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Thread: Cheltenham 2020 / 2021

  1. #261
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    Notebook didn't get a Ryanair entry so that should make 6
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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    Ian Renton on local radio an hour ago doesn't see even minimal spectators at the Festival, they still aren't issuing tickets and thinks it's touch and go whether even owners will be allowed to attend. They are positive about holding the Festival behind closed doors as it's a non contact sport and owing to strict protocols on the racecourse there hasn't been any cases of transmission between parties allowed into the racecourse.
    "The owls are not what they seem"

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  4. #263
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    They'll be happy with behind closed doors at this stage.

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    Thanks Roger

    Not the news I was hoping for. The one big issue that has not been covered above is amateurs riders and what will happen the 3 races if they are still banned from competing.

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    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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    Various people reporting they have had hospitality cancelled within the last couple of hours.
    "The owls are not what they seem"

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    Quote Originally Posted by frontrunner View Post
    Thanks Roger

    Not the news I was hoping for. The one big issue that has not been covered above is amateurs riders and what will happen the 3 races if they are still banned from competing.
    Professional riders would be the alternative surely. Either that or an exemption for the amateurs. I wouldn't expect the races to be cancelled.

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    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    I defintiely read the other day that the Hunter programme was being amended to enable professionals to ride instead of amateurs.

    Surely that would apply to all such races.

    Shame they jumped in with the altered programme early. The amateurs' handicap chase might not be much different from the Ultima now. They could have dumped it and kept the novices' hanicap.
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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    Sure just cancel the restricted riders races and put on a 3 day festival!!!

    Sent from my SM-J415FN using Tapatalk

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    I'd like to see the festival put back 3 weeks

    It could be the difference between owners not attending and attending

    Also could be the difference between betting shops being open or closed as well

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    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by frontrunner View Post
    Thanks Roger

    Not the news I was hoping for. The one big issue that has not been covered above is amateurs riders and what will happen the 3 races if they are still banned from competing.
    The three amateur races, and the threat of them not going ahead, whilst irritating, does not remotely qualify as a “big issue”, Brian.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

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    Quote Originally Posted by Truncheon View Post
    I'd like to see the festival put back 3 weeks

    It could be the difference between owners not attending and attending

    Also could be the difference between betting shops being open or closed as well
    Could also result in next to nothing running at Aintree. No chance of it happening, just to allow some space for owners to attend.
    Last edited by Grasshopper; 15th January 2021 at 10:43 PM.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

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    Quote Originally Posted by Grasshopper View Post
    Could also result in next to nothing running at Aintree. No chance of it happening, just to allow some space for owners to attend.
    If it meant irish hosses they would and delay others if needed
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  14. #273
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    It won’t happen, PJ, for the simple reason that it would be on the never-never. They won’t be able to predict in March, that they’d be good to go in early April - the situation is far too fluid. They certainly won’t delay the Festival and defer Aintree, when there is still a risk of losing both.

    They’ll go ahead with both meetings as planned with or without the Irish horses, I reckon.
    Last edited by Grasshopper; 15th January 2021 at 11:22 PM.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

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    Your point is grounded in logic and only someone in a cocoon would try predict with any great confidence

    The whole industry could stop early Feb with little to no racing again for weeks. we can all agree that they would do all to get a festival in this event if even in late april

    Discount no scenario yet
    Last edited by granger; 15th January 2021 at 11:36 PM.
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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    Whilst travel is almost certainly going to pretty much stop for the forseeable future, there will continue to be exemptions, and elite sport will be one of them.

    So whilst I can't completely discount a Festival with no horses, I'd be more than optimistic that specific arrangements will be in place, albeit with very strict criteria around quarantine and isolation at both ends.

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    A festival without horses is a dreadful consternation.
    "And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.

    And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."

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    Quote Originally Posted by an capall View Post
    A festival without horses is a dreadful consternation.
    Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."

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    The import VAT issue on horses was covered by Nick Luck on his own podcast yesterday
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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    Quote Originally Posted by an capall View Post
    A festival without horses is a dreadful consternation.
    Irish horses.

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    Eight weeks to go and eight favourites to focus on

    The countdown to the Cheltenham Festival is well and truly on, with the tapes due to rise for the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle in no more than eight weeks' time.

