Cheltenham Festival
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I know it was done for safety reasons but there was something iconic about having to watch them approach that fence on the tv (half praying they would get over it) and then sort themselves for the run-in. Just doesnt feel quite the same for me without it...its a bit like taking away Bechers Brook from the Grand National!
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It will be interesting after a few more meetings on the old course, to see what the stats are for fallers at the second last now compared to those before they moved it.
Im not sure there will be much difference on what we"ve seen so far. |
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i Miss it,but think they did the right thing in moving it.
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Didn't they move the fence at the top of the hill a few years back? I'm a bit of a traditionalist and prefer for things to be left alone,but if less horses get hurt it's got to be a good thing.
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I think the new position is fraught with danger too.
It's mighty close to the bottom bend. In all races and especially at the festival, they'll be going full tilt and it's an act of some jockeyship and a very well-balenced horse that can sort itself out coming off that bend, going at the speed they will be. |
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miss it terribly, the whole dynamic of the chases seems to have changed. i'd rather they put it back and try and level the ground off a bit
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It is a terrible change to the course.
The last 2 fences are too close together. The momentum that a horse coming from behind can generate has been lost and it has changed the dynamic of a race. The horses are not getting enough time to get organised after they come off the bend and this will only get worse when the fast run races at the festival take place. |
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I agree, i don't like it at all and feel it has changed the dynamic of a race. I too thought the fences seem way too close together and to be honest i really liked it the way it was. Obviously i don't want horses or jockeys getting injured however
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On the plus side I believe that Latalomne has been brought out of retirement and is being prepared for another tilt at the Champion Chase. Vinny Keane will take the ride.
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The old second last position made many of the autumn races a lottery. When the grass is still long and green and the ground good or fast, it was like landing on ice. I have spoken to jockeys about it and they told me that the fallers were often the horses that jumped it best. I don'yt think it was as big a problem in the spring and they might have solved the problem by mowing the grass shorter. Horses will always fall at that point in a race as tired horses are asked to try to quicken.
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Latalomne
 Twice, ffs........ |
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Gwanako has now fallen at the new second last twice. Was still going well both times too.
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Yes i miss it was watchin the racing over the weekend and wasn't the same for me. That feelin of watchin through your fingers as your horse hurtled towards that fence was a feeling i'll never forget. Can see why they moved it, but isn't that sort of fencing challenge that makes Cheltenham so special?
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I dont like it either. Instead of landing on a drop, they rattle down the hill, turn the bend then suddenly theres a fence in front of them. Leveling off the ground may have been a better solution. Mr Thriller, Gwanako, Chicago Grey and Beshebar all fell at the fence this w/e if I recall correctly. There were several fallers at the October meeting too.
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Well thats great if they have moved from one dodgy place to another!!May as well do away with the fence altogether!!
Now theres a thing. |
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Reading this thread, I wonder if some people would prefer to see tripwires on the course to bring a few more down.
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Don't think that this is going to be a whole lot better. One solution may raise some eyebrows why not put the fence back where it was and make it a fixed brush one???
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is it not possible to just have one fence less?
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Definitely lessens the drama imo
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Well as long as its only 1 less it would not bother me.
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