166 Rated Chaser in what the purists call the comedy race at Cheltenham tomorrow

It has become much the best trial/prep race for the Grand National in recent years.

Will really have to take to them well to challenge Delta Work.

Reminds me of the Badminton Horse Trials and should be the last race on the card.

Sorry to put a dampener on it but I have never taken to this form of "racing".

It's def a spectacle, I can't bring myself to bet more than a few quid on it and can't help hearing the 'Benny Hill' tiune while its being run mind.

I'm not a fan either. Three cross country races run per year in GB is nowhere near enough to support a division. Either do it properly, or don't do it at all.

Incidentally, wasn't Easysland rated 167 (!?!) after winning this?

Correct Strontium . Easyland's official rating was raised over a stone !

2nd  - to the horse that ...

....  Remember all the fuss when it beat stablemate Tiger Roll last year ?

Plenty of calls now to make the race a handicap in a bid to make it more interesting.

It was a handicap until about 5 years ago.

You got 5/4 on a 4/9 shot.


What's the issue?

People seem to forget this is the type of racing that started National Hunt in the beginning...

Should have its own h'cap ratings and horses must run in at least 1 x country race to qualify for a rating, Elliot fetching horses over to school over the course is not really fair to punters, just my opinion.

Just to add he is not the only one schooling over the track.

I believe it's in the rules that horses must school over the track before they are eligible to run in a race on it.