In a world full of hysterical nonsense, sometimes it is the smallest of things that can send an individual tipping over the edge.
Most people sigh when the Cheltenham Festival is mentioned at this time of year just when the jumps season is starting. Some, on the other had, live for it.
Last year we had some tweaking and this year we have even more. It’s all rather reminiscent of a certain phrase that includes the words; rearranging, deckchairs and Titanic.
The Mares’ Hurdle moving from the Tuesday to the Thursday is nothing more than a shameless admission of the dilution of the Cheltenham Festival.
‘Championship Tuesday’ is no more to give the fixture more balance, spreading the 13 Grade Ones more fairly across the four days. On face value, that seems fair enough. But this is a secret revelation that this Festival is not what it was.
Explaining the switch, Jon Pullin, Clerk of the course at Cheltenham said: ‘The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle is the pinnacle of the very successful mares’ programme that has been developed by the industry over the last 20 years.
Lossiemouth won the Mares’ Hurdle last year, a race that will be moved from Tuesday to Thursday
Horses race around Cheltenham in the 2024 Festival, the pinnacle of jumps racing
Connections of Lossiemouth celebrate her 2024 Mares’ Hurdle win, a title she defended
‘By moving to it to Thursday, we feel the Mares’ Hurdle will receive more attention and receive the coverage a race its status merits.
‘We also believe this change enhances the overall race programme across The Festival with each of our for days having at least three Grade One contests.’
So basically ‘Championship Tuesday’ is no more to give the fixture more balance, spreading the 13 Grade Ones more fairly across the four days. On face value, that seems fair enough. But this is a secret revelation that this Festival is not what it was.
Barring Honeysuckle’s emotional success, the most significant the Mares’ Hurdle has been a betting story. Annie Power’s £100million fall at the last in 2015 that saved the bookies is etched in punting folklore.
The rolling day one accas that bookmakers love to report upon are no more. Yes, they can be spread across the week but it’s not quite the same as it all happening on one day. Betting interest, in that regard, is swiftly pulled away.
But there are greater concerns about the overall programming.
Chair of the British Horseracing Authority’s Jump Pattern Committee, Simon Cox added: ‘We are delighted to see the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle in a more prominent position at the Cheltenham Festival.
‘We strongly feel that it is no coincidence that in the last 10 years the Unibet Champion Hurdle has been won five times by a mare, but no mare had won the race in the previous 20.’
While the strength of the mares programme is set to be applauded, this hints at a change that will try to persuade more mares to take the Champion Hurdle route over the Mares’ Hurdle route.
Is this kind of decision really going to make Willie Mullins wake up and think: ‘Oh, I really now need to run Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle.’ I highly doubt it.
The Mares’ Hurdle switch is one that will unlikely worry Lossiemouth’s trainer Willie Mullins
Another subtle point is switching it from the speed-favouring Old Course to the stamina-favouring New Course.
Whether it will positively impact both races remains to be seen, the bigger elephant in the room is that if we really cared about the mares’ programme then this race would not be at the Festival.
This might be to the amazement of most but Cheltenham stages an all-mares card in April. It takes place on Thursday April 16, 2026.
Why can’t the Mares’ Hurdle be staged as the centrepiece of that card? It’s a lovely month’s gap from the Festival and would have allowed horses like; Lossiemouth, Epatante, Honeysuckle, Golden Ace and Annie Power to do both in the same season.
But then again that would be prioritising quality over quantity, something an increasing number of racing festivals refuse to do. Sadly.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
Calandagan strides away from Ombudsman to win the Champion Stakes at Ascot
Trawlerman topped off a terrific season with victory in the Long Distance Cup on British Champions Day. Jamie Spencer was superb on 200-1 shock Sprint winner Powerful Glory, while Kalpana outclassed her rivals in the Fillies and Mares Stakes.
Cicero’s Gift sprung a shock at 100-1 to win a QEII where the market principles all disappointed to varying degrees.
The Champion Stakes was a more conventional affair and CALANDAGAN was a worthy winner.
The King George winner beat the Juddmonte International victor and sustained his turn of foot down the home straight better than Ombudsman in a fair and truly run race.
