heats right for the owner. It’s making competition almost non-existant.

 

Re (xi) I agree 100%. It must be embarrassing for AP. Yes he deserves a statue (but Cheltenham is not the place for his statue), as long as Sir Gordon Richards and Lester Piggott have one (haven't checked). Lester's should be at Epsom but as with AP not sure where Gordon's would go.

Re (xii) The only way to achieve that is how it's achieved in show jumping, Eg open to all horses that have not won £x in prize money or have won or been placed in a Grade x race. Or even dog shows, Open to dog that have not won x or more grade x classes at Championship level

Not difficult