Cheltenham novices - day 1 ....... any thoughts?

You could always say a trainer can only have max 2 runners in a race in Grade 1 race. That would soon sort out diversity of trainers. Would be much healthier for everyone apart from Mullins.

Or you could leave the bar at the same level in an attempt to get other trainers off their backside , particularly in Britain , to aspire to that level.


Lowering the standard just to make things competitive is rarely the answer   

The Cheltenham races are very different to the Grand National race. The Grand National is a unique race eg type of fences and course; extremely popular with once-a-year-punters; generates a mega turnover; a bit of a Lottery; etc, which none of the Cheltenham races presents.

Nevertheless, I believe a restriction on runners per owner and trainer is necessary for fair-play and interests in the race.

Yep and whilst at it ' trainer can only nominate one alternative race .'

Indeed. I believe this is a significant reduction in antepost betting where the trainer/s and owner/s have multiple entries for their charges.

A trainer without the quality or numbers is an ineffective trainer for any event. Even Sir Cecil experienced this scenario which is presently experienced by Sir Stoute, I believe.

You will not improve the festival by excluding one-third of the best horses before it starts.

Whats Nicholls excuse for not having novice hurdlers and chasers?

Its not like he doesn't have the money... he bought Caldwell Potter for €740k and decides not to run him at Cheltenham? mind boggles.

Have to agree with Hayden here.

Mullins started without the help of big owners.
In fact he started when the majority of the top horses were trained in England.
He is now houses the top horses because he is very good.
Not only at training but having a great team at sourcing the best.

Why penalise success?

I definitely think Trainers should have a limit on Horses Trained its just not fair on the smaller Trainer having worked in plenty of big yards 100 horses is well more than enough for any Trainer.Just look around at the small Trainers packing it in.Thats how i see it anyway.

Akin to Amazon and Ebay monopolising the retail online. This could lead to the smaller trainers training for the big stables for a retainer and performance fee eventually.

this is a thorny , difficult situation and it basically revolves around mullins  ...but unless i have missed it in the countless , useless interviews i've seen with the admittedly very  polite  and likeable  willie i can't recall anyone bringing the subject up with him . ever .  in any way . disguised or not ....

These are championship races and the best must run regardless who trains them.

When owners pay the money they do in training fees,they should
be allowed to have who they want as a  trainer & run in races
they want regardless of how many they've got.

i agree with the last posts . but why has the question never been put to willie ?

Its not about limiting the amount of runners the trainer can have in a race... thats a silly idea

I'm baffled as to how Nicholls and Skelton have no entries in the Supreme and the Arkle...

Where are they sourcing the next generation of chasers/hurdlers from? a few more years of not getting good novice horses and they won't be having any runners in the championship races.

.....
Why would they ask Willie the question? His answer would be diplomatic and respectful but along the lines of "Cause I'm the best".
Better question would be for Nicholls "how are you spending lots of money at the sales and have minimal entries at the Cheltenham festival?"

https://www.racingpost.com/bloodstock/were-delighted-to-get-him-malone-and-nicholls-bounce-back-with-1750000-son-of-jeu-st-eloi-anGIc8t2D1Ce/
https://www.theirishfield.ie/bloodstock/bloodstock-news/sales-charlie-carter-sells-205-000-walk-in-the-park-to-nicholls-772577

We've just had a Grade 1 chase in England worth 175k to the winner with 4 runners where two of the main protagonists basically weren't trying and not an Irish horse in sight.

No good squealing about the poor downtrodden British trainers when we've got this sort of thing going on.

There is also a clear preference among the leading Irish trainers to target the Supreme with their best novice while Nicholls tends to have horses more suited to the staying novice races. That does not mean that Mullins won't win all three but Ballyburn has looked more of a 2.5 mile horse yet he seems to be targeted at the Supreme. I have had a look at the early careers of some of the past GC winners and leading candidates. Only Shishkin ran in (and won) the Supreme. Hewick and Roayal Pagaille never went near Cheltenham until well into their careers.

Nicholls and other British trainers have noticed there is more prize money and less competition away from Cheltenham (and it all counts for the trainers' championship). We are maybe starting to see this in Ireland as well, but the top owners still want to win at Cheltenham which is why they buy horses for money that will never be recouped.

Agree with Hayden, humans always knock success and always will. Enjoy Mullins while he's still in his prime, when he packs up we will miss him just like Cecil etc.

Absolutely Ladcarla.

Cacique, Nicholls does have near favourites in the Turners and the RSA, so it's not all doom and gloom. But he's basically interested in staying chasers, rather than running young hurdlers at the Festival (which is why he doesn't run many juveniles there nowadays). Skelton is probably plotting what's going to win the County Hurdle next year. Even top trainers who aren't named Mullins need to be selective in their targets.

British entrants unfortunately are in for a good old Irish kicking…..

One or two if fortunate…..

strontium03 Mar 24 19:21Joined: 21 Sep 05 | Topic/replies: 4,536 | Blogger: strontium's blog
You will not improve the festival by excluding one-third of the best horses before it starts.

How can anyone argue against that statement , we talk about diluting the quality by going 4 days and some even wanting 5 days , so the effect of the above would surely be catastrophic.

Can't help feeling there's plenty of bias in some of these posts as well , the stick Aiden & Willie have taken over the last decade has been largely unwarranted and when nostalgia and fav's kick in i'd suggest if the likes of Cecil , Walwyn or Stoute would have frequented the winners enclosure in top races so often it would have been heralded as just pure greatness.


Good luck today all