review of cambridgeshire day.

​In the past I have advocated racecourses becoming more closely associated with the area in which they are situated, calling on the B.H.A., for instance, to reconstruct the summer jumping programme so that it resembles Ireland with ‘festivals’ providing the bulk of the racing. But the same initiative could be applied to the flat. Horse racing in its formative years was seen by local people as a day of fun and entertainment and over the decades as commercial aspects have taken possession of the sport this tie has been sadly diluted. Using ‘Cambridgeshire Day, as an example, why not suggest to the local dignitaries that the Cambridgeshire horse race be the hub and finishing post of a week-long celebration of everything that is good and distinctive about the county?
Away from good, if naïve ideas on how to promote our sport, this is my favourite time of the flat season, and not only, as a jumping man you would expect me to say this, because the flat is coming to an end, but because my two favourite races of the year are the Cambridgeshire and Cesarewitch, with the added bonus of the only foreign race to spark my imagination in the Arc de Triomphe.
Having said that, the Cambridgeshire, as with many of the top handicaps from the middle-of-summer onwards, is becoming ever-more dominated by unexposed and lightly-raced three-year-olds. I do think that to safeguard the tradition and popularity of the heritage handicaps they should be restricted to four-year-olds and upwards, with equivalent races invented restricted to three-year-olds. The narrative of the sport over the centuries has been constructed on the intrigue of the classic races and races such as the two races that form the autumn double and other big-name handicaps, with horses becoming famous for their exploits over many seasons in these famous old handicaps. Lord North, by the ease of his win on Saturday, is clearly a Group horse in the making and if these races are going to be in the future easy-pickings for the type of trainer and owner profuse with such horses, the romance will be sucked out of races that for centuries have provided the smaller yards with a brush with fame and glory.
It was a shame, especially after the build-up to the Middle Park, that the meat of the race was taken out of it by Siskin suffering a meltdown in the stalls causing him to be withdrawn. Obviously, it keeps Ger Lyons’ horse unbeaten, though I expect that is small consolation to connections as the potential of their horse may well be compromised if the stalls become an issue with him after what must have been a frightening experience for a young horse.
The race also proves what I wrote recently about never allowing oneself to get overexcited by a two-year-old as disappointment is always lurking around the corner. Not only did Siskin damage his reputation but Mum’s Tipple also bombed-out. That rejected offer of 3-million-quid must now be a source of regret, if not lost sleep, to his owners.
I also wouldn’t get overexcited by the winner of the Middle Park either. Earthlight is obviously an above-average horse but he didn’t exactly win on the bridle or in the style of Pinatubo and with the pacemaker King Neptune leaving his recent form well-behind him and finishing within a few lengths of the winner and the majority of the other runners performing poorly the form looks unreliable to my uninformed eyes. He may improve for a mile or further and could easily be the best the French have to offer but he will not go into the winter as one of my favourites for classic glory this side of the Channel. Having said that, who am I to question Andre Fabre’s judgement? He has enjoyed a long and glorious career that will doubtless continue without change, while I – well, less said the better. I was though, in my defence, as no one else will, bigging-up Pinatubo after the Woodcote. Were you? Or Andre Fabre?
In fact, I was more impressed by Jessica Harrington’s Cheveley Park winner Millisle, even if her ability to stay beyond sprint distances is already being questioned. Although in itself the Commonwealth Cup is a great addition to both Royal Ascot and the flat programme, it is becoming thought-of by trainers as a consolation or alternative race for horses either lacking the stamina or ability to enhance their reputation and value in the Guineas. As with Millisle, the dilemma has become not whether she will stay the mile but should she be trained with the Guineas in mind or keep her for Royal Ascot and the Commonwealth Cup. Once upon a time sprints in general were thought of as the poorer relations of the sport, whereas now they are almost the equal of the classics. But then flat racing is not so much about the sport these days as the commercial realisation of the siring sheds. In past decades the connections of fillies such as Millisle would have dreamed throughout the winter and spring of classic success, now they have the consolation daydreams of top-hats and fascinators and the glory of the Commonwealth Cup.
Will I live to hear a trainer informing Olli Bell after a future Middle Park: regrettably the horse doesn’t appear to possess the speed to win a Commonwealth or July Cup, so he’ll have to be trained for the 2,000 Guineas. Such is the rise and rise of the commercial prestige of sprint Group 1’s.