Why I think Cheltenham Festival handicaps need to change
Writing exclusively for the Racing Post, the legendary jumps owner outlines Cheltenham changes he would like to see
I think people know I'm not someone who likes to express opinions in public but I've got some strongly held views on weights and races and I'm using this column to express them.
I have concerns about the number of runners allowed to take part in the Cheltenham Festival handicaps. I don't want to raise the safety argument but it seems to me that 26 runners in the Coral Cup and County Hurdle and 24 in the Martin Pipe is just too many. In my opinion, it would be much better to have fewer runners; personally, I would allow only 18 horses in those races.
I think the festival would be improved for reducing some of the handicap maximum field sizes but I also think the months leading into the meeting would benefit. I believe racing needs more competition. We need people to show their hand more – and if people feel their horse is on the cusp of getting in, they will need to run the horse again in order to be sure of that happening.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inComment
Last updated
Copy- We know that times are tight - but racecourses really do need to step up and improve outdated weighing rooms
- The budget has heaped even more trouble on racing - and I fear many trainers will now decide the numbers just don't add up
- No-one has ever emerged from the womb wearing a trilby - racing's future survival hangs on pursuing a young audience
- Four score and ten just a number to Peter Harris as July Cup triumph shows there's more to the elderly than medical conditions
- 'It's chipping away at the profile and the standing of racing in the UK and somebody ought to at least give the impression they care'
- We know that times are tight - but racecourses really do need to step up and improve outdated weighing rooms
- The budget has heaped even more trouble on racing - and I fear many trainers will now decide the numbers just don't add up
- No-one has ever emerged from the womb wearing a trilby - racing's future survival hangs on pursuing a young audience
- Four score and ten just a number to Peter Harris as July Cup triumph shows there's more to the elderly than medical conditions
- 'It's chipping away at the profile and the standing of racing in the UK and somebody ought to at least give the impression they care'