HORSE POWER: Cheltenham needs more competitive races to give fans bang for their buck… they deserve to see plenty of exciting action


The form guide to last week’s Cheltenham Festival probably reads started slowly but finished well.

The fact that the crowd figure was a little up on the Friday for a rousing running of the Boodles Gold Cup with Galopin Des Champs delivering a performance that would have graced any Festival does not distract from the issues which Jockey Club Racecourses, owners of Cheltenham, need to address.

There are some things that are beyond the Jockey Club’s control – Willie Mullins’ domination of the sport for one and the unpalatable hiking of accommodation prices in the area by hotels and B&Bs which is pricing some racegoers out of the game before they even start thinking about buying tickets in the midst of a cost of living crisis.

Still it might be worth a word in the ear of the Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce along the lines of the dangers of strangling the golden goose.

But there are things definitely in the control of JCR, including making sure that punters don’t have to leave their cars on swamp-like car parks which need the assistance of a tractor tow to exit from.

Despite a positive week, Cheltenham needs more exciting races to give fans value for money

Despite a positive week, Cheltenham needs more exciting races to give fans value for money

Trainer Willie Mullins dominated the Festival, overseeing nine winners across the four days

Trainer Willie Mullins dominated the Festival, overseeing nine winners across the four days

The other thing that the executive can control is the race programme. The lopsided nature of where the equine talent is housed – most of it in the care of Mullins – does not help but it was unsatisfactory that there were seven odds on favourites in the 27 races.

Five of them were over the first two days something which irked a racegoer friend I spoke to who attended those days and said given he was paying around £15 a race to be there he expected more exciting competitive action for his buck.

The day one issue that definitely needs tackling is the National Hunt Chase. Frankly, after Corbetts Cross easily beat six opponents you have to wonder what purpose the race serves any more.

The National Hunt Chase has tremendous history, dating back to 1860. This year’s Festival celebrated the centenary running of the Gold Cup but when that race was first run it was regarded as little more than a trial for the Grand National.

It was the National Hunt Chase that was the piece de resistance. It used to be a real Corinthian challenge contested by some of the sports most dashing and colourful amateur jockeys.

The race is now contested by better quality runners while understandably its distance was cut to three and three-quarter miles from four mile on safety grounds.

The Irish jockeys who ride in the race are officially amateurs but they would be better termed professional amateurs because they make their living from the sport.

All the runners in last week’s race had opportunities in other races as their teams looked at the National Hunt as the best opportunity to get a Festival win on the CV.

It was the second time in the last three years a small single-figure field has contested the race – last year it had 10 runners – and it was won very easily by Emmet Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross, who beat Embassy Gardens 17 lengths.

The National Hunt Chase ended up being a procession, with Corbetts Cross winning easily

The National Hunt Chase ended up being a procession, with Corbetts Cross winning easily

It was a performance which puts in the frame for next season’s Gold Cup.

Corbetts Cross could easily have contested the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and it would have fascinating as well as enhancing to the racegoer experience to see how he got on against that race’s impressive winner Fact To File.

Cheltenham say customer feedback emphatically tells them that racegoers want seven races a day at the Festival so the National Hunt Chase would need replacing. That surely needs considering with something more competitive.

Irish dominance at Cheltenham 

On this day next week there will the latest forfeit stage for the Grand National but, despite last year’s Lucinda Russell-trained winner Corach Rambler being a strong favourite after his excellent third in the Gold Cup, the race is shaping up into another poor look for British jump racing after its pummelling by Ireland at the Festival.

The number of runners has been reduced to 34 but on current entries only five of those slots represents a British stable and one of them, Threeunderthrufive, is a doubtful starter with trainer Paul Nicholls keen to save him for the season-ending Sandown’s Bet365 Gold Cup on April 27.

Within the 34 assured starter berths there are currently 10 entries trained by Gordon Elliott and nine by Willie Mullins. If a horse trained by the latter wins and claims the £500,000 first prize, it will give him the chance of winning the British jump trainers’ championship for the first time.

It is highly likely the Grand National winner will be trained by Mullins or Gordon Elliott (above)

It is highly likely the Grand National winner will be trained by Mullins or Gordon Elliott (above)

Racing world unites to support Steve Jobar 

It will be a poignant afternoon at Newbury on Friday when friends, family and former colleagues gathering to show their support to Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Steve Jobar who is battling Motor Neurone Disease.

Jobar is best remembered for winning the 1980 Triumph Hurdle on David Elsworth-trained Heighlin.

The way the world of sport and particularly rugby has rallied round Rob Burrow and the late Doddie Weir has been inspiring and raised much-needed funds for MND research.

That is racing’s aim with around 400 guests gathering for race day which includes the Steve Jobar Handicap Hurdle.

There is an auction hosted by seven-time champion jockey John Francome and trainer Richard Philips as well as a silent auction where the lots range from day on the gallops at the stables of Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls, a day’s fishing with former Undertones frontman turned environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey plus a round of golf with Francome and Sir Anthony McCoy.



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