Il est francois, free entry, james bowen, l'homme presse & NO STAR HUNTER CHASERS.

​Everyone has their opinion on which race Noel and Amanda should run Il Est Francois in at the Cheltenham Festival. Personally, I believe they have given themselves an unnecessary headache. Il Est Francois may have the early pace to lead a 2-Mile Champion Chase, yet unlike in his two runs at Kempton, his rivals at Cheltenham will have the ability to lay up close to him, and why are they thinking him a speed horse when only last season their objective was the Grand Steep, a race over 3-miles and more furlongs than the Gold Cup?
In my opinion, for what it is worth, if they believe the horse does not possess the stamina to be competitive in the Gold Cup, the obvious cure for their self-imposed headache would be the Ryanair, a race which requires a mixture of speed and stamina. Ruby Walsh, I believe, advocates the 2-Mile Champion Chase for Il Est Francois as his presence would set-up the race nicely for either Energumene and Gaelic Warrior to pounce at the bottom of the hill. A strong pace would also prove useful to Jonbon.
If Banbridge runs in the Ryanair, Banbridge wins. Though I hope Ronnie Bartlett will see the Gold Cup this year as perhaps his only chance of having a live chance of winning the race. Banbridge stayed on nicely at Kempton and Paul Townend is of the opinion that he sees no reason why he would not see out the extra 2-furlongs at Cheltenham, even if he thought the Ryanair would be his choice for Banbridge  at the Festival.

I do not have a racecourse within fifty miles of me, so I cannot make any claims about how Taunton, Exeter or Newton Abbot market themselves in their respective local areas. But in light of what came out of the Racing Post’s ‘Project Spotlight’ last week, the vox populi (opinion of the people of Kingston, at least) seemed to suggest that horse racing was a sport for the idle rich and not the hoi polloi, if Kingston has any hoi polloi living in its vicinity.
If I had any say in how to get more local people to a racecourse, I would suggest, along with one free entry meeting per year, leafleting the nearby towns and villages and along with days on which they race, racecourses should include price of entry and season badges, plus concessions for O.A.P.’s and emphasise both the free entry at all meetings for accompanied children under the age of sixteen and the facilities to keep said children entertained. Picnic areas are good, also.

James Bowen spent a good half-hour trapped under the half-ton of Saunton Surf at Ffos Las last Saturday, his leg trapped in an iron at one stage (freed by the passing Ben Jones), his head dangerously close to the mare’s hind legs. Although young James had a long time to contemplate his future and how he might use his time if he ended up in hospital should the tired mare decide to suddenly raise herself from the ground, it was a magnificent effort by all concerned to extricate Bowen from his perilous position, while ensuring the welfare of Saunton Surf. Horse racing should award medals for people who excel during an emergency such as occurred at Ffos Las. Incidentally, Ffos Las looked a wonderful racecourse in scenic surroundings. A great venue for a summer festival.

While it looks long odds the Cheltenham Gold Cup will be kept on the mantelpiece of a British-based owner for the twelve-months after March, I do think it is complacent of ‘experts’ to ignore the chances of L’Homme Presse. He is 33/1 and on all known form has a better chance than Grey Dawning in being in with a chance jumping the second-last. He was quietly fancied by many last season, leading the pack into the straight before Galopin Des Champs went for home. Providing he wins his next race, I would not be in the least surprised to see him finish in the first three this time around, and, as it is said many times, many ways, you should never be scared of one horse, no matter how long odds-on it is.

The Hunter Chase season is upon us and I will again be left wondering where the star hunters have gone. In front of me, I have a biography of Baulking Green, star hunter chaser of the mid 1960’s, winner of 24 of his 38-races. Also, a book on Flying Ace, star hunter from the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, a horse who won a staggering 59 races, point-to-point and hunter chases.
There must be a reason why horses such as these two admirable warriors can no longer be found in British hunter chases.