Kevin Blake: red alarm bells should be ringing for British racing - and should have been many years ago

ITV pundit Kevin Blake has questioned whether British trainers have the hunger to force the wheel to turn and end Willie Mullins' dominance, and he believes alarm bells should be ringing for British racing because of the Irish dominance.

The dominance was laid bare on day one when Ireland were responsible for 17 of the 21 horses who finished in the first three across the seven races.

Britain have won three handicaps at the meeting so far, with Chianti Classico landing the Ultima Handicap Chase for Kim Bailey, Langer Dan gaining consecutive victories in the Coral Cup for Dan Skelton and stablemate Unexpected Party striking in the Grand Annual.

Blake said British racing needed to wake up to the situation, which he believed has been unfolding over several years.

Chianti Classico: the only British-trained winner on day one of the Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

In a discussion on ITV prompted by Ireland's 6-1 win on day one, he said: "The domination we're seeing is not something that has happened overnight and it's gone terribly one-sided.

"Some people in British National Hunt racing don't like to talk about it – they prefer to close their eyes, put their fingers in their ears and hope things get better – but it hasn't been working. Red alarm bells should be flashing and ringing, and they should have been ringing many years ago.

"A cycle relies on the dominant players getting complacent and hungry people innovating and driving on, leading to the wheel turning, but I don't see that happening any time soon. I don't know if the chasing pack are too hungry to go after them."

Expanding on the subject to the Racing Post, Blake explained why he thinks the Irish domination, and specifically the success of Mullins, will not be stopping any time soon.

He highlighted the decision by some high-profile and much-respected trainers in Ireland to focus their business more predominantly on Flat racing as an indicator of Mullins' dominance.

'I can't see an end to the domination'

Blake said: "Willie Mullins is putting his foot down on the accelerator and pulling forward. The likes of Joseph [O'Brien], Jessie [Harrington] and Noel [Meade] – long-established scaled trainers with very good businesses – have moved away from the jumps because it no longer makes as much economic sense as the Flat.

"How could you encourage a young trainer to have a crack at jump racing given the way it is? I could see someone like Harry Derham breaking through, if given the right ammunition, but Willie has such an unbelievable system for sourcing horses that it's very difficult to do so.

"There's loads of strong British owners and they love coming to the festival, but it's a results-driven business and the Irish are winning everything, so it's understandable they are having their horses in Ireland. I can't see an end to the domination. Willie has it so well wrapped up."

Read these next:

Captain Guinness and Rachael Blackmore pick up the pieces in Champion Chase after El Fabiolo is pulled up 

'He's something else' - Fact To File 7-2 for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup after dominant win for Willie Mullins 

'Wow, what a performance' - magnificent Ballyburn leads home 1-2-3-4-5 for Willie Mullins in Gallagher Novices' Hurdle 

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