Mr Ian Renton, the boss of Cheltenham Racecourse, is to review the festival programme after a drop in the number of top quality horses taking part. However, the 4-day 28-race structure will remain but each contest will come under scrutiny to ensure jump racing's biggest festival maintains its competitiveness. And, there will be changes.
The $64k question is how is maintaining a 4-day programme be possible given fewer horses participating, and a drop in the number of top quality horses?
Commercialisation before reality and quality of races?
Evidently the changes aren't going to be very significant or meaningful if they've already decided to keep 28 races. It's also poor to announce the major conclusion of a review before you've had the review. As far as I can see, the only way to "maintain competitiveness" and keep 28 races is to scrap some of the Group 1s/2s (mares, intermediate trips) and introduce lower-quality races instead (presumably more handicaps) - and I can't see them doing that. From my experience of dealing with Mr Renton, this all seems sadly typical.
Evidently the changes aren't going to be very significant or meaningful if they've already decided to keep 28 races. It's also poor to announce the major conclusion of a review before you've had the review. As far as I can see, the only way to "maint