I hope you are right Headmaster, time will tell.

enough of the condescension Headmaster.

let's see how things pan out alright - all the way to a fifth day and yet more dilution of the quality core of the Festival. The Ryanair has been a success but personally I can't say that the juvenile handicap, the mares race or the conditionals handicap have added much to the experience. Once the Cheltenham board get something on the schedule it is not going to be removed any time soon.

Is that because its easy to find the winner

If the idiots have their way uncle, it will be about 5 mins before it includes a sat and sunday

Condescension, Just So?  Fookin eck. Someone disagrees with you - get over it!  If you want to 'wreck' races as you say, I'd make a 4m H'cap my starting point - what do you think would happen to the 4miler, 3m H'cap and (if anyone cares) the Midlands National?     

It's all down to taste anyway and, for me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Ryanair, Mares' Race or Fred Winter.  All good additions.  Don't know if the CJs' race brings much to the party from a horse point of view but it's still good to see the boys get their oppo when you consider the A/Rs have three races to themselves.  As for this new race, the only danger is it will work too well, but not to the extent that we'll see 5 or 6 runner Arkles or RSAs.  The Jewson now has a rating cap of 140 on it so that will be fine too.

I think it might be worth making the distinction in grumbles from those that just don't want another race at all and those that wouldn't mind one but think this race is the wrong choice.  To the formers, that's your opinion and that's a shame for you.  To the latters - personally, I think you're mad.  Cheltenham have introduced a quality Nov Chase over a trip that trainers are crying out for at a category that is properly establishing itself and should no longer be viewed as intermediate. From a true Jump fans' perspective, this was - by a margin - the best race on the table. The pool of novice chasers doesn't start and end with whatever would have run in the Arkle or RSA, and this brings in other horses that wouldn't be at the Festival otherwise.  Apart fron a bit of ante-post misery, which I will no doubt feel as much as anyone, what is wrong with that?!?

17 Mar 2011
1:00    Cheltenham
Waiting for prices... ODDS COMPARISONLATEST SHOWS13:19:10Click the red odds to strike a betHORSE LOOSEN MY LOAD1012  MASTER OF THE HALL1012  REVE DE SIVOLA812  FINIANS RAINBOW--12  CAPTAIN CHRIS14  QUEL ESPRIT14  REBEL DU MAQUIS14  GHIZAO1612  MR THRILLER1616  WAYWARD PRINCE1616  OSCAR WHISKY16  THOUSAND STARS16  ROBINSON COLLONGES2020  SURFING2020  RESTLESS HARRY20  ROYAL CHARM20  CAPE TRIBULATION25  WOLF MOON25  COIS FARRAIG33  POUVOIR33  SPIRIT RIVER--33  ALFIE SHERRIN  ARVIKA LEGEONNIERE--  BERTIES DREAM  CELESTIAL HALO----  FIONNEGAS--  FRONTIER DANCER--  OTHERMIX--  PEDDLERS CROSS  PEVERIL  PIGEON ISLAND--  QUANTITATIVEEASING--  RADIUM  SANG BLEU--  THE MINACK  WISHFULL THINKING  WYMOTT »    View Spread Betting for this event

Paul Duffy, owner of Reve De Sivola, said: "He is relentless at the back end of his races but he will definitely come on for this as Nick's horses have been held up in the weather.

"We have always thought of himas a Gold Cup horse in the making but that will be next season as his target this time will be the new two and a half mile novice chase at the festival."