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25 Jul 10
18:54
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30 Oct 08
Notorious Cheltenham fence to be moved
By Andrew Scutts and Robert Smith 5:04PM 25 JUL 2010 THE notoriously tricky second-last fence on the old course at Cheltenham is to be moved to a new position in the home straight, the track's managing director Edward Gillespie said on Sunday.
Safety concerns have prompted Cheltenham to act, with the move welcomed by trainers and jockeys.
The second-last has claimed several lives over the years, including Granit Jack and Citizen Vic, while also ruining the chances of horses who jump the fence well, only for their momentum to get the better of them on the landing side.
Gillespie said: "Safety of the horses is the important thing for us, and the key with that fence was that horses were falling without making mistakes.
"Many appeared to jump the fence well, only to knuckle on landing, with their backend going faster than their front end.
"It tended to be horses in contention who fell, rather than those dropping back, and that's what really got us asking, ‘Is there an alternative location?' Last autumn we came up with this new position in the straight."
He added: "Swinging in, the new fence is about 80-100 yards off the bend. Moving the fencewill improve the spectacle, as well as safety."
Granit Jack's trainer, Paul Nicholls, said: "I've never been against the fence, and it is part of the challenge of Cheltenham, but anything that can be done to improve safety has to be a good thing. I think it could well improve the excitement of the finish too."
By Andrew Scutts and Robert Smith 5:04PM 25 JUL 2010 THE notoriously tricky second-last fence on the old course at Cheltenham is to be moved to a new position in the home straight, the track's managing director Edward Gillespie said on Sunday.
Safety concerns have prompted Cheltenham to act, with the move welcomed by trainers and jockeys.
The second-last has claimed several lives over the years, including Granit Jack and Citizen Vic, while also ruining the chances of horses who jump the fence well, only for their momentum to get the better of them on the landing side.
Gillespie said: "Safety of the horses is the important thing for us, and the key with that fence was that horses were falling without making mistakes.
"Many appeared to jump the fence well, only to knuckle on landing, with their backend going faster than their front end.
"It tended to be horses in contention who fell, rather than those dropping back, and that's what really got us asking, ‘Is there an alternative location?' Last autumn we came up with this new position in the straight."
He added: "Swinging in, the new fence is about 80-100 yards off the bend. Moving the fencewill improve the spectacle, as well as safety."
Granit Jack's trainer, Paul Nicholls, said: "I've never been against the fence, and it is part of the challenge of Cheltenham, but anything that can be done to improve safety has to be a good thing. I think it could well improve the excitement of the finish too."
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it adds to the drama that fence - really dissapointed theyve done this
Maybe we should lace the fences with barbed wire to enhance the drama 
I'm glad they've done this. It's tough as it is without good performing horses having their chance ruined by a dangerous fence.
Where do you draw the line though?
That fence was just one aspect that makes Cheltenham such a unique test worthy of a Championship challenge. Some high profile horses died at it, and it's incredibly sad, but we have to remember all those who pinged it which obviously vastly outweights how many died. It definitely begs the question that if Granite Jack and Citizen Vic and other high profile horses has survived, while lesser known horses died at it at the April Hunter Chase meeting for instance, would the same uproar be caused?
While I obviously welcome the moves to safeguard horses welfare, you could make every single aspect of horse racing a danger to the horse (again, obviously) so when will we be ironing out the undulations that tire a horse who doesn't handle them more and therefore jumps each fence worse than the other horses and hence is more likely to make a fatal mistake. The fence moving just seems like a token gesture but at the expense of one of the key aspects of the challenge of Cheltenham.
Imo, of course.
That fence was just one aspect that makes Cheltenham such a unique test worthy of a Championship challenge. Some high profile horses died at it, and it's incredibly sad, but we have to remember all those who pinged it which obviously vastly outweights how many died. It definitely begs the question that if Granite Jack and Citizen Vic and other high profile horses has survived, while lesser known horses died at it at the April Hunter Chase meeting for instance, would the same uproar be caused?
While I obviously welcome the moves to safeguard horses welfare, you could make every single aspect of horse racing a danger to the horse (again, obviously) so when will we be ironing out the undulations that tire a horse who doesn't handle them more and therefore jumps each fence worse than the other horses and hence is more likely to make a fatal mistake. The fence moving just seems like a token gesture but at the expense of one of the key aspects of the challenge of Cheltenham.
Imo, of course.
From the map the last two fences are very close together now. You hardly ever used to see a horse fall at the last at Cheltenham unless it was absolutley knackered, maybe having two jumps in very quick succession will make it more common.
Absolute no brainer,should not even be a debate imo.Horse welfare has to come first,and if, as it seems, they can find away of making it safer whilst still having the excitement then thats perfect.
A lot of the problem is brainless jockeys accelerating into a downhill fence imo.
Who remembers McCoy throwing Edredon Bleu at the second last in the 2 miler -hasd he hit the top of it he would have ended in the Grandstand - this fence tested a horses bravery ,balance and agilty to the limit-and these are the qualities we love in NH horses.
noddys ryde 26 Jul 10 15:10
............ balance and agilty to the limit-and these are the qualities we love in NH horses.
