AP warning for Novice Chase punters

Thought the 2011 schdeule set already
Maybe for 2012

Then

The 2011 section hasnt been confirmed. The Racing Calendar only confirmed up until end of this year. Think they have until end of November to confirm plans for the first 1/4 of next year.

I assume this would be as well as The Jewson?

Hope this does not happen can't see it working anyway need a horse that stays a bit further normally to win the Arkle so no need for 2 1/2 mile race.

Ridiculously I think it would be as well as The Jewson. Just hope that common sense prevails and if they need to add another race they have a longer think about it.

I agree with point about needing to stay further in an Arkle.

Seems ridiculous and I hope they have a long think about it before confirming it.

mmcoy can shove his advice

we should then embrace 3f races for horses who dont truly stay 5f.
an utterly ridiculous idea,and if they are looking for additional races to add to the festival then someone suggested one which would actually be a very good addition.

I think they should introduce a seller at the festival too, its long overdue. idiots.

Arguably the ryanair has detracted from the melling chase (it didnt last yr). I fear a 2.4m novice may detract from the manifesto chase.

Wont be long until its 5 days with the quality diluted further simply through greed of the management.

I think they are seriously putting this forward.

Dreadful idea imo.

They are...it was in the RP months ago if they add an extra race it will be the above mentioned race.

We do not like change. The four days is still frowned upon. Remember how the MCC went berserk when Kerry Packer put forward coloured clothing and white balls. Another race over 2 and half miles would slot in fine. Owners are always crying out for more prize monies and the rest of us say how poor a lot of the racing is. Surely this would be another couple of better races or perhaps you would prefer a few more races on the a/w at Wolverhampton

how would a 2.4 nov chase slot in fine?please tell me coz im totally opposed to it.

I never get the 'let's have less Cheltenham' argument, but I would have thought there are better options for more races than a two and a half mile novice Chase - especially if it is Grade Two, as any Grade One winners will inevitably be penalised and so it won't actually be a Championship race...

I dont think the debate should turn into a debate over adding new races. They have already implied that they will add a race a year so that much isnt a shock. However, my big problem with this is the type of race which they are adding.

There is already a race over a similar trip for novices albeit a handicap. However, as weve seen in recent years the top weight is 147/148 so surely this race will be taking horses out of this race. Then the Jewson will attract a poorer horse which in turn means the overall quality at the meeting is affected which none of us want to see.

I would like to see a veterans race if any was added to the meeting. There is a veterans race the week before at Newbury and this sort of race would be good for me. A chance for NH entusiasts to see the older horses again in a race they can be competitive in instead of going for the Foxhunters.

There is a 3m 2f race at Newbury and this attracted 8 runners over 10 and 12 yo rated 145 to 124. If this was included at The Festival I am sure this would be well supported and would be a far better option than a a Grade 2 Novice Chase imho.

deadloss not sure i agree re a veterans race (though i like the sentiment) but i agree that a 2.5m race will detract from the jewson and its almost certain i think to detract from the liverpool race too.

Im just trying to think of races which I think would not detract from the other races at the meeting and the Aintree meet a few weeks later.

What next? A 2 1/2m hurdle?!

I actually don't mind the mares hurdle, though I know many disagree, so what about a mares chase?

Deadloss, I'd actually be well up for the 2m4f hurdle - I think the Ryanair has stood up well and uncovered a specialist group of 2m4f chasers, so I see no reason why there shouldn't be a similar race for the hurdlers.

Don't think it would necessarily detract from the stayers, which is a serious test at the trip which only a few horses truly stay, or the Champion Hurdle, which is obviously the ultimate prize....

We will be havin a 2 mile cross country chase next ffs.

2 mille CCC would be great, just lump on Nina & Enda Bolger, easy money!

Wouldnt say thats so daft Toon if they ever added a 5th day.  [:D]

Millhouse we already have the CH/Stayers/Coral Cup/Mares Hurdle...what would be left to run in a 2m 4f hurdle ?   No point weakening the current races for another...we need to keep the standard as high as possible rather than making races weaker.

deadloss, i agree. as i said above, next it will be a claimer!

3132, I don't thnk the Ryanair has done this to the Chasing division.

Only Voy Por has dodged the Queen Mother for the Ryanair, imo, and that was more about avoiding Master Minded than a preference for the race itself...

arguably the ryanair has damaged the mellingchase millhouse. maybe not last yr, but in previous yrs.

I am normally not keen on changing things at Cheltenham, but I struggle to see what all the fuss is about on this one. The difference between 2m and 3m is huge. I think it would be a great addition.

I think there are enough quality animals to have a top class bunch in each of 3 divisions to be honest. As millhouse says, I dont think the Ryanair has had a detrimental effect on the QM or GC. If anything it has enhanced the meeting with the specialists taking each other on. I think the effect it has on Aintree is largely irrelevant as that is a seprate meeting.

We already have a novice hurdle over 2m / 2m5f / 3m. And they have been fantastic renewals recently. So why not the same over fences?

As said above, it has worked well in the championship chases, so I would also be up for it in the championship hurdle races. If the horses are ready to run again at Aintree in 3 weeks or so, then great, but this is the main event.

And of course your fella would've been a knocking bet CCM?

Personally I dont think the 2m4f Championship Race is that bad an idea. But it may be worth while getting ride of the jewson if it comes in.

Exactly Desmond

A 2m4f novice chase would seriously weaken the other two races. There are quite a few horses who I can think of who would want this race for their progression and the theory about the RSA bottoming horses could mean that race becomes more like the National Hunt chase, which in itself will become a worse race than it already is. That's without the Jewson losing runners and lets remember a novice won the Festival plate (although whatever happened GE would have gone for a handicap). There simply aren't enough novice chasers to cover 5 novice races at the festival and we'll end up with the horrer of 7 or less runners in one I reckon which isn't great for betting or as a spectacle. Chasing is too specialised a discipline.

CCM - 'I think the effect it has on Aintree is largely irrelevant as that is a seprate meeting' - how far would you push this logic? So far that Aintree becomes meaningless or loses some of its uniqueness? the possible implications of that kind of justification would worry me. I love cheltenham, never miss a meeting, haven't for yrs, but some jumps fans (i dont mean you CCM) think the world revolves around the festival. This is unhealthy.

Ben10 - i agree, the implications for the RSA would be disasterous, never mind aintree, the plate or the jewson or arkle.

if its introduced then its a punting nightmare.
we have been used to the old arguments re distance...mwds,tidal bay etc....but to split the distance to 2.4m ..
how the hell would you approach this for a backer?
i guess you have to turn layer then re-assess after trials day when half the early fancies either wont run,have multiple entries etc.
an extra headache which is an ap nightmare

You also then throw in early fallers in other races then running as back up options...you really wont know whats running as you say FTM until decs are done.

When is the 2m 4f Grade 1 open hurdle due or have I missed it?

That stupid Saturday race? Just move Thursday to Saturday and go back to the old Wed, Thu, Fri like it used to be.

Btw, the whole things is a nonsense. There is a 2m 4f Grade 1 novice chase in Ireland named the Powers Gold Cup. This is the festival effect where Cheltenham, Cheltenham and only Cheltenham matters.

Walkon being aimed at the 2m4f race

Was nt havin a go btw, was just wonderin

deadloss, I think a veterans race is a bloody brilliant idea. It would give the likes of Mister McGoldrick a chance to run again at the festival and perhaps retire on a high.