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With the start of the NH season not really starting for many until this October meeting I wonder how many realised how things have changed since the 1980s and before? Paul Kealy points out how much the top horses preparations now differ, I think most of us were aware but I did not realise how much difference there actually is until reading his stats.
You can read the article on RP but just to compress the view, he states that the top horses have gone from running 4 times pre Fest to just over twice on average with 9 of the 13 Grade 1s in March being won by horses in the latter category. Compare this to Kauto Star who won the Old Roan, Betfair, Tingle Creek, King George, Aon and the GC and he has a point that todays methods may be damaging the sport.
I assume he means from a fans viewpoint and I would agree if that is so as I am sure most avid NH fans would also. It also brings into question the titles of best ever when comparing todays stars with past contenders like Kauto e.g Constitution Hill who at this stage of his career is the best I have seen up to this point. However would winning 3 CHs compare as big an achievement as Istabraq? See You Then can be excused as his rare runs were due to physical fragility.
Nicky Henderson is often criticised for running horses sparingly but his record with top horses does not reflect that if you compare to the stats of the 9 Grade 1 winners at the Festival, CC will possibly run 4 time before the Fest so against the norm which Kealy sees today?
Something to bear in mind if entering season long competitions where points are involved e.g 10 to Follow.
You can read the article on RP but just to compress the view, he states that the top horses have gone from running 4 times pre Fest to just over twice on average with 9 of the 13 Grade 1s in March being won by horses in the latter category. Compare this to Kauto Star who won the Old Roan, Betfair, Tingle Creek, King George, Aon and the GC and he has a point that todays methods may be damaging the sport.
I assume he means from a fans viewpoint and I would agree if that is so as I am sure most avid NH fans would also. It also brings into question the titles of best ever when comparing todays stars with past contenders like Kauto e.g Constitution Hill who at this stage of his career is the best I have seen up to this point. However would winning 3 CHs compare as big an achievement as Istabraq? See You Then can be excused as his rare runs were due to physical fragility.
Nicky Henderson is often criticised for running horses sparingly but his record with top horses does not reflect that if you compare to the stats of the 9 Grade 1 winners at the Festival, CC will possibly run 4 time before the Fest so against the norm which Kealy sees today?
Something to bear in mind if entering season long competitions where points are involved e.g 10 to Follow.
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I don't disagree with Kealy's general point, but Kauto is an odd example to choose given that Nicholls decided after that he needed to be very fresh to be at his best.
What PK describes is inevitable with so many Grade 1s (+ the Nationals) at the end of the season. After Cheltenham, there's loads of soft races to be picked up at Aintree, Fairyhouse and Punchestown. Within the Festival itself, there are far more opportunities than there used to be. So there's no need to run the horses multiple times pre-Cheltenham. The issue with horses not running before Cheltenham doesn't seem to be about money though, which is interesting. For example, Ascot has several mid-season handicaps that are worth considerably more than their Cheltenham Festival equivalents, but don't get big fields. |