Punchestown Quality of Racing

terry mac

Really disappointed with the quality of racing this year, affected by two different factors.

First off, 8 races a day x 4 days is just too much. I know there are banks races are extra's that you wouldn't usually have at any other meeting and 2 bumpers some of the days due to Sales Promotion bumpers, but they're awful races full of unraced horses so they don't add anything.

Second reason is the cotton wool factor, I see Sublimity is now out and for no good reason either if you actually see what John Carr has said - "It is safe ground" "We are bursting to run". Well why don't you run him so. We have Champion Hurdler who runs twice over hurdles in a year, won't run over hurdles if the ground is good, but is planning to run in a few rubbish flat races - Ebor etc. on ground that will probably be firm.

masterK

I don't think it's all that bad. There are several factors that do affect the quality of racing.

1) A lot of horses have had long seasons and have been put away for next year
2) This years fast ground doesn't suit a lot of horses (Nickname, Sublimity etc.)
3) It comes quite soon after Aintree so a lot of the English horses will opt to run at Aintree rather than Punchestown.

Colonel Sanders

i love punchestown but admit that race for race its not the same quality of the likes of cheltenham. the festival is too long and as a result the cards are short of quality races. However this is also afected by the refusal of many top english trainers to ever bring more than one or two horses a year over.

with respect to sublimity connections are doing the right thing by the horse by not running him if they don't feel the ground will suit.

knighted

it takes a lot of balls not to run ur horse -look at all the top class horses who got training injuries this year -the lastest being accordian etoile last sat -i would think it would be 50/50 ground wise for sublimity but there is always the chance he could come back jarred up from fast ground and in fairness why would u risk a champion hurdle winner when there is a maybe factor -there is always next year
as for the festival quality -it could be better yes but the atmosphere is great its a real local peoples festival un like cheltenham where the locals dont go -
will be going down tomorrow myself and naas town for a few in the evening