    As we prepare for an altogether unique Cheltenham experience, with fans this year likely to be watching from afar due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Racing Post tipster Graeme Rodway has analysed eight current festival favourites as we look ahead to jump racing's biggest week.



    Horse: Appreciate It
    Race: Supreme Novices' Hurdle
    Trainer: Willie Mullins
    Ante-post price: 5-2 favourite

    Top-class bumper performer who was second behind Ferny Hollow in the championship event at this meeting last season and has improved significantly over hurdles. He is unbeaten in both starts over timber and looked a strong galloper when bolting up by nine lengths in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas. That was over 2m, but he shapes like he might want further in time and might be vulnerable to a speedier type, so makes limited appeal.



    Horse: Shishkin
    Race: Arkle Chase
    Trainer: Nicky Henderson
    Ante-post price: 8-11 favourite

    Won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at this fixture last season but is already a better chaser and looks in the same mould as his stable's great two-milers Sprinter Sacre and Altior, who both won this race. Shishkin recorded a Racing Post Rating of 170 when landing the Wayward Lad at Kempton and would be a big player in the Champion Chase judged on that lofty figure. It will be a major surprise if he is beaten and he looks the British banker of the meeting.



    Horse: Epatante
    Race: Champion Hurdle
    Trainer: Nicky Henderson
    Ante-post price: 9-4 favourite

    An impressive winner of this race last year but she has failed to show the same level of form this season and was comfortably beaten by Silver Streak in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton last time, a race she had won easily en route to victory here last year. She didn't jump with her usual fluency that day and an aura of invincibility has gone. Take her on.



    Horse: Monkfish
    Race: Festival Novices' Chase
    Trainer: Willie Mullins
    Ante-post price: 7-4 favourite

    Landed the Albert Bartlett at the festival last year and has improved for the switch to chasing this season, winning two from two including a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas. That display wasn't as impressive as his chasing debut at Fairyhouse, though, and this race often turns into a war of attrition that doesn't always suit classy types like Monkfish. He is the right favourite but isn't unbeatable and makes the market for a bet on something else.



    Horse: Chacun Pour Soi
    Race: Queen Mother Champion Chase
    Trainer: Willie Mullins
    Ante-post price: 11-8 favourite

    Chacun Pour Soi is the outstanding two-mile chaser in Britain and Ireland when he makes it to the track, but he has proved fragile and isn't the easiest to train. He has won five of his six starts for Willie Mullins since March 2019, including three Grade 1s, but has yet to race in Britain and was a late absentee from this race last year. If he gets to the race he is likely to win, but his physical problems mean he is risky without the non-runner no-bet guarantee.



    Horse: Envoi Allen
    Race: Marsh Novices' Chase
    Trainer: Gordon Elliott
    Ante-post price: even-money favourite

    An unbeaten 11 out of 11 under rules and arguably the most exciting horse lining up all week, Envoi Allen has looked a superstar at every stage of his career and is already a two-time festival winner. He landed the Champion Bumper two years ago and added the Ballymore 12 months ago, but this will probably be his toughest test. His wide-margin victory in the Grade 1 Drinmore at Fairyhouse in November proved he is equally good over fences - he followed up in a Grade 3 at Punchestown on Sunday - and he's the most likely winner.



    Horse: Paisley Park
    Race: Stayers' Hurdle
    Trainer: Emma Lavelle
    Ante-post price: 3-1 favourite

    Paisley Park has been the outstanding staying hurdler in Britain and Ireland over the last two years and made it eight wins from his last ten starts when pulling rank on young pretender Thyme Hill to land a second Long Walk at Ascot last month. A power-packed finish is his trademark and Cheltenham's undulating terrain brings out the best in him. He probably isn't as good as he was when he won this two years ago, though, and is vulnerable to an improver.



    Horse: Al Boum Photo
    Race: Cheltenham Gold Cup
    Trainer: Willie Mullins
    Ante-post price: 7-2 favourite

    Dual Gold Cup winners don't come along too often and triple Gold Cup heroes are even rarer, so can Al Boum Photo join the pantheon of greats? He isn't flashy and doesn't set an obscenely high standard, but he is the ideal Gold Cup horse - he travels, jumps and stays well. He looks sure to run well again, but Don Cossack, Long Run and Bobs Worth have all been better Gold Cup winners in the last century according to Racing Post Ratings and Al Boum Photo might come a cropper if there is a real star chaser in this year's race.

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