I'm ok with a 4 day festival personally. Probably because I'll only watch the main 4-5 races on TV each day, missing some of the less known races. I think they should get rid of a number of races that water down the big races, the mares races in particular. Then just simply fill the 4 days cards in with lower level racing to ensure the spectators get a full days racing. Does every race at the Cheltenham festival have to be special? On a side note I've been to Cheltenham once, for a non-festival days racing. We couldn't take ours drinks on to the grandstand to watch the races. Really spoiled the day, every time we bought a beer we had to rush in order to not miss a race. Doesn't make attending the festival attractive to me.
I've been to the last 14 festivals (apart from Covid) as I love the quality of racing and the atmosphere. To experience something different, I went to the DRF in February. I enjoyed myself, but it was nowhere near the level of the Cheltenham festival for competitiveness of racing and the feeling that you're at a premium event. Mullins had around half the field in all grade ones and it all had a sense of inevitability about it. Although I agree that the ticket and hotel/air bandb prices are extortionate for the Cheltenham festival, that's partly because it's an excellent event, which is unparalleled within the sport.
Johnny doesnt seem to appreciate we have a different attitude to fatalities over here. You'll have 7 fatalities in Listowel and no one bats an eyelid. 1 or 2 at Cheltenham would be all over the daily mail website.
apart from the cost of going there for punters,accommodation,food,drinks are extortionate prices purely and simply because of the irish coming in their droves,the other factor and most galling for those who run the festival is the fact that the irish are cleaning up most of the races and prize money,so I’d say there are many English trainers and owners plus bookies who are pissed off with Ireland winning so many races every year.
Love the show certainly makes work easier by listening. Emma any news on Better Days AHEAD?? Can't wait to see him over a fence the Martin Pipe form looks really good.
City of Troy will win with plenty in hand they won’t get near him he’s got a big jet engine and he won’t allow anything to come past him his name will be legendary for years to come 🐎👍
Give the trainer a slap on the wrists and move on. The whole incident has been blown out of proportion. We put horses down here in the US, they are taken away by a company with an open topped trailer. Nobody loses their livelihood over it. Ireland has joined the woke brigade.
The McManus family gave this incredible horse the best retirement a horse could have. I remember reading J.P could watch him from his office in the paddock he really was loved. Look at the guests at his party. Goodbye Istabraq i will never forget u
Johnny talking shoite about the low grade runners. Put more races on in Ireland? No, you wont do that as its a race to the bottom. Lets be honest, its mostly the iffy trainers who come over. And only they know whether their horse should be evens or 20s. Its unfortunate for the guy training in the north but when he became a trainer presumably he knew which jurisdiction he was in.
Johnny knocks the City of Troy spin, then when Emma speaks positively about it he goes off on the negativity of the racing world, specifically the media 😂
@SarahRichardson-x2g, The bigger problem for Aidan, the crew, and City of Troy is ten hours on a plane to reach Del Mar. This Johnny fellow does not know what he is talking about Del Mar is not usually a slop race--the surface will be closer to Southwell"s surface. If it is, on the day, then City of Troy is far superior horse to any of the American hopefuls .
