Outstanding weekend highlights prove that change is good - even if it wasn't quite a revolution
When the Racing Post revealed changes to Ireland's jumps season on the eve of Christmas last year, Jason Morris, then Horse Racing Ireland's director of racing, described them as "evolution rather than revolution".
It was a nice line that did enough to diffuse the ire of those who were thriving in the existing climate but at the same time placate the persistent laments of a voluminous rumpus of malcontents. The Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown was to be axed, while the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle was downgraded to a Grade 2.
On the back of a couple of decades of exponential growth in the Irish Grade 1 pool, it constituted pretty ruthless surgery.
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Published on inRichard Forristal
Last updated
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- An act of Henderson's revered sorcery is about all we have left to cling to after Constitution Hill's underwhelming gallop at Newbury
- Long-awaited report into IHRB scandal makes one thing absolutely clear - the whole situation stinks
- Racing should take comfort from government support - but don't forget the danger of unintended consequences
- Jockeys are being hit by shambolic whip rules on a daily basis - how sad it took a high-profile DQ to concentrate minds
- The Arc remains pretty darn close to perfect - so can people please stop misguidedly trying to change it