Including your good self Noddy
............ balance and agilty to the limit-and these are the qualities we love in NH horses.
Including your good self Noddy
personally i wouldnt have moved it,but i dont sit on the horses at 35mph over it!
Suprisingly the fence is actually very slightly uphill. But yes it's the pace of race quickening down the hill before they get to it.
I'm not sure having 2 fences in the straight on the old course will work. They say it will now be 100 yds after the bend, that would mean there would be about 40-50 more yds then the last! So I assume they are moving the last fence another 50-60 yds closer to the winning line...?
I'm not sure having 2 fences in the straight on the old course will work. They say it will now be 100 yds after the bend, that would mean there would be about 40-50 more yds then the last! So I assume they are moving the last fence another 50-60 yds closer to the winning line...?
Definitely the right decision - I think you'll still have the excitement, too. Accurate jumping will still win championship races, only now you won't be penalised for going well. Very happy that common sense has prevailed.
They were wrong to move the last hurdle nearer the winning post at this years festival. Cost me a fortune - as GMOOH would have won otherwise!
Disappointed personally - moving it to the the straight has created ..... I've got it now, it's the New Course.
If it needed moving it should have stayed somewhere in the back straight I feel.
We all know they go too fast at the first in the National, but the fence won't be moved, whilst no bas tard will slow down either... so what do we do there ??
There remains many difficulties with contesting aginst the best horses at a tough undulating track - nobody wants to see horses die, but we don't want to recreate Market Rasen either do we ?
If it needed moving it should have stayed somewhere in the back straight I feel.
We all know they go too fast at the first in the National, but the fence won't be moved, whilst no bas tard will slow down either... so what do we do there ??
There remains many difficulties with contesting aginst the best horses at a tough undulating track - nobody wants to see horses die, but we don't want to recreate Market Rasen either do we ?
Cheltenham will always have that aura about it and create huge excitement amongst us,and altering one fence will not imo change that.It may take that-oh no here comes that fence- feeling away as they approach it,but they will still jump the same amount of fences,and if by doing away with it,we have less injuries,then i welcome it.
I will still look forward to the meeting with the same excitement,no doubt about that,and i really think in this case we have to put the welfare of the horses first.
Dont think the 1st at Grand National can be compared to be honest,thats just over excited jockeys at the start of the race,and cannot really change that!!Plus the fence aint in a dangerous place.
I will still look forward to the meeting with the same excitement,no doubt about that,and i really think in this case we have to put the welfare of the horses first.
Dont think the 1st at Grand National can be compared to be honest,thats just over excited jockeys at the start of the race,and cannot really change that!!Plus the fence aint in a dangerous place.
Latalomne clipped the top of the fence both times.
Budd, the first in the National is in the wrong place as it allows the horses and jocks to build up too much speed.
What about the ditch at the top of the hill that claimed Bacchanal ? - tricky fence and potentially dangerous so will that be next.
The 2nd last fence will still be the 2nd last fence and it will still be approached at speed so I guess we will see how it goes at next year's Festival.
Budd, the first in the National is in the wrong place as it allows the horses and jocks to build up too much speed.
What about the ditch at the top of the hill that claimed Bacchanal ? - tricky fence and potentially dangerous so will that be next.
The 2nd last fence will still be the 2nd last fence and it will still be approached at speed so I guess we will see how it goes at next year's Festival.
I don't think there's another fence at a high profile meeting that horses can jump well yet consistently stumble or fall at. As punters we should be very happy at this decision.
See what you say CAP,but we cannot do away with every fence that is potentially dangerous as there could be an argument that they all are!!
We just have to look at the ones that often prove fatal and try and make them safer,as they did with Bechers Brook and are now doing with the Cheltenham one.NH racing is a risky game,thats accepted of course,but to have horses injured or worse after jumping a fence well just aint right imo.
We just have to look at the ones that often prove fatal and try and make them safer,as they did with Bechers Brook and are now doing with the Cheltenham one.NH racing is a risky game,thats accepted of course,but to have horses injured or worse after jumping a fence well just aint right imo.
I don't like the fence myself never have so I think it's a good move. We all like to see a good jump but the way horses were reaching top speed of the whole race down that hill and then facing a fence at the bottom was ridiculous.
Great decision. Now all they have to do is padlock the clerks hosepipe on the eve of the biggest national hunt race of the year, the Gold Cup, when rain is forecast. If he thought some cut would bring Kauto and Denman together it badly backfired when the rain came. Most atrocious meddling with the greatest race of the year EVER.
Personally think it's a bad decision on the grounds on a slightly flawed argument.
The horses that fall either go through the top or overjump and land unbalanced - neither constitute a good jump. A horse must be able to get the landing gear out.
An athlete performing a triple somersault does not get credit if they nail the move but then land on their backside.
The horses that fall either go through the top or overjump and land unbalanced - neither constitute a good jump. A horse must be able to get the landing gear out.
An athlete performing a triple somersault does not get credit if they nail the move but then land on their backside.
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