Equinties - Cheltenham & Newbury

Gm Equinauts

We really aren’t going to call yesterdays Cheltenham meeting a damp squib, as let’s be honest, racing around Prestbury park is a brilliant spectacle for all, especially if those watching are unaware of the grade of races.

A bad horse running upsides a bad horse is still exciting without a faster one to demonstrate their lack of ability. That’s what the majority of mid-week racing is anyway, any competition creates a market and we love it, some one has to win and likewise, some horse’s have to fill the spaces and give the owners a day out.

But yesterday showed signs of worrying times.

Look yesterdays 13.50. Four horses, three Irish and a Brit crossing the line together in an open novice chase producing a brilliant spectacle finish…to the unknowing eye. For those that know racing, they’d have been watching a flat bred cast off, NOBLE ANTHEM, finishing third in a race he really had no no business to be running in. Fair play he did, but his pedigree shows how bad the race was.

We can’t help but feel there’s something wrong there. Why wasn’t there more runners? Why isn’t there more British jumps horses competing in these races?

Gavin Cromwell, Gordon Elliott, the Wizard Willie Mullins and Henry de Bromhead are going to have LOADS of runners over here this year.

Get ready for a total onslaught from the Irish.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

VIA GO GO!

There was more success for British raiders down under this morning as VIA SISTINA absolutely hosed up in the Cox Plate.

The ex-Boughey horse has been on a winning spree since leaving Newmarket for warmer shores taking her tally to 4 wins from 6 races in Australia and amassing over £3m in prize money.

She made the racing news a few days ago by getting loose and running laps of the track, but she didn’t look tired this morning and readily asserted by 6 easy lengths… on the bridle!

Maybe it was the extra training she put in?

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