Centenary Novices Handicap Chase - WTF?

supremenovice

Since when was this race for no-hopers added to the Festival?
Its bad enough having the Jewson diluting the RSA field.
Whats next - The Easjyjet.com Festival Seller?
The organisers need to cop themselves on.

geno

The Centenary is actually the same races Jewson Novice Hcap Chase of previous years, they've renamed it the Centenary. However you're right, they've added a new 2m4f grade 2 novice chase, which is sponsored by Jewson. All a bit confusing but the new race is completely unnecessary, eventually we'll have 100 races, all separated in trip by 2 furlongs in novice/handicap/champion divisions, make sure every horse can race over its optimum trip and make sure no 2 top class horses can meet.

Harry Angstrom

Cheltenham have already messed up the quality of the novice hurdle races by adding the completely pointless Albert Bartlett Hurdle, now they're doing the same thing with the novice chasers.
It's a bit like the Olympic organisers putting in a 110m sprint as well as the 100m so that the top athletes can avoid each other.

Having said that, the only decent extra race they've put on at the Festival is the Fred Winter H'cap Hurdle because it gets rid of a lot of the dead wood from the Triumph Hurdle. I don't think it's any coincidence that the winners of the Triumph Hurdle have all been well fancied since the inception of the Fred Winter, becuase the no-hopers no longer get in the way.

UrbanSea

There'll probably be a 2 mile 4 hurdle what do ye reckon?

geno

UrbanSea wrote: »

There'll probably be a 2 mile 4 hurdle what do ye reckon?

Definitely, has to come in next year. I mean look at what they have now:

Championship chase races:
3m2f - Gold Cup
2m4f - Ryanair
2m - Qm

Novice Chase
3m - RSA
2m4f - Jewson
2m - Arkle

Championship Hurdle
3m World Hurdle
2m4f ???? (Mares Hurdle G2)
2m Champion Hurdle

Novice Hurdle
3m Albert Bartlett
2m4f Neptune
2m Supreme

They have races over all 3 distances in both novice chases and huirldes and over champs chase race but not yet over hurdles. Mares race doesn't really count

knighted_1

ryanair is a grade 1 chase , not a championship race

geno

knighted_1 wrote: »

ryanair is a grade 1 chase , not a championship race

That's bit nit-picking. It's not known as a Championship race as it's only been around for 6 years but what would you say is the Championship 2m4f-5f chase on the British NH Calendar, the Melling Chase? These days I'd say the Ryanair is the one around this trip that is most highly regarded.

knighted_1

didn't mean to appear to be nit picking just pointing out that ryanair is a grade 1 - what restricts it from being s championship race is the conditions of entry -

Colonel Sanders

They've actually changed this to a 0-140 handicap making it even more irrelevant. Must admit with the new 2m 4 novice this race has absolutely no place at the festival

2m 4 non novice, non handicap hurdle needed IMO

klairondavis

The festival isn't the same since they went to 4 days.

It'll never happen but they should do away with all these pointless new races. Of all the races brought in since 2005 I'd keep only the cross country.

The Ryanair has dilluted both the Champion Chase and the Gold Cup. Do away with it and bring back the Cathcart.

The mares race should not be part of the festival. Quevega should be running against the geldings (like she's done in the last two Punchestown festivals). Our Girl Salley should be running in the Neptune.

Races like the Jewson, the Fred Winter (wouldn't agree that it has improved the Triumph) and the Conditional Jockeys Hurdle don't add anything to the festival.

knighted_1

spot on klarion- sad thing is there is more **** on the way as the festival moves to 5 days -
they want to eventually run the gold cup on a Saturday
3 day was the best

UrbanSea

They'd dilute the field if there was a 20 furlong hurdle.

Oscar Whiskey and Peddlers Cross would be gone anyway.

Nulty

Ryanair is 2m5f...

I know (:rolleyes:)....but its a race I really like I'm telling you to get it right

Nulty

These are my theories/opinions....

You might say that they dilute the field but in reality there are horses that would not be fast enough for 2m and not stay 3m. They'd beat all but maybe 1 or 2 from the 2m/3m division over 2m4/5f and it gives us another race. I don't have a problem with it. If the trainer thought they'd have a chance in the more prestigeous races they'd go for them.

Think of Somersby....many of you think he should go for the Ryanair and you probably complain about the 2 1/2 mile races diluting the championship races. Can't have it both ways.

longshotvalue

i would say there is nothing wrong with having races at 2m 2m4 and 3, i mean there is a huge differance between these. There has to be loads of good horses that wouldnt have a hope at 2m but wont stay 3m.

The more racing at cheltenham the better (up to a certain point ), i mean every race is full of quality and everyone is trying.

If any of the handicaps were held on a standard saturday theyd be great races, and are just as good if not better at cheltenham.

mdwexford

Agree with klairondavis points.

I do like having an extra day because i love Cheltenham so much but all the new races are crap and have diluted the quality without a doubt.

jimjackson

mdwexford wrote: »

Agree with klairondavis points.

I do like having an extra day because i love Cheltenham so much but all the new races are crap and have diluted the quality without a doubt.

not sure on this,would you rather see 25+ horse races